Published in the August 7, 2020 edition.

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD – Plans for a total facelift of Albion Street were outlined at meetings over the last couple of weeks.

A meeting was held via Zoom on July 30 for the public to weigh in on various options for design and materials for the reconstruction project that is expected to be completed in 2021. The project would cover Albion Street between Main Street and North Avenue.

The goal is to reconstruct Albion Street with a focus on sidewalks and connectivity. The entire roadway would be reconstructed with new granite curbing along the sidewalks.

At Monday’s Town Council meeting, Town Engineer Bill Renault discussed various design options that have been developed by his office with input from the public at the July 30 meeting.

Renault noted that the town received a $400,000 “Complete Streets” grant to be used for the Albion Street upgrade. The MassDOT Complete Streets Funding Program provides technical assistance and construction funding to eligible municipalities to provide safe and accessible options for all travel modes – walking, biking, transit and motorized vehicles – for people of all ages and abilities.

Renault talked about the locations of four “bump-outs,” which would widen the sidewalk for a short distance. One would be at the northern corner of Albion Street and North Avenue, by the Dunkin’ Donuts. A pair of bump-outs (one on each side of the street) would be located in the area of 110 Albion St. Another two-sided bump-out would be located in the area of 73 Albion St. (near Barrett Realty). The fourth bump-out would be on both sides of Albion Street near Foster Street.

Renault said that several options for the bump-outs were presented at the July 30 meeting, including a hardscape made of porous pavers, a combination of pavers and tree boxes for more greenery and a bioretention model with landscaping and trees.

Renault said that the latter two models were preferred by most people. The preference was for red brick pavers to be used in the bump-outs, which would be at grade level with the sidewalks.

Renault said that as a result of input at the July 30 meeting, he has been reviewing the possibility of bike lanes along Albion Street. Town Councilors Julie Smith-Galvin and Jonathan Chines voiced support for bike lanes.

Councilor Paul DiNocco was concerned about the limited types of trees that for the bump-outs that can tolerate road salt. Renault said that the DPW has a list of salt-tolerant trees that could be used. He said that he was more concerned about tree root systems that might damage the sidewalks.

Chines also expressed an interest in seeing the bump-outs used in ways that support the concept of Albion Street as an arts corridor.

Town Councilor Edward Dombroski observed that the there appeared to be consensus on the installation of trees and street level lighting along Albion Street.

He also pointed out that there are presently no crosswalks along this section of Albion Street except at the opposite ends, at Main Street and North Avenue. The bump-outs will include crosswalks and Dombroski noted that the bump-outs will also help with traffic calming on a one-way street where there is often a temptation to speed.

Dombroski noted that the Albion Street work will serve as a template for the larger Envision Wakefield project, which will run from the Lake to the Junction.

Councilor Mehreen Butt was concerned about snow removal along the sidewalk and the new bump-outs. Public Works Director Joseph Conway said the DPW would work with the abutters to make sure the sidewalks are safe and passable.

Renault said that he will be soliciting bid proposals for the project between now and the end of the year. It is expected that the work would be done before the end of next summer.

Renault noted that the town will add some of its own funds to supplement the Complete Streets grant to help with the complete reconstruction of Albion Street.