The Saxonville intersection is indeed out of the mayor’s current recommended FY 25 capital budget. During last night’s City Council Finance Subcommittee meeting, Councilor Adam Steiner specifically asked about the intersection project status. DPW reported that the project is still in design, but the design is expected to be completed by this summer and work could go ahead next year if funding was available.
This wasn’t the meeting to discuss whether there might be options to get it funded somehow for FY25 even if it’s not currently in the budget recommendations. So no update on that beyond what Councilor George King mentioned in his email. The water main work in anticipation of the intersection reconstruction is still in the FY25 budget. Councilor Steiner did point out the dangerous configuration of the current left turns on Danforth. He noted that the city has been waiting to address that with the intersection redesign project, but if the project isn’t happening next year and the area is already being dug up for the water main work this summer, perhaps at least the traffic lights could be reconfigured.
Stopping northbound traffic on Concord Street before Danforth Street would likely help with the problem of cars turning left onto Danforth & cars traveling north on Concord unable to see each other. If that happens, hopefully it might also address the danger when pedestrians dashing across from the city parking lot to the Mill with no light and no crosswalk. Although I’d still much rather the whole project happen next year. I know money is tight, but it feels like this merits funding 5 years after the first community meeting recognized the project’s importance to residents, businesses in the area, and customers of those businesses, as well as all those who drive through.
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