By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.
The Lynn City Council voted Tuesday night to authorize the use of $2.5 million in a fiscal 2015 MassWorks award to Lynn, to improve traffic in and around the intersection of Western Avenue and Federal Street, at the site of the planned Market basket store and shopping plaza.
The vote by the council essentially green lights the construction of roadway improvements that will allow motorists and others seeking to access the site, to do so safely.
The intersection, which currently has traffic from five different directions converging, will be re-developed into a traffic circle, with new lighting, traffic signals and pedestrian improvements, so that shoppers and employees accessing the site in downtown Lynn can do so more easily.
The $2.5 million state investment in the project supports the $30 million in private investment that will bring a brand new state-of-the-art grocery chain and other shopping and office amenities to the heart of the city.
Markey Basket is scheduled to open in September 2017 and city officials have indicated that the roadway improvements will begin in the next few weeks and be completed by the spring of 2017.
Meninno Construction of Lynn is already on the Market Basket site preparing the site for construction as well.