Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

October 16, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TRAFFIC ADVISORY:

Railroad Square Parking Lot Set to Close Monday;
Environmental Clean-up Activities Set to Run through Thanksgiving

HAVERHILL- The municipal parking lot at 57 Granite Street, commonly-referred to as the Railroad Square Parking Lot or the former ‘Ted’s for Tires’ lot, is set to close on Monday morning, October 19, 2009 at 1:00AM.  Any cars in the lot after that time are subject to towing.

Alternate public parking is being made available on the west (left) side of Locust Street across from the Cordovan at Haverhill Station at the end of Walnut Street and along Orchard Street.  Employees, residents and commuters are encouraged to park in this larger free private lot that features security cameras and new pavement.  The city has reached an agreement with Beacon Properties that allows for the use of their lot on that side of the street.

Multiple variable message board signs will be in place Monday morning to help detour and guide drivers to the new public parking locations.

The 47-space Granite Street lot is being closed from October 19 through Thanksgiving, November 26 in order for environmental remediation activities to be undertaken at the site.  This lot is an active petroleum-contaminated brownfields site that will have a limited excavation occurring to remove the primary source contaminants.  This work is being performed by Cyn Environmental Services overseen by TRC, the City’s environmental consultants for the site.   Excavation will occur at points to 14 feet in depth and dewatering will also occur to remove contaminated groundwater from the site.  Material will be removed via tractor trailer and shipped to a licensed disposal facility.  Clean fill will be brought into the site and the lot will be returned to a paved surface by Thanksgiving.

The Granite Street lot will return to its status as a municipal parking lot starting in late November, 2009 through the winter and spring of 2010.

This remediation begins the first phase of the activities that will construct a multi-level parking garage facility and intermodal transit center that will connect to the Haverhill railroad station.  This construction will commence sometime in mid 2010.

The environmental clean-up activities are funded by grants from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and MassDevelopment totaling over $700,000.