Wicked Local
Several side streets will be designated “no parking” from 7-8:30 a.m. during the school year around the Saugus Middle-High School and Highland Avenue will become one-way from 1-5 p.m. in a plan the Board of Selectmen supported to alleviate overflow parking in the neighborhood.
The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to make the following streets “no parking” from 7-8:30 a.m. during school days: Highland Avenue, Orchard Avenue, Farmland Road, Highland Park, Meadow Lane and Apple Lane.
Under the revised configuration, Highland Avenue will become one-way from 1-5 p.m. with traffic only permitted to travel from Vine Street toward Pierce Memorial Drive.
Wicked Local
Meadow Lane resident Ryan Allocco is fed up with the trash and vehicles blocking driveways his neighborhood has experienced as a result of overflow Saugus Middle-High School traffic.
“I have a parade every day of those kids leaving trash, peeling out and speeding up and down a one-way street,” Allocco said. “The kids need to show some respect for the neighborhood – it has to stop.”
Allocco was among the numerous residents of Highland Avenue, Orchard Avenue and Meadow Lane who vented frustration over traffic issues surrounding the new Middle-High School.
The Board of Selectmen held a public hearing on May 11 to consider amending the traffic rules regarding Highland Avenue and Pierce Memorial Drive.
Wicked Local
The Saugus Middle-High School outdoor athletic complex will bear the name of the late legendary Saugus athlete and coach Christie Serino Jr.
Town Meeting members voted unanimously to name the athletic complex adjacent to the new Saugus Middle-High School the Christie Serino Jr. Athletic Sports Complex.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Anthony Cogliano said he couldn’t see any individual more deserving of the honor than Serino, who excelled in hockey, baseball and football at Saugus High School and coached those same three sports at his alma mater.
“I think it’s a fitting tribute for someone who is extremely deserving,” Cogliano said.
Wicked Local
Officials are looking for ways to ease traffic congestion around the new Saugus Middle-High School which has ramped up this week with the transition to five days of in-person instruction.
On Monday, parents turned to social media to vent frustration with long traffic backups they experienced during drop-off and pickup at the Saugus Middle-High School.
Board of Selectmen Chairman Anthony Cogliano said serious concerns have been raised about the traffic situation.
“It’s causing jams throughout the town, not just the high school,” Cogliano said.
Saugus Middle-High School Principal Michael Hashem outlined in a public notice that the administration and Saugus Police Department collaboratively determined to revise the traffic pattern for the school complex prior to the launch of full in-person learning.
Wicked Local
On a stretch of Route 1 famous for its kitschy landmarks, the former Karla’s Shoes building stands out as an unwelcome sight for many marked by its broken windows and graffiti-strewn exterior.
“We’re the laughingstock around when people drive by and see it,” Selectman Debra Panetta said. “Why can’t we do something about it?”
Panetta has been banging the drum that steps should be taken to address the boarded up building that she believes constitutes a public safety threat due to its ramshackle condition.
“It’s a huge safety concern because it’s so dilapidated,” Panetta said.