The “upper” portion of Main Street, north of Ell Pond Park and heading toward Franklin Street, has a different character than our downtown section of Main Street. Because it intersects with Lynn Fells Parkway and has numerous large street-facing parking areas, it is has a more “surburban” auto-centric feel to it. It is also located directly next to Ell Pond Park, Melrose’s central public “open space” park, as well as to the Middle School and High School. The city received Complete Streets grant funding in 2018 for the implementation of striped bike lanes along certain portions, including on the northbound side between Lynn Fells Parkway and Franklin Street. These improvements should be seen as only the first step; not only is the pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure here distinctly incomplete, automobile drivers also crash their cars here at a considerably higher rate than the state’s average. Because of these factors, the intersection of Main Street with Lynn Fells Parkway has long been a target for more comprehensive redesign efforts. These efforts must naturally involve the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which manages the Lynn Fells Parkway.
In 2020, the Ped/Bike Committee (PBC) developed a set of recommendations for this corridor. These recommendations were part of a more comprehensive conversation about improvements to Main Street, and were further developed after DCR announced that it was convening a series of public hearings about the adjacent intersection of Lynn Fells Parkway and Melrose Street. Those recommendations can be found in our letter to the DCR below.
The PBC will continue to advocate with the City of Melrose, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and with our state house and senate representatives to express the serious need for pedestrian and bicycle improvements to this corridor.
