THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 4, 2025 Page 5 BRIDGE | FROM PAGE 2 2006 to 2017, the City of Lynn had no choice but to condemn the building and order that it be vacated. “SPS New England, Inc. remains committed to working with all parties involved to identify a solution and fi nishing the construction of the Belden-Bly Drawbridge. “Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021 Update …Local data for previous coastal fl ooding occurrences are not collected by the City of Lynn. The best available local data is for Essex County through the National Climatic Data Center. As noted in the SHMCAP, Eastern Essex County, which includes the City of Lynn, reported 27 coastal fl ooding events between 2006 and 2017. Essex County also experienced the most FEMA fl ood disaster declarations in the state between 1954 and 2017; total property damage assessed at approximately $7 million.” Meanwhile, in an interview this week, Flynn warned that “an environmental disaster” caused by the marina building blowing out and falling into the Saugus River could lead to an indefi nite shutdown that would impact the “the general public, including Lynn and Saugus taxpayers, abutters and commuters.” “Since everyone involved denies responsibility and buries their heads in the sand, we are headed to court with a strong request for an injunction to stop the project,” Flynn told The Saugus Advocate. “We have served the interested parties. It will be fi led with Essex County Superior Court in the next few days,” he said. “Never a problem until this project” As part of the bridge replacement project connecting Saugus and Lynn, MassDOT took a 19,000-square-foot, fi ve-year easement in 2018 and then renewed the easement in 2023 for another four years. “For 6+ years now, there has been heavy construction with massive equipment right up against our building,” Flynn said. “MassDOT has the right to do this until at least 2027, which will be nine years!!” “MassDOT’s contractor is SPS New England. Look at the equipment they have been pounding away with. Our primary building has housed a marina for over 30 years,” the attorney said. “It was built about 70 years ago. Never a problem until this project, and now the building is unstable and has been deemed by the City of Lynn to be uninhabitable. SPS and MassDOT say their project is a non-issue and has nothing to do with our land/building structural problems, not even a 1% factor,” he said. “They say the normal changSABATINO/MASTROCOLA INSURANCE AGENCY 519 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available Sabatino Insurance is proud to welcome the loyal customers of ALWAYS READY TO SERVE YOU: Our Staff are, Emma Davidson, Jeimy Sanchez, Josephine Leone, Marie D’Amore, Rocco Longo, Z’andre Lopez, Anthony DiPierro, Darius Goudreau, Laurette Murphy, Danielle Goudreau and Tina Davidson. PHONE: (617) 387-7466 FAX: (617) 381-9186 Visit us online at: WWW.SABATINO-INS.COM ing tide did this and has nothing to do with the vibrations, soil removal and dredging by SPS. Totally absurd! My clients had to recently vacate the marina building and may be put out of business,” he said. “Even the SPS project manager acknowledged that Western Avenue at the bridge site flooded two weeks ago and the water was directed under the foundation of the Marina Building,” he said. “We have the 30 year Marina tenant and photos from the 1990s showing the building and the land after almost 50 years with no tidal erosion. DOT/SPS arrive and start working and then the 10’ to 12’ of erosion commenced and the building deBRIDGE | SEE PAGE 7 Toys! $ 599. 95 Collectibles! $ 1,195. 95
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