THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUly 7, 2023 Page 9 COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM | FROM PAGE 2 as temporary parking. • Anyone who chooses not to move their vehicles to the temporary car parking area at the end of Appleton Street before the start of the next work day will not be able to leave until the end of the work day, at 5 p.m. • Champlain Excavating will make the road accessible once daily work hours are completed. • Access to abutting houses throughout the project construction will only be available by foot. No motorized vehicles will be allowed during the project hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. • Residents who need access in and out during construction may contact Champlain Excavating in advance to schedule access. This typically may apply to individuals and caregivers who may need to leave for medical and other appointments who are unable to park along the ballfield on Appleton Street. • Residents affected by the project can contact Todd Champlain, owner/President of Champlain Excavating, at 978-766-3046. • After completion of the water main project, Cliff Road will be paved with a binder course that will remain until the spring of 2024 when a final coat will be installed. Abutters express concerns Besides the failure to notify Cliff Road residents in a timely manner, the residents identified their chief concern during an interview outside the Bambury home Wednesday night. Shirley Raithel, 77, who moved to a house on Cliff Road about 50 years ago with her husband, Philip, 78, said the parking area designated near Stackpole Field is not a good option for her. “I have a handicapped plate because I’m not supposed to walk 200 feet,” Shirley said. “I already had one heart attack. I don’t need another one,” she said, noting that the driveway to her house is 125 long. There’s a landing of 50 feet that incorporates the 27 steps to the house. Shirley said her back problems prevent her from walking from the roadway up the parking area. “I have eight doctors appointments coming up, including my eye surgery,” she said, “so I have a big problem.” Shirley ’s husband Phil raised some other issues. “I talked to the mailman on Saturday and he had no clue the road was going to close,” Phil said. “He said he would probably just walk now,” he said. Phil noted other logistical issues that could make life inconvenient for residents and businesses they deal with on a regular basis. “You got Amazon, UPS and FedEx making deliveries. You got people cutting lawns and companies bringing in bottled gas,” Phil said. “They’re going to give you weekends and they are giving you the hours after 5. And this is supposed to take place the whole summer. You don’t mind the inconvenience of these improvements. But the length of time concerns me,” he said. Most of the neighbors have concerns about safety and the vulnerability of their cars if parked along Stackpole Field. “If I have an 8 a.m. doctor’s appointment, I’d have to leave my car out there overnight,” Bambury said. “But I wouldn’t leave my car out there overnight. It wouldn’t be safe,” he said. Residents who want to use their cars for early appointments would have to leave their homes early, like at 6:30 a.m., to avoid getting stuck for the day, according to Bambury. “Everybody on the street has medical issues. We all have appointments. The lady across the street is in her 80s. She’s got it tough and she’s got a daughter in a wheelchair.” Ruth Babcock, who has lived on Cliff Road for 25 “WE’RE HERE TO PLEASE”: Todd Champlain, owner/president of Champlain Excavating, said he put his personal cell phone number on a flier that went out to Cliff Road residents last Friday (June 30). He also decided to delay digging up Cliff Road until next Monday to avoid disrupting the holiday week plans of neighbors. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) This heavy equipment will be used by Champlain Excavating to tear up Cliff Road when a water main construction project gets underway next week. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) bracing themselves for the possible shutdown of their road. But it didn’t take place. “We were supposed to moyears, said residents who live in the five homes on Anderson Way were not informed about the project, so she made copies and distributed some to those residents who will be affected by the closure of Cliff Road. IN NEED OF MAJOR REPAIRS: Champlain Excavating is about to begin a $212,000 water main replacement project that also involves the replacement of a fire hydrant and the construction of a new road. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Champlain Excavating delays road shutdown Cliff Road residents were bilize the vehicles last week and begin the digging today (Wednesday, July 5),” said Todd Champlain, owner/president of Champlain Excavating. “But I postponed it. We’re not digging until Monday (July 10). We were still doing the preparation work that we were going to do last week,” he said. Champlain said he didn’t think it would be proper to begin the project just days before the July 4 celebration, out of respect for the Cliff Road residents. He also said he is making himself readily available to any of the residents who have concerns, noting that he put his personal cell phone on the flier several times so residents can reach him easily with their concerns. “The residents started calling me Friday night,” Champlain said. “And I’m available to address their concerns. There’s going to be a little adjustment, but we’re going to have a way to get the residents back and forth,” he said. Champlain said he has been involved with projects in Saugus since 2019. His company is based in his hometown of Middleton, where he also COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM | SEE PAGE 12
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