Update on Lower Atkinson Common

The City has been working on plans to improve pedestrian safety at Lower Atkinson Common. The project will remove angled parking along Merrimac Street, which poses a danger as cars back out onto the roadway, and instead brings parking internal to the park.  The revised plans for this project will be reviewed during public meetings of the Conservation Commission on Tuesday, December 19 at 6:45 pm (remote only) and the Planning Board on Wednesday, December 20 at 7:00 pm (hybrid at the Senior Community Center). The City received many helpful comments from the community after a site walk in late August, and revised the plans to reflect this feedback. All plans are posted to the Parks Commission webpage Lower Atkinson Common Master Plan | Newburyport, MA (cityofnewburyport.com) Changes to the August plans include a reduction of number of gravel parking spaces in order to save additional trees behind Founders Field, addition of canopy trees along Merrimac St, improved queueing for cars dropping off children, improved drainage, planting of additional trees, and addition of a bus drop off.  We encourage anyone with interest in this project to attend these meetings or go to the City website for more information.