By AUBREY HAWKE
Waltham Times Contributing Writer
The city is taking action to relieve traffic problems on a stretch of Lexington Street.
This action comes after the City Council recently passed a resolution to investigate ways to help those impacted by years of ongoing construction-related slow zones on the major Waltham thoroughfare.
The plan calls for workers to pave a section of the Wal-Lex Gulf gas station land, including a section of sidewalk.
This would allow the city to open a new temporary traffic lane while construction continues on the other side of the road.
Ward 1 Councilor Anthony LaFauci said the decision is contingent on being approved at a private meeting between the contractor, a Fire Department representative, a Police Department representative and Waltham’s traffic engineer.
LaFauci said two-way traffic could open soon after Thanksgiving, if the plan is approved.
Joe Dion, president of Dion’s, a liquor store on Lexington Street, said his business has been down about $10,000 a week in sales for over a year. He attributes this to customers avoiding the area because of the traffic.
Dion said he thinks it could take months for business to go back to normal after construction is done, because customers are now used to avoiding the area because of the traffic.
“It’s going to take a little time to recover even when they finish this project. It’s still going to take a couple of months for people to get used to coming to that side of town again,” said Dion.
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