Photo: The map of the changes coming to Belmont Center with the closure of Leonard Street.
Just two days after the Select Board approved a plan to increase outdoor dining in Belmont Center to help restaurants and retail hurt by the COVID-19 shutdown, the Community Development Office announced Wednesday, June 10 that Leonard Street will be closed as soon as 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 11 and continuing until the day after Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 8.
“Pending available DPW crews, we will be closing the road a soon as tomorrow,” said Glenn Clancy, director of Community Development.
The street through Belmont Center will be shut down from Alexander Avenue to Moore Street with no parking allowed during that time. The roadway will have a 15-foot center lane that will allow for accessed by emergency vehicles, deliveries and MBTA buses only.
The closure could be extended into the fall depending on how successful it is assisting eateries weather the COVID-19 storm.
Vehicles traveling northbound will turn right onto Moore Street to Pleasant Street. Southbound traffic will travel on Alexander Avenue to Cross Street.
With the loss of parking along Leonard Street, parking in the Claflin Street Parking Lot will be free until July 6. Time restricted parking spaces in the Belmont Center area will be enforced starting July 6.
I am all for supporting small businesses!
We are one of them in Belmont Center.
However, I don’t understand why this has to be 24/7, not for limited to after 5:00pm or for the weekend. We have a dental office in the Center, and many of our patients are handicapped or elderly who can not walk too far or needs to be dropped off in front of the building. This will create a big problem for us and will put us in very bad business situation. This could backfire to lots of business with people who needs assistance to go to the bank or pharmacy as well as any stores.
Unfortunately I didn’t attend the town meeting, but I am sure this was thought out as issues and need to be explained if any strategy to such situations like some of our patients. This needs to be adjusted with limited time in my opinion!