MWRA Fall Forum Discusses What is Coming Up

By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Each fall and spring the MWRA at Deer Island hosts a community forum to update the residents of Winthrop on what is happening at Deer Island and last Thursday night the MWRA did it again.

MWRA head Fred Laskey and head of Deer Island David Duest let people know about some work the MWRA is doing and what’s coming up.

Laskey said the Eversource electrical cable project that’s running from South Boston to Deer Island holds some good news. Initially they believed Deer Island would have to rely solely on generators during the project but now it won’t have to. As a result Deer Island will not have to have truckloads of diesel fuel brought in.

He added that the lollipop-shaped windmill, the Ogin Turbine will be taken down this winter. Laskey said the company that owned it has gone bankrupt.

The Celtic memorial that has been talked about for years is also progressing. Stones representing the Irish counties have already been placed. The Irish cross that will be installed is being carved in Pennsylvania.

The North Metro sewer line that runs under a couple of Winthrop streets has been inspected and there will be a report at the Spring Forum meeting.

The proposed new fish pier on the island has moved a little bit forward in obtaining funding from the state. The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife are overseeing the project.

Traffic improvements on a Tafts Avenue were also brought up. Interim Town Manager and Police Chief Terence Delehanty said he wanted to introduce the idea of improving the intersection of Tafts Avenue and Shirley Street. In this section Tafts is one way and comes to a triangle with a stop sign. The problem is that there is not clear view before drivers move out. As a result many people roll through the stop sign and intersection. The chief is expected to present a traffic report at the April 2018 MWRA forum.