Broadway Crossing Could Reopen Around Labor Day

WAKEFIELD, MA — Good news? On the Broadway commuter rail crossing?

Indeed, that's what Town Engineer Bill Renault brought to Town Council Monday night.

And that good news was this: The long-closed crossing could be reopened around Labor Day, and the town will be able to regain its Quiet Zone status when it does.

"I'm actually happy to be here tonight because I'm providing some good news for once," Renault told Town Council.

The work is expected to be done within a 60-day appeal period to expedite the process. It could start as early as next week.

The Broadway crossing has been closed since last year when it was closed for National Grid and municipal work. It was expected to reopen in late October, but the Federal Railroad Administration then wouldn't let the town do so without forfeiting its "quiet zone" status.

Being a "quiet zone" means the train doesn't need to sound its horn when approaching the crossing. The FRA told Wakefield it did not have the proper safety measures in place to keep it.

So the crossing has stayed closed since. The town made several proposals over the course of months on how to satisfy safety requirements, but nothing hit the mark until recently.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Wakefield Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.