Instances of urban blight have been reported across several State-owned properties in Newton by a concerned citizen, Bill McEvoy. He notes that the blight ranges from large amounts of litter and trash found next to railroad tracks, to deterioration of pedestrian infrastructure, including a flight of stairs in West Newton.
All of the sites that McEvoy references are State-owned properties within the City limits of Newton. Their upkeep seems to have fallen between the cracks.
The decaying stairs, for instance, located at 50 Border Street, are frequently used to connect between Border Street and the larger Washington Street above. McEvoy says that he was once able to walk home on the stairs, but they have since become “treacherous.”
In addition to the Border Street stairs, McEvoy has also noted an accumulation of plastic litter by the Woodland Road bridge over the Mass Pike at the intersection of Auburn Street – near the Auburndale Commuter Rail station – as well as in part of a wooded area by Auburn Street.
McEvoy has also reported a considerable amount of litter and natural debris on one side of a fence along Washington Street, which he says could pose a fire hazard.
All of these properties are owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
According to McEvoy, “People come to Newton to settle down, and they can easily be put off by the amount of trash that has appeared in many places.” The blight, he says, contrasts starkly with Newton’s reputation as a shining “Garden City,” and should be dealt with by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
Regarding these concerns, Newton Department of Public Works Commissioner Jim McGonagle told Fig City News, “We are in touch with MassDOT, which oversees these parcels of State-owned land.”
Andrey Sarkanich is a Fig City News student reporter and a senior at Newton North High School.
