Councillor Giovanni Recupero has spent at least three years advocating for a pedestrian crossing light on Marginal Street to ensure safe access to the new PORT Park.
The thoroughfare presents significant hazards, with tractor trailers and various vehicles traveling at high speeds. This danger is particularly acute for children and parents with strollers attempting to reach the park.
Throughout those years, Recupero was repeatedly told he would need to secure funding before the project could move forward.
He succeeded in doing so. On Monday night, Sept. 25, the City Council voted to approve the crossing area.
“This is one of the best things I have done,” he said. “I worked very hard for this. It took me three years. There was no funding, they said. Well, I found the funding. Now we have it.”
The signal is now designed and ready for installation in the spring, with hopes it will be operational by next summer. Recupero’s efforts to locate funds, combined with a substantial allocation to cover cost overruns, made this possible.
The councillor identified $145,000 from the Eastern Salt mitigation fund, which arrived in 2007 following the addition of a second salt pile. Portions of this money had been directed to Highland Park Field, leaving a balance available for the crossing project.
That remaining balance became the funding source Recupero had located.
Earlier this month, however, City Manager Tom Ambrosino announced a significant cost increase. The project expenses had risen from $145,000 to $402,000, as the signal proved considerably more expensive than initially estimated.
Ambrosino nevertheless endorsed the project.
“Although this is a major change in scope, I still feel this signalization is a worthwhile effort,” he wrote. “If we want pedestrians to get safely to the park from the abutting neighborhoods, the new scope of work is essential.”
The Council approved an additional $257,000 in funding on Sept. 25.
Recupero had reason to celebrate on another front as well. His opponent in the Council race, Kris Haight, withdrew from the contest on Monday.
Haight, known for his public transportation advocacy, cited excessive work demands as the reason for his withdrawal.
“After great consideration, I have decided to bow out of the Chelsea City Councilor’s race,” he wrote in a statement. “I am dropping out for a number of reasons, but time and effort is the biggest one. My day job has become a bear, to the point where I am going non stop most of the day. I’m just exhausted when I get home, let alone have to get on my feet to canvass for a few hours to meet the voters.”
According to Haight, his job responsibilities would prevent him from serving effectively as a councillor, and accepting a position would be unfair to residents.
He announced he is no longer running.
Recupero stated he remains a candidate and hopes voters will recognize his accomplishments, including the pedestrian crossing signal, as evidence of his effective service to the city.
“It would be my honor and pleasure to continue representing the people of District 6 for another term,” he said. “I will try my hardest, and I hope they will help me get back to City Hall for another term.”