UPDATE: Schedule for Downtown Streetscape Improvements This Summer?

UPDATE, TUESDAY, JULY 10, 9:35 A.M.: As noted in responses in the comments below, the map previously displayed on this article showed a conceptual reconfiguration of the Dill's Court parking lot from a . It is not indicative of any final plan to reconfigure the lot, merely illustrative of how re-lining the lot could increase the number of spaces and mitigate the somewhat haphazard nature of the lot as-is.

On Tuesday morning, DPW Director John Scenna told Melrose Patch that a new design should be drafted by the end of this week by City Engineer Bob Beshara, and that however the final design comes out, all current exits and entrances to the lot will stay in place.

To avoid further confusion, Melrose Patch has removed the conceptual reconfiguration taken from last year's parking study and replaced it with a picture of the current Dill's Court layout, as also taken from last year's parking study.

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You Ask, Patch Answers is a weekly column for Melrosians who have questions about something they've spotted around the city or wondered about. Submit your question to danield@patch.com.

Sean asked about the downtown enhancement mentioned by the Department of Public Works in previous weeks—in particular, he wondered that with downtown Melrose being so congested during the day, how paving and work would be done this summer.

Director of Public Works John Scenna said in an email that last week, the city received notice that the state signed off on the annual Chapter 90 roadway improvement funds, which Scenna said generally arrive in early April and are used to support Melrose's annual roadway reconstruction projects.

With that funding now in place, Scenna said the DPW will move forward with projects such as:

• Roadway enhancements on Main Street from Upham to Wyoming and on Foster from Dell Ave to Main Street which include curb to curb paving, crosswalks, safety repairs to sidewalks, new handicap ramps, some minor signal system upgrades and tree work.

• Improvements and resurfacing of .

• Beginning design for improvements to the Highlands Business/Commuter Train Area, similar to Neighborhood Improvement projects completed in 2010-11 at the Wyoming Avenue and Cedar Park commuter/business districts.

• Completion of roadway projects in the Ardsmour/East area and the Derby/Waverly area,.

Scenna acknowledged, as Sean asked, that the Main Street and Dill's Court Parking Lot projects present challenges due to business and traffic congestion during the day.

"Our engineers and the contractor are currently reviewing scope, preparing a condensed schedule and an approach aimed at minimizing impact and disruption to the business district," Scenna wrote.

Also, once a schedule and plan is finalized, the DPW will work with the Chamber of Commerce and hold public outreach and coordination meetings in July with those surrounding the project, Scenna said, "so that all are informed, have an opportunity to voice their concerns and in the end will allow us to better coordinate the details involved."

If you've got a question about something in Melrose, send it to danield@patch.com. We'll choose one question each week and get to work on digging up an answer.