'We Share Your Frustrations': Peabody Mayor Updates Central Street Project

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt acknowledged the frustration felt by residents, businesses and commuters amid a Central Street reconstruction project he allowed "has certainly lived up to its reputation as a monster undertaking."

Bettencourt spoke on Monday about the four-year, $25 million project ahead of a winter construction pause that will, at least temporarily, ease the delays, detours and disruptions.

"I know how frustrating this is," Bettencourt said. "Our downtown businesses feel it every day. Residents feel it. Drivers feel it — especially with traffic on Lowell Street, Main Street, and the added regional congestion coming from Salem this time of year.

"We fully understand the pressure that this places on everyone."

He said one of the biggest hurdles has been attempts to keep residents informed when construction schedules and detours shift quickly because of weather conditions, utility conflicts and contractor adjustments.

"I want everyone to know that we hear you," he said. "We share your frustrations. We drive these same roads every day and we're advocating on your behalf, pushing for schedule clarity, exploring traffic signal adjustments and raising the possibility of limited night work whenever feasible within the state contract.

"We are getting to the point where the work becomes more visible, more predictable and more rewarding."

Bettencourt said that much of the infrastructure is more than 100 years old and that replacing it is "never easy, but necessary if we want a safer, more reliable, and more attractive downtown."

The state is largely funding the project that began in 2024 and was expected to be complete in 2028.

• Peabody 4-Year Central Street Reconstruction Project Starts

Bettencourt said that because the work is state-funded and state-managed through MassDOT and its contractor, MDR, Peabody does not have the same level of direct oversight it would have on a municipally managed project.

"When the state offered us the chance to fully rebuild one of the busiest corridors in our city," he said, "we simply could not pass it up."

Central Street sees more than 70,000 vehicles each day, according to the city.

"We are now deep into the most complicated and disruptive phase of the project — the sub-surface work," he said. "Most of this work happens underground and out of sight. But it is time-consuming, unpredictable and absolutely necessary."

The sub-surface work supports later roadway, sidewalk, streetscape and traffic-safety improvements.

Major construction activity will pause during the winter months before resuming in the spring.

"While there is important work ahead," he said, "residents, businesses and daily commuters can look forward to a period of relief before construction resumes next spring."