Conservation Commission Approves Gibson Point Access Road Plan After Flooding Concerns Raised

By Barbara Taormina

The Revere Conservation Commission unanimously approved the notice of intent for Phase 2 of the roundabout project for the Gibson Point access road at their meeting this week, but it took a while.

City Transportation Coordinator Julie DeMauro presented the plan to the commission and explained it is part of the Riverfront Master Plan. “The purpose of the project is to provide access to Gibson Park without having to drive through the adjacent Riverside neighborhood,” DeMauro told the commission.

Riverside residents were adamant that they do not want park traffic cutting through their quiet, isolated neighborhood. “The residents do not want any car access through Riverdale once the park is complete,” Ward 5 Councillor Angela Guarino-Sawaya told commissioners.

Gibson Park is in the midst of a multiyear resiliency project meant to reduce tidal and storm flooding in Riverside while upgrading the park to a modern recreation space. The project combines natural flood protection with park and streetscape improvements.

Alexandra Gaspar, an environmental scientist with Western & Sampson, explained that the access road construction will impact the barrier beach and the coastal dune. However, she added that the project calls for 150 square feet of native plantings and reseeding with coastal grass seed mix.

But the commission had other questions. Traffic engineer Peter Wroblewski from the engineering firm Howard Stein Hudson explained that the access road has a simple design similar to a long driveway coming off the roundabout. He said construction would start in the summer of 2027 and take only a few months. According to Wroblewski, the road will bring 8,000 square feet of impermeable asphalt to the area.

Commission member Thomas Carleton said that is a large amount of asphalt in an area known for flooding. He said he doesn’t feel comfortable that a public project can use so much impermeable asphalt when a private project cannot. He asked about alternatives, such as permeable pavers.

“That sounds like a reasonable change we can make,” said Wroblewski. But he added that it is important to check with the city’s Engineering and Public Works Departments.

“During plowing, pavers come up buckled and broken. They look beautiful, but in terms of everyday maintenance, it’s difficult to keep up with them,” he said. He also added that 25 drains have been installed around the roundabout. As long as public works maintain the drains, flooding should not be a problem.

Commissioner Wilson Correa requested a log of the planned planting and reseeding. He was also interested in an account of the survival rates for new plants.

A Riverside resident asked about plans to protect birds, fish, animals and plants from pollution and noise. She said there are endangered plants in the area.

But DeMauro said the plan was reviewed by MEPA and Coastal Zone Management. She said there was no evidence of endangered species or risk to wildlife.