Fountain Square to See Major Redesign for Pedestrian Safety
HINGHAM – Fountain Square in Hingham is set for a major redesign after the Select Board voted unanimously to move forward with improvements aimed at boosting pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and access to the town’s historic landmarks.
Town Engineer JR Frey outlined the project, which will remove the westerly leg of Lincoln Street that curves around the Abraham Lincoln traffic island. The change will square off the intersection of North and Lincoln Streets, expand sidewalks, and create a safer, more accessible connection for pedestrians. Frey also noted that drivers will have improved sight lines when approaching westbound traffic.
The redesign includes new crosswalks with pedestrian beacons, additional lawn areas in front of New North Church, and underground utility work. Street lamps will be added to match the existing design along North Street.
“It’s going to make that space much more programmable and usable and accessible to the public,” Frey said.
Select Board Chair William Ramsey said the project connects three historic buildings, Old Ordinary, the Benjamin Lincoln House, and New North Church, into a more campus-like setting. “I love the fact that it’s going to be more pedestrian friendly,” Ramsey said.
To offset the parking spaces lost from the removed roadway, new spaces will be added near the Benjamin Lincoln House. The area will also accommodate buses for school or tour groups visiting Hingham’s historic sites.
Deirdre Anderson, executive director of the Hingham Historical Society, praised the redesign as a long-needed improvement. Anderson nodded to the acquisition of the Benjamin Lincoln House, located on North Street, and the subsequent need for a crosswalk to access it as a catalyst for this project. She went on to express her gratitude saying, “I think will be enormously beneficial to our whole downtown area and I'm very, very grateful for the boards consideration of this, the generosity of the town citizens in investing, what's now $1.3 million between the Old Ordinary CPC [Community Preservation Committee] award of 2025 and the Benjamin Lincoln House Award in 2020.”
She added that removing utility poles will improve the view around the Lincoln statue. “To think no power lines over Abe’s head will be so beautiful,” she said.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, with grass and landscaping completed in time for spring. The project is supported in part by a state Shared Streets and Spaces grant, though the town will cover roadway improvements not eligible for grant funding.
The Select Board approved the traffic committee’s recommendation, clearing the way for work to begin.