A group of East Concord residents banded together to clean up the roundabout near Exit 16

Matt Finney (left) and Cindy Shea clear out the underbrush at the roundabout off of Exit 16 of I-93 in East Concord as a car enters the road on Wednesday morning. GEOFF FORESTER photos / Monitor staff

Matt Finney (left) and Cindy Shea clear out the underbrush at the roundabout off of exit 16 of I-93 in East Concord as a truck enters the road on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Chris Miller cuts down the brush along the median of West Porstmouth Street in East Concord near exit 16 of I-93 on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Mary Miller clears out the median between the two lanes of West Portsmouth Street leading up to the roundabout near exit 16 off of I-93 on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Matt Finney (left) and Cindy Shea clear out the underbrush at the roundabout off of exit 16 of I-93 in East Concord as a car enters the road on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Chris Miller carries a load of brush along the median of West Porstmouth Street in East Concord near exit 16 off I-93 Wednesday morning. GEOFF FORESTER / Monitor staff

Chris Miller carries a load of brush along the median of West Porstmouth Street in East Concord near exit 16 of I-93 on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Mary Miller and Matt Finney take a break in the heat between the two lanes of West Portsmouth Street leading up to the roundabout near exit 16 off of I-93 on Wednesday morning, July 10, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

By GEOFF FORESTER and ARIANNA MacNEILL

Monitor staff

Published: 07-11-2024 4:47 PM

Modified: 07-11-2024 5:14 PM

Mary Miller grew up in East Concord and is proud of her community, and when she noticed the roundabout near Exit 16 was looking overgrown, she took matters into her own hands.

“Just driving by it daily and seeing the absolute neglect and nobody’s stepping up to beautify or take care of it,” she said. “And it’s just a very unwelcoming sight when you’re driving off Exit 16 into East Concord.”

Miller, along with several other residents, could be seen standing on the grassy island surrounded by asphalt starting at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, pulling weeds and otherwise tending to the plants there.

The roundabout, which is situated at the intersection of Mountain Road, East Side Drive, and Shawmut and West Portsmouth streets, was installed in 2017, according to the city’s website.

“The city made that very clear that neighbors would have to step up and adopt this and maintain it,” Miller said.

While Miller said she isn’t a landscaping expert, she has gardened for much of her life. She gained the approval of David Gill, the city’s Parks and Recreation director, and a neighbor starting his own landscaping business agreed to stop by afterward to remove the unearthed unruly weeds.

“We’ve had a lot of people come by and honk and say thank you,” Miller said. “People are happy that we’re doing it.”

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