The long-gestating Saugus RiverWalk is ever closer to becoming a reality. As construction has begun, officials hope it will transform the town’s waterfront.

A crane and construction crew are visible in the area of Ballard and Dudley streets near Eastern Avenue, and the project is intended to revamp the area of the Saugus River that runs along Ballard Street. The first construction phase is set to be completed in the spring, according to Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta.

That phase will include “a pier and a dock with tables, where people can sit and enjoy the river,” Panetta said. “There will be a boat/kayak launch and a place for people to fish.”

A significant amount of impervious pavement will be removed from the area, which will be restored to a tidal salt marsh with plantings, which Panetta said would better handle stormwater.

Other members said the beginning of construction represents the culmination of years of planning and preparation.

“The Riverwalk will be an amazing addition to the waterfront area of Saugus and beyond,” Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Jeff Cicolini said in an email Wednesday. “I view this as a catalyst for social and physical activity but also as a way to showcase all that the Saugus River and surrounding area has to offer.”

Talk of creating a RiverWalk in Saugus can be traced back to at least 2013 when the idea was developed during visioning sessions for the future of the town’s waterfront. The new development will connect the town-owned boat ramp, Lobsterman’s Landing, and the bike and pedestrian lanes planned as part of the Belden Bly Bridge project.

State officials plan to open a new bridge connecting Route 107 over the river in March 2025.

Board of Selectmen member, Corinne Riley, said she looked forward to the project’s completion and added she believes there will be an appetite among residents to take advantage of the new walk when it is opened.

“Anytime there are projects to improve any part of our town is a plus,” she said. “The benefit of outdoor activities for our residents and those from surrounding communities is a definite bonus.”

Saugus has received more than $1 million worth of state grants to assist in designing and constructing the RiverWalk project, and selectmen deferred the financial implications to Town Manager Scott Crabtree.

In 2020, Crabtree said the project’s goal was to “revitalize that area and hopefully attract some restaurants and recreational kayaking and different things so that people can go and enjoy the Saugus River and that part of town.”