10/31/2026
Work has begun on a new business in West Concord: Imperial Gas and Country Store at 166 Commonwealth Avenue.
Given the existing safety concerns at Kenny Dunn Square, we hope the Town has worked with the new owners to address the intersection before the business opens. Adding a gas station will likely bring more vehicle traffic to an already challenging intersection, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists trying to access the heart of West Concord.
For too long, car traffic has been prioritized over pedestrian and cyclist safety in this area, where serious accidents have occurred. While it’s exciting to welcome a new business, this is also an opportunity to rethink the intersection and make it safer for everyone.
And as retired Marine Corps Colonel Robert Loynd reminds us in the attached Concord Bridge article, there’s an opportunity here to better honor Kenny Dunn by making the park that bears his name more accessible and welcoming to the community, rather than continuing to design the surrounding space primarily around cars.
Let’s use this moment to make Kenny Dunn Square both a safer intersection and a more accessible, inviting public space. We can welcome a new business, improve safety, and honor Kenny Dunn’s legacy at the same time. These goals should go hand in hand.
