Century Road has three traffic islands, all maintained by the neighbors that live there.

WEYMOUTH Century Road, a quiet dead-end street, is distinguished by three traffic islands, each 40 feet long and 10 feet wide that were originally maintained by the town.

That was until Joe Saccardo, a retired State Police trooper living in the neighborhood, and his wife, Mary Ann, began to look after the one directly in front of their home 15 years ago.

He transformed the island, then mostly just grass, into a memorial for his son, Mark Saccardo. Mark Saccardo, a Boston College graduate, died in a car accident in 1997 at 23.

I wanted to do something in memory of my son, said Saccardo, who has lived in the neighborhood for 43 years.

Mark Saccardos island bears a plaque reading This island is maintained in memory of Mark Duke Saccardo. He earned the nickname Duke because of his love for the show Dukes of Hazzard. The island is dotted with small trees, surrounded with purple flowers. Under the shade of the tree is a small stone bench.

Before long, Saccardo said, other neighbors joined in. The second island is maintained by the Proud Century Road neighbors and friends and not in memory of anyone specific.

The third island is maintained by Century Road resident Ginny Flynn. The island is dedicated in memory of her husband, Frank. Frank Flynn, of Weymouth, was a 28-year veteran of the Boston Fire Department. Flynn died in 2014 after a battle with lung cancer.

Joe Saccardo was surprised other residents began to maintain the islands with him.

I think its great that people responded after I did, said Joe Saccardo. It brings together the neighborhood. We may be the only street with islands maintained by residents in Weymouth.

Zane Razzaq may be reached at zrazzaq@ledger.com.

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Weymouth neighbors transform traffic islands into memorials - The Patriot Ledger