Boston Unveils New Plan For 'Methadone Mile'

BOSTON (CBS) – The city of Boston has announced a new plan to address the area known as "Methadone Mile." The intersection of Mass. Ave and Melnea Cass Boulevard is an area that's been hit hard by drug addiction.

Part of the plan is to boost resources in the area to help addicts seeking treatment, while also removing more needles from city streets. Residents will see more police officers, as well as new light fixtures.

Some of the city's goals include eliminating deadly overdoses in the area, bringing down criminal activity and reducing the unsheltered homeless population.

"Meeting monthly as a big group as a taskforce, weekly as an internal working group to make sure that the focus that we have on this area we continue with and then we actually make progress not only cleaning up some of the challenges that are there but giving people those true pathways to care. So that's what we did today and we're eager to keep it moving," said Chief of Health and Human Services Marty Martinez.

The area was in the spotlight over the summer after an attack on a corrections officer was caught on video.

Mayor Marty Walsh said the city is committed to doing everything possible to deal with the drug crisis.