Vote NO on Article 17: Route 30 Two-way Bicycle Path
We are opposed to additional funding for the design and engineering of a shared use bicycle path along Route 30 as described in Article 17.
At the May 2018 Town Meeting voters authorized approximately $1 million in design fees for a Route 30 roadway improvement project that included a 5-foot sidewalk. Six years later, Weston has been presented with a project that bears little resemblance to what was described to and approved by voters.
The current project proposes the addition of 3.7-mile and 10-foot-wide secondary corridor on the south side of Route 30. This would be a “shared use path” for both pedestrians and two-way bicycle traffic.
The proposed design is specifically opposed by American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)
AASHTO prioritizes “safety first” design. The safety issue arises because the proposed bike path crosses a total of 47 roadways and driveways. It will result in safety issues for anyone crossing or entering Route 30 as well as anyone using the bike path.
The proposed design requires massive removal of trees and relocation of historic stone walls
This project will have major impact on all property abutters. The proposed design will require the removal of all the trees along the proposed 10-foot shared use bicycle path and the relocation of historic stone walls and fences. This would fundamentally change the character and beauty of this important scenic road.
Weston’s total project expense is unknown
Weston will bear the expense of right-of-way appraisals and land acquisitions that are not included in the expense presented in Article 17. The amount of additional expense that Weston will incur as a result of this project and what expenses the State will ask Weston to pay are unknown.
Weston has quite significant and important future financial obligations including: the construction of new water tanks, upgrading water pipelines, a new fire station, school construction, etc.
The scope of the project changed from a sidewalk to a shared use bicycle path
The Weston Traffic and Sidewalk Committee stated in several public meetings that they embarked on the project because the State planned to resurface Route 30. The original 2018 project was viewed by voters as relatively costless to the Town, meaning that they believed that the Town should apply for TIP (transportation improvement program) to fund construction of a sidewalk, incurring nearly $1 million in design and engineering expense. The State would bear the actual construction cost, then estimated at $8 million (now estimated at about $18 million.)
However, in early 2020 Mass DOT design guidelines required accommodations for both bicycle and pedestrians. Once the revised guidelines were promulgated, the designer, Howard Stein Hudson, pushed the current shared-use path design.
When the expanded scope of this was proposed, Select Board had an obligation to communicate with and seek meaningful input from all residents – especially with those residents most affected by the enlarged design – before spending Weston funds on a project with such an expanded scope.
The way this project has been handled feels like a “bait and switch,” expanding the scope well beyond what was approved by the voters.
Now, however, Route 30 has been resurfaced, negating the need to accommodate State requirements and to continue the existing sidewalk.
The scale and design of the current proposal accommodates the requirements of Mass DOT, not the betterment, safety, or needs of our Town.
The reality for Route 30 in Weston is that there is nothing at either end to bike to – certainly not business commuting destinations – so there is no practical transportation benefit. The eastern end of Route 30 meets the Route 128 (Interstate 95) overpass, which does not have bicycle accommodations. Similarly, the western end of Route 30 has two lanes through Natick and Wayland and no bike lanes. That would mean there is no bike lane connection for cyclists once arriving at either end of Weston’s Route 30. This is a bike path to nowhere!
Summary
The project scope has not only grown well beyond the original vision, and more importantly, it has grown to be more harmful than helpful to the Town. There has been no update or ongoing communication for the residents impacted regarding the status or next steps of the project, to allow for questions, comments, or concerns. The public process has been inadequate and opaque.
Bicycle and pedestrian accommodations are an important consideration of a roadway project, but those accommodations must be well-suited to the context in which they are placed. Given the numerous safety, environmental, and unknown expense concerns associated with this bi-directional shared use path, this project is chasing state dollars at the expense of Weston residents.
What can you to stop this proposal?
Vote “NO” on Article 17 to stop the authorization of an additional $600 thousand for engineering fees at the May 6 Town Meeting.
Write to the Massachusetts Planning Organization (MPO) expressing opposition to this project.
The MPO is the authority that prioritizes and approves funding for regional transportation projects, and are sensitive to opposition from residents in their decision-making process.
Send an email (or forward this email) or mail a letter with a note expressing your opposition to this project to:
Mr. Ethan Lapointe
Program Manager, TIP
Central Transportation Planning Staff
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Suite 7550, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Reference: Project File No. 608954. Email: elapointe@ctps.org