The Friends' Board of Directors strongly supports the Town's 25% design, feeling that it best reflects the interests of a wide variety of constituents and groups within the town. Changes to the design can and will be made at further stages of the design process; this is just the beginning - but a very important first step.
Although there are some issues to be resolved in further stages of design, such as the MBTA crossing in West Concord, the design exceeds the state requirements for a 25% design and is ready to submit to the state for its review and approval.
Submitting our 25% design does not does not commit the Town to any further action or expenditures.
Click here for the Friend's presentation at the Selectmen's Hearing on March 17.
Affirmative action recommended by:
- Concord Board of Selectman
- Finance Committee
- Historical Commission
- League of Women Voters
- Natural Resources Commission
- Recreation Commission
- Sierra Club's Thoreau Group
- BFRT Advisory Committee
- The Concord Journal
The Friends Board urges a NO vote on Article 28.This design was prepared and paid for by a private Concord group. It did not have the benefit of any public input or review. According to the petitioners' article, it was written by their group to reflect their desires for the trail.
Since both designs would have the same trail width, the amount of clearing and trimming of trees would be essentially the same. Also Article 28 would shorten the initial trail construction by almost a mile as compared to Article 27, with the initial southern terminus at Williams Road rather than Powder Mill Road.
In addition, this design omits many important features, such as the handicapped parking spot at Williams Road, access to the trail for the Willard neighborhood, and resting/viewing spots at the Assabet River and Jenny Duggan wetlands.The design also proposes a tunnel/ trench that would bisect West Concord village and could require relocation of the gas mains near the MBTA station.
Article 29 specifies a “hard center trail surface” with “soft-surface shoulders". While the Friends have consistently supported creating a trail for people of all ages and abilities, we recognize that our members and supporters have different opinions concerning the surface material of the trail. The Board of Directors explicitly voted not to take a position on Article 29. We believe that voters, after educating themselves on different surface materials, will be able to make an informed vote on Article 29.
This article would authorize an additional $50,000 for further study and design of Concord's rail trail. The Board recommends a YES vote for Article 30. Projects that could be paid for with these funds include:
Any revisions to the 25% design required by Town Meeting vote, $10,000
Continued discussions with Mass Highway and MBTA, $5,000
Survey of railroad spur, $5,000
Further work on developing the MBTA crossing, $10,000
Further environmental studies, $5,000
Affirmative action recommended by:
- Concord Board of Selectman
- Finance Committee
- League of Women Voters
- Natural Resources Commission
- Recreation Commission
- BFRT Advisory Committee
- Planning Board
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