DCR Pays for Paving
According to Larry Kiernan of the Friends of the MCRT (Mass Central Rail Trail), the state Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) plans to pave the rail trail for the entire length of the Eversource access road, from the Wayland Library to the bridge at the far end of Weston, with a plan for completion in 2017.
Including the town center piece (completed already in stone dust) there will be almost five miles of a bike and pedestrian-friendly path between Wayland and Weston. DCR, Eversource, and the towns are still discussing amenities, additional landscaping, and more, and are jointly applying for permits with the Conservation Commission.
Paving at a later date would require new engineering, new permit, two construction efforts, and the removal of the top of the stone dust. With the new funds and paving immediately on top of the access road base, there will be significant savings and less risk to the wetlands.
Some of the benefits to DCR paving the trail:
• Lower cost to Wayland on both construction and maintenance.
• Trail easily accessed by more people.
• The trail in Weston will be paved, otherwise, their section would be a rough access road.
• Pavement provides a better capping of residual contaminants.
• No negative impact to equestrians, as the plan was for them to use the shoulder and parallel path.
• This builds momentum for the remaining towns (Sudbury, Waltham, Hudson, Berlin) to move forward.
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