By Jarrod Goentzel and Sara Smith
The Belmont Community Path is becoming a reality. Full funding was secured for Phase 1 construction. Phase 1 includes the MBTA underpass from Alexander Avenue to the Belmont Middle and High School campus.
Design is underway for Phase 2 that completes Belmont’s two-mile segment of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT), which will eventually connect Boston and Northampton via 104 miles of off-road paths. The Belmont Community Path will help fill a critical gap along the MCRT as construction east and west of Belmont actively moves forward.
A map of Mass. Central Rail Trail projects in the greater Boston region as of July 2022. Solid black lines indicate existing off-street paths in the Mass. Central Rail Trail network; dotted red lines indicate projects currently under construction: (1), the Waltham Wayside Trail project, and (2), the Somerville Community Path, being built as part of the Green Line Extension project. The dashed gray line marked (3) in Belmont is the first phase of the Belmont Community Path, which could go under construction in 2026. Source: mass.streetsblog.org.
Belmont’s TIP Funding
This spring the Belmont Community Path received major support from the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP’s $21 million commitment is enough to cover the entire construction cost of Phase 1. No Belmont town funds will be required to construct this community asset. Phase 1 includes the portion of the path from the Cambridge border through Belmont Center to the Clark Street bridge as well as a pedestrian tunnel under the commuter tracks from Alexander Avenue into the new Middle and High School campus.
In a show of extraordinary local support, it took 16 pages of the final TIP document to list all the people who endorsed the project during the public review period in May. The TIP lists support from 35 individual and group letter writers and 707 petition signers (which closed with 748 signatures: bit.ly/bcpfunds), with only two letters in opposition.
With funding scheduled for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2026, construction of Phase 1 could begin October 2025. The MPO reviews the status of all budgeted projects on a rolling five-year horizon. Depending on the status of other TIP-funded projects and Belmont’s Phase 1 readiness, funding could potentially move up one year such that construction could begin as early as October 2024. Readiness involves finalizing the design, environmental permitting, and formally securing the right of way (ROW) with no-cost leases offered by the MBTA and Belmont Citizens Forum.
Nitsch Engineering, the firm designing the BCP, is responding to comments from MassDOT and the MBTA on its 25% design of Phase 1. Once resolved, MassDOT will schedule the 25% design public hearing, likely early in 2023; check belmontcommunitypath.com for the announcement.
Nitsch indicated to the town’s Community Path Project Committee that the next design milestones (75% and 100%) will progress more quickly, conceivably reaching 100% by December 2023. These final design stages focus on amenities, plantings, and the general user experience. Public feedback and suggestions on these important details can improve the community space for all. Information about the project design and upcoming public meetings can be found at belmontcommunitypath.com.
To complete the Belmont Community Path, the town’s Select Board expanded the charge for the Community Path Project Committee (CPPC). The initial charge only specified Phase 1. The new charge includes development of Phase 2, the section of the path from the Clark Street Bridge to the border with Waltham.
In 2022, Belmont Town Meeting allocated $200,000 of CPA funds for Phase 2 design and the MassTrails Grant Program provided $200,000. State economic development bill H5250 provides an opportunity to appropriate an additional $250,000 for design. With these funding sources in place, the CPPC decided on October 21 to pursue a contract with Pare Corporation for Phase 2 design.
MCRT Progress
While the Belmont Community Path has taken important steps in 2022 toward construction of its section of the MCRT, other key segments of this important regional path are taking place at points east and west.
Green Line Extension: The Somerville Community Path Extension, which completes the MCRT connection from the Belmont line to the Charles River in Boston, is near completion and is expected to open in 2023 as the new Medford branch of the Green Line opens to passengers.
Waltham: This summer, Waltham began construction on a 2.7-mile segment that runs from commercial developments just east of Route 128 to Beaver Street near Belmont. Work remains in designing the Waltham path east from Beaver Street to connect with Phase 2 of the Belmont Community Path.
Waltham to Weston: The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is actively planning a path to fill a gap between the west side of the current Waltham construction and a 5 mile section built in 2019 through Weston and Wayland.
Further west: Construction is underway on a 9 mile Eversource-DCR project that extends from the current Wayland section through Sudbury to the Assabet River Rail Trail in Hudson.
Now is an important time to be involved in implementing this crucial piece of transportation, economic, and recreational infrastructure. The Friends of Belmont Community Path is committed to engaging volunteers and stakeholder groups to support completion and ongoing stewardship of the path. As Belmont moves forward in designing this community space, there will be many opportunities to provide input.
If you would like to receive occasional updates and notices about how you can provide feedback, or if you would like to volunteer, please email us at belmontpath@gmail.com.
Jarrod Goentzel and Sara Smith lead the Friends of the Belmont Community Path.
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