Northborough sends letters of support for BWALT project

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This map shows the proposed BWALT trail running from Framingham to Worcester. Two sections of the trail are proposed to run through Northborough. (Photo/Courtesy Town of Northborough)

This map shows the proposed BWALT trail running from Framingham to Worcester. Two sections of the trail are proposed to run through Northborough. (Photo/Courtesy Town of Northborough)

NORTHBOROUGH – Northborough leaders recently voiced their support of the Boston Worcester Air Line Trail.

Westborough’s Don Burn came before the Planning and Select boards as a private citizen, and both boards sent letters to the Westborough Select Board and Planning Board in support of the project.

“Our trails are one of our best assets in the community. I think adding that ability for transportation, for exercise — there are so many benefits to it,” said Select Board member Laura Ziton on Jan. 13.

During the Jan. 13 Select Board meeting, Burn said he was trying to get all of the communities interested in the shared-use path project.

“When you think about it, Hopkinton, Ashland, Marlborough, Berlin, Hudson, Worcester – they’re all having trails. Northborough, Westborough, Southborough and Shrewsbury are sort of a little void in that. This provides a connection, and in the end, we’ll probably connect at least six other shared-use paths,” said Burn.

One of the branches of BWALT comes through the State Hospital, through Northborough and to Berlin. A second branch would run through Southborough to Marlborough and connect to the Assabet River Rail Trail.

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According to Burn, there are two pieces of the proposed BWALT in Northborough. One of the segment is about a mile long along Route 9 near Walmart to the Shrewsbury town line, connecting both Northborough Crossing and Avalon Northborough. Burn told the Planning Board that Westborough will be actively starting construction within the next year-and-a-half of a portion of the BWALT running from Walmart to the MBTA station.

The second segment runs along the MWRA corridor, starting at the State Hospital and following the aqueduct to the Berlin town line. This section would connect commercial and industrial properties, including those on Bartlett Street and Bearfoot Road. Burns told the Planning Board that it would provide a “base link” for other bicycle improvements and provide a safe bike route to Algonquin Regional High School.

This section would also connect the Lake Chauncy beach to Northborough recreation fields on East Main Street.

“This would be a handicapped-accessible four-mile long trail along the aqueduct. To me, that’s a wonderful opportunity for so many things,” Burn said during the Select Board meeting.

He walked through the next steps. Burn suggested that Northborough undertake a feasibility study that could be funded through a MassTrails grant and volunteer labor for the match.

In a letter, Planning Board members said they understood the importance of multi-use trails as a safe transportation mode for residents; they also noted a recent presentation by the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission that indicated that the trails could be an economic boon.

“We support Northborough going forward with a feasibility study for the Worcester-Framingham BWALT trail in our town, in the near future,” the Planning Board wrote. “This feasibility study will narrow down the route and identify easements we may need for our portion of the BWALT trail.”

According to Burn, Northborough may need agreements from the Department of Conservation and Recreation, MWRA and Massachusetts Department of Transportation along with four easements.

For more information on the project, visit https://www.westboroughma.gov/1082/Boston-Worcester-Airline-Trail-BWALT.

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