By Jarrod Goentzel, Sara Smith, and Eric Batcho
The town recently passed a major milestone in the development of the Belmont Community Path when town consultant, Nitsch Engineering, submitted the 25% Design for Phase 1 to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Phase 1 is the section of the Belmont path from Brighton Street to the Clark Street Bridge just beyond Belmont Center, including a spur to the Belmont High School and Middle School via a tunnel under the MBTA Fitchburg line (bit.ly/BCP-P1-25). The Belmont Community Path is a critical two-mile link in the Mass Central Rail Trail, a 104-mile, off-road path that will ultimately link communities between Boston and Northampton.
The engineering drawings in this 25% design package leave a lot to the imagination, so during a November 4, 2021 presentation (bit.ly/BCP-20211104-video), John Michalak of Nitsch and Sean Sanger, landscape architect and principal with Copley Wolff Design Group, shared details and drawings of the path, including:
- A 12-foot wide path with a 4-foot shoulder for walking/jogging and an additional 2-foot grassed shoulder
- A drainage swale and sub-drain along north side of path to intercept and collect stormwater runoff
- An underpass beneath railroad tracks at Alexander Avenue connecting the path to Concord Avenue
- Proposed lighting at the Alexander Avenue underpass
- A new traffic signal at Brighton Street for improved safety
This meeting was attended by 117 people and provided an opportunity for community members to offer comments and ask questions. Anyone can share feedback on the 25% design package and provide suggestions for upcoming design work via the form on this page: bit.ly/BCP-25comment.
The construction cost for Phase 1 is approximately $17 million, virtually unchanged since the last estimate. The entire cost is eligible for federal funding through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a five-year budget plan administered by the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO considered funding the path project in spring 2021, but cost increases for other projects in the TIP pipeline limited new projects.
Design and construction phases of the Belmont Community Path. Source: Friends of the Belmont Community Path
With the 25% design submitted and this latest cost estimate in hand, the town is in a good position for TIP funding in the spring of 2022. The MPO will once again include comments from the public in their considerations.
Significantly, Governor Baker signed a Massachusetts Transportation Bond Bill in January 2021 that authorizes the state to allocate $7,500,000 for the construction of the Belmont Community Path. This funding could be added to any federal funds from the TIP.
Nitsch is now working on a 75% design which details path aesthetics and public amenities. Submission of this detailed design to MassDOT is planned for August 2022. The next nine months offer the best time for public input to help make the path beautiful, safe, and useful.
Looking ahead, the town’s Community Path Project Committee (CPPC) has requested town Community Preservation Act funds to cover the 25% design for Phase 2 from the Clark Street Bridge to Waltham. The town’s Select Board is considering an expanded charge for the CPPC to formally include development of Phase 2.
At the November 17, 2021, CPPC meeting, Select Board member Mark Paolillo noted that without Phase 2, the Belmont Community Path “isn’t going anywhere.”
We are making steady progress. More than 50 miles of the Mass Central Rail Trail are already open. Let’s continue to work to add our two miles and close a key gap.
If you’d like to receive occasional updates and notices about how you can support the path, please subscribe to the email list of the Friends of Belmont Community Path here: belmontpath@gmail.com
Jarrod Goentzel, Sara Smith, and Eric Batcho are members of the Friends of the Belmont Community Path.
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