By Jarrod Goentzel
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will be hosting a Design Public Hearing on Phase 1 of the Belmont Community Path on Thursday, March 7, at 7PM at the Beech Street Center Multipurpose Room, 266 Beech Street, Belmont. You can watch the meeting at home on Belmont Media Center GovTV, Ch 8 Comcast or Ch 28 Verizon, or belmontmedia.org/govtv. Visit www.mass.gov/orgs/highway-division/events for more information.
The project consists of a new paved shared-use path along the Fitchburg Commuter Rail and a new concrete underpass beneath the railroad tracks at Alexander Road to provide a connection from Channing Road to the Belmont High and Middle Schools.
In preparation for the meeting, Jarrod Goentzel, chair of Friends of the Belmont Community Path, conducted the following interview with Tom Currier, the MassDOT supervising project manager for this project. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Goentzel
Why does MassDOT host a design public hearing?
Currier
MassDOT hosts Design Public Hearings to fulfill its legal obligation to present the right of way (ROW) impacts of the proposed project to the public. We also want very much to hear the public’s comments, concerns, and suggestions about the proposed design at this preliminary stage.
Goentzel
Why should I attend a MassDOT design public hearing?
Currier
Design Public Hearings are the best way to learn about the proposed project at preliminary design and to learn about the ROW process and its impacts. As stated above, we very much want to hear what the attendees think about the project: concerns, comments, and suggestions.
Goentzel
I understand that this public hearing will focus on the 25% design for Phase 1 of the Belmont Community Path. What does “25% design” mean? How is it different from the 75% design, which comes next?
Currier
The 25% design reflects the preliminary design. It is a bit of a misnomer as it is really a milestone where about 50% of the design work has been done. In this case, maybe even more than 50% as Nitsch Engineering, Belmont’s engineering design firm, has been working diligently for a few years now to get us to this point. The Design Public Hearing marks the end of Preliminary Design phase and the commencement of Final Design phase.
Goentzel
The last public meeting on this project was on November 4, 2021, when town leaders presented the 25% design that was submitted to MassDOT. What happened during the review of this design submission?
Currier
The plans, early environmental documents, and preliminary cost estimate were reviewed by MassDOT. The ROW plans must be developed to an acceptable accuracy before we can present them to the public. This often requires multiple submissions. Also, there is the pedestrian tunnel which is a very important element. Almost the entire project falls within MBTA ROW. The tunnel construction is a complex bit of work given the constraints necessarily applied by this location.
It took quite a bit of coordination with the MBTA to arrive at an acceptable method of construction that protects track bed integrity and creates the least amount of disruption to the Fitchburg Commuter Rail line service. Initially, the MBTA required a “tunnel jacking” method but, after multiple discussions over several months, Nitsch Engineering, the MBTA, and the MassDOT Highway Division determined that a “cut and cover” method is the best method to advance. Cut and cover is a process where the existing tracks, railbed, and embankment are removed, then precast tunnel segments placed, and then, the embankment, railbed, and tracks are rebuilt. Tunnel jacking is much more complex, requiring the tunnel segments to be hydraulically pushed or “jacked” under the tracks and railbed while service above is maintained. This process was not feasible here.
Goentzel
The project information on the MassDOT website indicates that construction will begin in spring 2026. What are the next steps in the process to complete the design and start construction? What is the town’s responsibility and what is MassDOT’s responsibility?
Currier
This is a Belmont project. The town is the proponent. The town is paying for the design and must acquire the easement rights necessary to construct the project. MassDOT Highway will administer and pay for the construction.
After the public hearing, Nitsch Engineering will advance the design through 75%, 100%, and then to final plans, specifications, and estimate. Each submission is reviewed by MassDOT (highway division) and MBTA. Also, Nitsch must advance the ROW plans to an “acceptable for acquisition” state, which Belmont will use to acquire the necessary rights to build the project.
ROW is always the critical path item. Once the plans are accepted, the town begins the acquisition process. This is necessarily very time intensive to assure fairness to the affected abutters. When all that is accomplished, MassDOT advertises the project for construction bid. By spring of 2026, we will be able to award a MassDOT/MBTA certified contractor to build this important community path project.
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