Reconfiguration of the intersection of Front and Spring Streets at Brew Fish restaurant from its present fork design into a hard turn is one of two changes coming to the stretch of Route 105 seaward of Route 195.
The entry to Washburn Park off Front Street just southeast of the 195 interchange will also be altered to better accommodate safe access to the Marion Shared Use (bicycle) Path.
Representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation visited the Music Hall on January 31 to update residents on the progress and vision of the Shared Use Path (Phase I) and to solicit feedback from attendees.
Participants in the meeting included: Joe Yoo, MassDOT project manager; Alex Lamarche, MassDOT environmental analyst; Marion Town Administrator Geoff Gorman; Paula Meere, member of the Marion Pathway Committee; Kevin Slattery, project manager for HDR; Scott Farmelant, HDR’s environmental outreach lead; and Jeramy Packard, PE, Foth Infrastructure and Environment LLC.
The project achieved 100% design in December 2023, and MassDOT provided advanced notice in January about the pending submission of its Expanded Environmental Notification Form (EENF) form to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA.)
The plan is to pave a 3.8-mile path that will connect to Mattapoisett’s bike path near Industrial Road and end at Point Road on the Wareham side of Marion. Overall, Marion’s stretch is but a small piece of an emerging network of bike paths forming a course known as the South Coast Bikeway, part of a 50-mile system that spans from Rhode Island all the way to Cape Cod.
In recognition of Marion as a state-recognized, Environmental Justice community, Lamarche explained that the process will follow Environmental Justice guidelines including, within a 1-mile radius of the project to EJ populations-related criteria for minority income or limited English speaking via an enhanced outreach programs in cooperation with community organizations and programs.
Farmelant said the project exceeds thresholds requiring outreach protocols and that high-level outreach is triggered by difficult-to-reach populations to ensure they have meaningful involvement in keeping with the statewide, legal standard.
“When people are put at the center of projects who are impacted by those projects, the project is always going to be better,” he said.
Since the June 2016 kickoff presentation, there have been public-feedback meetings in September 2017 regarding traffic along Route 105 and Spring Street and in July 2019 on project design.
The current estimate for funding of the project is $5,500,000, 80% of which Yoo says will be paid for by the Federal Highway Administration and the remaining 20% by the state.
The 100% design was submitted in December 2023, and MassDOT is presently working through comments culminating in a February 29 meeting with a 30-day public-comment period.
The Environmental Notification Scope (ENS) on abandoned rail and sparse and uninhabited areas will ensure that Environmental Justice community populations are identified for all environmental impacts.
The design recognizes 2.14 acres of wetlands impacted, 9.4 acres of impervious surface and a 5,000 square-foot replication area to offset those impacts. There are no impacts from the project on rare species or air quality.
Mitigation will include a 1/1 ratio of replication, a protection plan featuring ADA compliance, stormwater-management improvements, erosion control near wetlands, the use of crushed stone in trenches, swales and grass depressions to minimize erosion sediments.
Traffic concerns, especially for pedestrians including children, were aired.
Among other concerns articulated during the public meeting were potential cost overruns – longtime resident Joe Zora anticipates needed repairs of unmarked culverts along the path – and plans for a paved passage near Washburn Park that could impose hardship on a horse farm.
Also attending the meeting was Bonne DeSousa, president of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path. DeSousa has long been advocating for the growth and connection of municipal bike paths from Rhode Island to Cape Cod.
“I support connecting the Mattapoisett Rail Trail to Marion via this route. I loved hearing about the old trails because this trail will make so many of the old trails accessible,” said DeSousa, who has family in Marion and would love to see the kids bike back and forth to each other’s homes.
According to Yoo, the right-of-way process consists of a mix of permanent and temporary easements. “At this moment, we do not have right-of-way plans,” said Yoo, noting that state regulations must be followed and that abutters will have the opportunity for review and proper compensation. Yoo also noted that the project is at the mercy of the Select Board vote.
“One more thing: As mentioned before, we call it 100%, but design is not finalized,” said Yoo, anticipating further tweaking. “This is technically still a draft, a very comprehensive draft but still a draft.”
Marion Shared Use Path
By Mick Colageo