On June 28, residents living along Marion Road and Main, Water, and Beacon Streets got the first glimpse of what lies ahead as planning begins for improvements and upgrades to these critical village roadways.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne, along with Highway Superintendent Barry Denham and members of the engineering consulting firm VHB as well as the Town’s local engineering consultants Field Engineering, gave a presentation that laid out the many steps that lie ahead for all concerned.
Before handing the evening’s meeting over to the VHB team, Denham addressed the handful in attendance. Denham explained that VHB had the horsepower to drive the plans from conceptual to construction documents, all the while being mindful of exceptions that might be needed from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation protocol.
The VHB members presented how they plan to move forward with public input being the No. 1 element for success. They described the four neighborhoods as being singularly unique, such as the entrance from Route 6 onto Main Street landing at the town hall. As the street continues on into the “village” or downtown area, the historic buildings and shops are a pivotal component, and then further it becomes a fully “residential” area where Water becomes Beacon, eventually intersecting with Marion Road. These areas were described as “environments” that required individual consideration.
Jamie Pisano, project manager for VHB, detailed his group’s involvement with scheduling and working closely with D.O.T.
“In the first year, we’ll be at ten percent design,” or conceptual plans, he said. He also explained that there would most likely need to be a “design exception report.” These are the details necessary in gaining D.O.T’s acceptance of non-regulation design elements such as sidewalk signals or the addition of stop signs.
Pisano said this set of drawings would be presented to the Board of Selectmen in January 2018 for their review and consideration before moving on to the D.O.T. review process.
Pisano said the D.O.T. would take several months to review the conceptual plans and would most likely return the proposal sometime in July 2018, “…with many comments.”
Pisano also discussed the public vetting process, saying that meetings with residents from specific neighbors and significant stakeholders will be invited to participate in the process of honing the plans into a more cohesive design.
“We’ll be meeting the Tree Committee and the Bike [Path] Committee also,” he said, urging residents to, “attend all meetings…. This is your plan, not ours.”
During the question and answer period, some residents offered opinions and questions. One resident asked about the sourcing of federal funding and if there would be strings attached.
“This project, these streets are one of a few in Mattapoisett that is eligible for federal funding,” Denham explained. He said current cost estimates peg the full project at between $3 million to $5 million and that, “by using federal funds we can use our funds for other road projects in town.”
Denham said part of the goal of the project was to put together a master plan. “VHB are putting together a plan for us. If D.O.T. doesn’t like it but we do, maybe we do a phased project over years. We don’t have to shoot for federal dollars, but maybe we’ll come up with a plan they will be willing to pay for.”
Gagne reminded those in attendance that, at Town Meeting, the voters had approved hiring VHB to provide 25 percent engineered drawings, a requirement of the D.O.T. process when seeking federal funding. He said municipalities who go through these steps are rated more highly than those who don’t bother.
But when asked by another resident what would happen if the project began but then faltered should funding dry up, Gagne responded, “It’s always a changing dynamic. Funding is an issue, but towns that do the twenty-five percent design stand the best chance.”
Gagne also said, “We hope to drive down to the key players in each of these neighborhoods. Jon Connell from Field Engineering will go out and speak one-to-one…. We’re cutting new territory here.” He also said that if D.O.T. doesn’t accept the 10 percent design concepts, “We may have to look at other funding sources.”
Other questions and suggestions such as the current and future posted speed limits, can additional stop signs be posted, will there be property easements, installation of speed bumps, and number of trees that may need removal were all fielded with commitment from Gagne, Denham, Connell, and the VHB team for open and honest dialog throughout the next several years leading up to construction currently projected for 2021.
Another meeting will be held in July and will be publically posted. You can view the full coverage of the June 28 meeting by visiting www.mattapoisett.net and clicking on videos.
By Marilou Newell