Washington Street sidewalk extension to make Wellesley-Natick connection near Elm Bank
Work is underway on Washington Street (Rte. 16) to install a sidewalk between Natick and Wellesley on the westbound side where there is currently an uneven and often overgrown dirt path alongside the Hunnewell Estates and across from the entrance to Elm Bank Reservation.
Work across the 2,900-plus foot span is expected to extend through late fall, with crews working 8am-4pm on weekdays. Traffic will be reduced to one lane at times, as excavation and other work is conducted.
The Wellesley Board of Public Works approved a contract for roughly $450K in May (see Wellesley Media recording a bit after the 2-hour mark) after the bid went out earlier this year.
The project will include bituminous concrete sidewalks, curbing and ADA wheelchair ramps, plus a pedestrian crossing beacon on Washington Street at Cheney Drive (the Elm Bank entrance, and a scenic road).
The project was identified through the town’s Complete Streets effort, designed “to provide safety and accessibility for all users of our roadways, trails and transit systems.” Wellesley’s DPW earlier had added a sidewalk between Schaller Street and Elm Bank on the opposite side of Washington Street from the current project.
See the Wellesley Department of Public Works website for project updates. For questions, contact the DPW Engineering Division at 781-235-7600, ext. 3315.