Wellesley’s Weston Road reconstruction plan sparks cyclist, pedestrian safety concerns
The town of Wellesley is readying for a major reconstruction project on Weston Road, and this week held a public forum to share information and answer questions (Wellesley Media recorded the meeting).
Plans are to improve the busy north-south roadway and surrounding sidewalks beginning this summer from around the Fells Market intersection at Rte. 9 to the Weston town line. It’s estimated by the town to be a 6-8 month project. The road hasn’t had a full repaving since 1986, and sidewalks are in rough shape as well, presenting safety, accessibility, and drainage issues. There’s an effort as part of this project to keep and refurbish tree lawns to retain a residential feel along the road even though it’s a very busy one.
More than 70 people signed up for the online session, most who live in the Weston Road area and have been living the detour lifestyle during National Grid gas main work over the past couple of years. Residents have been encouraged to contact the town if they have concerns about their property being affected by the upcoming Department of Public Works project, and have been warned that a 5-year moratorium will be in place after the repaving and reconstruction that would prevent non-emergency excavations from taking place related to home or other projects.
A strong showing of cyclists also tuned in—that community keeps a sharp eye on roadway improvements and frequently fights the use of tire slashing granite curbing and narrow shoulders rather than designs that make it easier for cyclists to bail from the road when needed.
The town has attempted to do this project over the past couple of years, but has been stymied by National Grid project scheduling. The Board of Public Works will hit up Annual Town Meeting this spring for funding what is estimated to be a $4M construction project along 3,800 feet of road.
Eric Cohen, an avid local cyclist, kicked off the Q&A portion of the program seeking clarity on bicycle safety accommodations. He expressed concerns about whether this project would have similarities to recent work along Washington Street near Elm Bank Reservation where the road has been narrowed at points and features sections of granite curbing. Word that there will be sharrows (those road markings that indicate vehicle drivers and cyclists need to share the road) doesn’t do much for cyclists. Cyclists and non-cyclists urged the town to rethink its design to incorporate bike lanes or at least some extra space even if it means narrowing sidewalks or giving up some tree lawn space—they argued this is particularly important given the proximity of schools that kids would like to bike to and from.
Unfortunately for cyclists, the narrowness of Weston Road and the need to make sidewalks wider for accessibility and snow plowing, limits the town’s options for things like bike lanes, said Town Engineer David Hickey. He acknowledged cyclist concerns about granite curbing, but said granite is the best option for pedestrian protection, drainage, and roadway cleaning. “It’s just a space problem for us,” he said. It’s also a math problem, he said, given limited right of ways.
Still, cyclists said they’d take what they can get. “Every little inch helps,” Kurt Forsgren said. Separately, Kevin Clark encouraged the town to take a more creative approach in working with area cyclists.
Hickey said toward the end of the session that “The right of way is a huge challenge here and we can’t check all the boxes, we can’t solve all the problems.”
While residents welcome a refurbished and better designed Weston Road, they also worry about faster speeds on a smoother surface (see recently repaved Pond Road as an example of this…or don’t if you’re not into playing chicken). Among mitigation efforts will be installing those speed registering signs intended to discourage speeding. There are restrictions for the town on Weston Road at the dicey Rte. 9 intersection, where the state oversees the roadway.
Other concerns raised included giving people on roads that bore the brunt of detours during National Grid work to get a break on the town’s Weston Road project, and adding more flashing beacons at crosswalks on the new-look Weston Road.