DPW Presents Minuteman Bikeway Update; Selectmen Hear Resident Concerns

Railroad Avenue, looking East, at the curve behind the JGMS fields. The inset shows the road as it is, with computer graphics showing improvements - Image (c) Bedford DPW, 2014 — At the curve near the entrance to the Reformatory Branch Trail. The larger image has been enhanced to show future improvements; the inset (lower left corner) shows the curve as it is today. – Image (c) Bedford DPW, 2014

By Elizabeth Hacala

About 30 members of the public attended the Selectmen’s August 4 meeting to discuss the Minuteman Bikeway Extension project. With so many in attendance, the Selectmen temporarily relocated their meeting to the multi-purpose room.

The public input period opened with an updated presentation showing several cross sections of potential road layouts for the stretch of Railroad Ave between the bike shop and the gravel path. Click here to see the slides in the DPW’s presentation to the Selectmen: Minuteman Bikeway Extension – Aug 4, 2014

After the presentation, the public was invited to comment; a half-dozen individuals responded. There were suggestions for alternate routing of the bike path, concerns expressed about the proposed location of a crosswalk, as well as issues about the unique risks that the high bus traffic presented.

The Selectmen were not scheduled to take any action at Monday’s meeting and resumed the remainder of the agenda in the Selectmen’s room at the conclusion of the public input period.

In an email interview, Town Engineer Adrienne St. John noted her understanding that “the Bike Committee is on the August 25^th Selectmen’s agenda to offer their comments.”