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TAC lists four safety study priorities; town wins $500,000 MassDOT grant for Walden Street sidewalk
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Summary
The Town of Concord Transportation Advisory Committee on Jan. 30 proposed four locations for concept-level safety studies and heard that the town won a $500,000 MassDOT Complete Streets grant for a Walden Street sidewalk project that requires a $173,269 local match.
The Town of Concord Transportation Advisory Committee on Jan. 30 discussed four focal locations for concept-level safety studies and heard updates on two funding sources that could advance design work.
TAC members and town staff proposed concept-level studies at: the Concord Free Public Library crosswalk area where Stow Street meets Sudbury Road; the Hayward/ Walden Street corridor around Hayward Meadow and nearby school access points; Route 62/Bedford Street (eastward to the Bedford town line) to assess speed and cycling/pedestrian safety; and Kennett Dunn Memorial Square in West Concord, a triangular intersection island that currently lacks continuous sidewalks or marked crosswalks. The studies would evaluate options such as raised crosswalks, narrowing vehicle lanes, shoulder improvements, additional crosswalks, bicycle facilities and measures to reduce vehicle speeds.
Elizabeth (town planning staff) told the committee the town had received a MassDOT Complete Streets grant of $500,000 to build a sidewalk on Walden Street. The estimated project cost is $673,269, meaning a local match of $173,269 is expected; planning and construction are targeted to be complete by the end of 2025. The grant-funded segment would extend sidewalk from existing sidewalk at Magnolia Drive, near the public safety buildings, up to Brewsters Hill Road with an eventual goal of extending toward Route 2.
Committee members discussed the scale of several locations and urged that some areas (notably the Hayward/Walden/Lexington cluster) be addressed comprehensively rather than piecemeal. Staff and members recommended additional outreach to neighborhood advisory groups, including the West Concord Advisory Committee.
On funding, staff described a Transportation Network Company (TNC) surcharge fund — money generated by the local surcharge on rideshare trips originating in Concord — that has accumulated about $12,000 in recent years and will show an appropriation request of roughly $9,000 on the Town Meeting warrant. The TNC funds have previously supported regional bike-share programs; staff said a recent regional grant with Acton, Maynard and Lincoln reduces the town’s need to allocate TNC funds for bike-share this year, and suggested the TNC appropriation could support targeted local design or complete-streets work.
Public comment during the meeting reinforced the committee’s location priorities. West Concord residents and others urged redesign of Kennett Dunn Memorial Square to remove a confusing slip lane and add crosswalks and sidewalks; commenters also urged traffic-calming measures and more consistent enforcement of existing truck exclusions and speed limits on neighborhood cut-through streets.
TAC members agreed to post the draft list of safety study locations for further comment, to coordinate focused outreach with staff and consultants, and to return with refined priorities and a preamble explaining the purpose and scope of the proposed studies.
Votes at a glance: The committee approved meeting minutes for Dec. 19, 2024 (2 p.m.) and Jan. 9, 2025; the approval was taken by voice and multiple members said “Aye.” The transcript does not provide a roll-call tally.
