Sudbury committee: Mass Central Rail Trail to transfer to DCR, paving expected by June 30

The Trails Advisory Committee heard an update that the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) segment in Sudbury was formally to be handed from Eversource to the Department of Conservation and Recreation and that on-site construction activities would begin in early April.

Marsha (staff member) told the committee that "Eversource was supposed to hand off the project to the Department of Conservation and Recreation as of April 1, and we anticipate that construction will begin the week of April 7." She said the selected contractor is ET and L Corporation and that the company participated in earlier work on the corridor.

The update said the project team expects fine grading and paving to begin later in April and that the project schedule currently targets paving completion by June 30, 2025; the overall contract runs into the following year because plantings and related work are scheduled after paving. Marsha told members, "I don't yet have a completion date... everything is supposed to be done by 06/30/2025." She also said MassDOT has not completed certification of the new traffic signals and that the town will not conduct a final walk-through until MassDOT signs off on the work.

Committee members raised safety and access questions for the construction period. Marsha said DCR was asked to provide a traffic engineer to review temporary access routes and that she and DCR staff would meet in the field to locate a potential pad for a porta-potty near the Diamond (intersection) to support trail users during construction. Marsha said the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Trail had offered to help provide that amenity.

Members discussed whether the trail would be formally open during active paving. Marsha relayed DCR's guidance that the construction phase would be a period when staff might ask people to stay off the trail because of heavy equipment and paving operations. Committee members emphasized posting clear warnings and barriers where appropriate but acknowledged the town's limited control while the contractor and DCR manage construction.

The committee also discussed coordination with surrounding communities. Marsha reported the intermunicipal agreement between the Town of Sudbury and the City of Framingham has been finalized and will soon be signed by both jurisdictions to support the cross-town work. She said the select board had signed a letter of support to DCR and state transportation officials urging completion of the Mass Central Rail Trail; committee members agreed Marsha should forward that letter to DCR and MassDOT and to their legislative contacts.

Marsha said the town will advertise a request for proposals for the Parkinson Field driveway project on COMMBUYS and the central register, and that public-works staff are following up on pothole reports where construction trucks used the site as a staging area.

Why it matters: the Mass Central Rail Trail is a mixed-use corridor that connects Sudbury to neighboring towns; the schedule, safety measures and final design decisions will affect users, adjacent property owners and traffic at several intersections. The committee identified temporary access, signage and porta-potty placement as items for immediate follow-up.

Looking ahead, the committee set a tentative 25% design public hearing for phase 3 on May 15, 2025, and discussed pursuing a MassTrails grant and local matching funds (including Community Preservation Act sources) for connection and signage work in future application cycles.