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Mobility Committee Urges Earlier Coordination on Goals, Design Guide and Maintenance Funding
Summary
Members said the committee should press to set Select Board priorities earlier in the year, develop a street design guide, and assess maintenance staffing and long‑term operating costs before adding new street markings or amenities.
At its July 14 meeting the Mobility Planning and Coordination Committee discussed timing and strategy for embedding transportation projects into the town’s capital and operating budgets, and recommended earlier coordination with the Select Board and other transportation committees.
Committee members said fall goal‑setting is the critical window for project inclusion in the five‑year capital plan and that the committee should use the coming months to put concept goals before the Select Board so staff can incorporate them into the preliminary budget. "Now is the time to put that on the Select Board's map," one member said during a discussion of how projects move from idea to budget.
A recurring theme was the need to quantify long‑term maintenance and staffing impacts before expanding elements such as high‑visibility pavement markings, signage or parking‑protected bike lanes. DPW staff reported the department has added more sophisticated markings and signs in recent years while maintenance staffing has not grown at the same rate; the town requested an additional FTE at recent budgets to address that gap. Members asked DPW to estimate the annual maintenance carry cost for new markings and amenities so the Finance Committee and Select Board can see operating impacts when evaluating capital requests.
The committee also endorsed moving forward on a townwide road design guide. Staff said a kickoff meeting for the guide would be scheduled soon with a consultant (Tool Design Group) already contracted; members said the guide will serve as a playbook, reduce ad hoc decision‑making for individual street projects and make costs more predictable.
Rail trail extension: the committee discussed the Bay Colony Rail Trail extension to Chestnut Street and noted the project’s prospects improve if neighboring Dover pursues the connection and if external funding sources (including Community Preservation and state grants) can be secured. Members asked staff to keep the rail trail on the committee’s radar as a candidate for advocacy and outside funding.
Ending note: members agreed to coordinate chair meetings of related committees, prepare a short list of Select Board goals for August consideration, and have DPW return with maintenance cost estimates and a timeline for the road design guide.
