At its June 25 meeting the Town of Needham Envision Human Center Project Working Group agreed to have consultant Apex prepare three concept alternatives for the downtown corridor and to use those alternatives as the basis for public outreach this fall.

The committee’s revised charge, requested by the Select Board, asks for three distinct solutions to be developed over the summer so the public can compare tradeoffs such as maintaining four traffic lanes, a road‑diet with bike lanes, or a middle option that adds turn lanes and curb modifications. "The request was that we have three different solutions to be evaluated by the public," said Karis (town staff), summarizing the Select Board direction.

Why it matters: the designs will determine curb line changes that affect on‑street parking, sidewalk width, pedestrian crossing distances and whether a short demonstration pilot is feasible. Committee members repeatedly raised the impact on businesses that depend on curbside spaces and on older residents who need short walking distances to storefronts.

Town staff and the public‑works representative said engineering constraints and federal guidance will shape what is feasible. "We need to also be aware that we need to provide context that, yes, we can make a shorter crossing, but that doesn't necessarily increase the safety for the pedestrian," said Shane Mark, assistant director of Pollard Marks, describing the limits of bumpouts and other treatments.

Apex will be asked to update its scope of services to produce three concept layouts and to flag treatments that are not feasible because of right‑of‑way, ADA or MUTCD constraints. Staff said the consultant is expected to complete the three scenarios this summer, with designs expected no earlier than September for review by the working group and subsequent public engagement.

Grant, pilot and funding: the group reviewed a demonstration grant that would fund a pilot if the town chooses that route. "The grant is for $320,000; the town would have to match $80,000," Karis said. Staff noted that the specific grant program being discussed requires bicycle facilities for a successful application; a pilot without bike lanes is possible but more complex because of ADA and decking requirements.

Parking and economic vitality: business representatives asked how the three designs will account for the location of on‑street parking and short‑term spaces used by elderly customers. Staff said all three concept alternatives can be presented with variable parking configurations so the public can see tradeoffs between parking, outdoor dining and expanded sidewalks. The town will also perform targeted field checks of the 2022/2023 parking study before the fall outreach.

Process and committee role: committee members reiterated that this body is advisory. The working group will provide priorities and pain points (for example, pinch points, the slip lane visibility issue and sidewalk widths) that will help Apex refine the concepts. The committee also discussed developing objective metrics—such as sidewalk width, pedestrian crossing distance and parking counts—to evaluate each concept consistently.

Next steps and schedule: staff said revised scopes and the three alternatives are not expected before September; the town must decide by November whether to move forward on the demonstration grant. The working group set a meeting for July 16 (with August 13 tentatively on the calendar) to draft evaluation criteria and review background materials before the public outreach phase.

Votes at a glance: the group approved minutes for prior meetings by roll call and later voted to adjourn. The minutes approval motion carried; the meeting adjournment motion also carried by roll call.