Sudbury task force hears rail-trail signal, parking and access updates; accepts minutes

The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Task Force in the Town of Sudbury heard a status update on the rail-trail project on Jan. 8, 2025, focusing on traffic-signal certification, the federal funding timeline for Phase 3, and proposals for new parking at the Diamond intersection and on Chiswick Park land.

Town staff Marsha (staff liaison) told members that MassDOT has not yet certified the newly installed traffic signals tied to Phase 2D and that Fuss & O'Neill, the project consultant, remains responsible for finalizing items submitted for certification. "MassDOT has not yet certified the signals, so we're still waiting on all of that," Marsha said, adding that a traffic engineer should be involved if the town pursues further timing changes.

Why it matters: MassDOT certification determines when new signal timing and hardware become the official configuration; residents have complained about eastbound morning timing near Town Center, and the task force is collecting technical recommendations to share with MassDOT and Fuss & O'Neill.

On project schedule and funding, Marsha reported that Metropolitan Planning Organization staff told the town the final 50% construction funding for Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Phase 3 is currently programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for federal fiscal year 2030. She said the town will attend subregional TIP readiness sessions to explore whether the project could move up if other projects drop or the town’s readiness improves. "The funding for 50% of the construction was included in the 2029 bucket, and we anticipated, 2030 for the second phase of construction funding," Marsha said; she added there…