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Trails committee: engineers to confirm bridge height before late‑February bid for Peninsula Trail Phase 2
Summary
Engineers from Beals & Thomas are finalizing bridge specs for Peninsula Trail Phase 2 and will seek written confirmation from MWRA on flood‑related design limits; committee expects to release the bid package late February and begin the procurement process soon after.
The Town of Southborough Trails Committee heard an update on Peninsula Trail Phase 2 focused on bridge design and procurement planning. Representatives said engineers from Beals & Thomas have been coordinating with water‑management authorities to confirm the planned bridge height and other specifications before the town issues a construction bid.
Committee members said Beals & Thomas contacted the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) and other water‑management staff to check whether the proposed bridge elevation would be acceptable given historic flood flows. Committee members described differing technical opinions from MWRA/MWA staff during that review and said Beals & Thomas will seek written confirmation that the town’s proposed bridge elevation and details meet MWRA/MWA requirements. The committee emphasized that, if the project had to accommodate a worst‑case hydraulic scenario, the required structure could be far longer (the town described a hypothetical 400‑foot structure), which the committee said the project will not pursue.
The committee expects that written confirmation from MWRA will clear a major technical hurdle and allow Beals & Thomas to complete the bid package. Committee members said the firm will prepare the full solicitation, work with town staff to include municipal specifications, and, once the package is posted through the central registrar, host a pre‑bid meeting to answer contractor questions. The committee said it aims to post the bid and begin the procurement process by late February; procurement would proceed to a contractor selection after the town and project consultant review bids.
The Phase 2 update also included a brief operational note: paving on a separate Peninsula Trail Phase 1 segment is still planned for early spring, and the committee will follow up on signage for completed sections.
The committee did not take a formal decision on Phase 2 during the meeting; work remains to secure written MWRA confirmation and to finalize the bid package before procurement begins.
