The Town of Southborough Trails Committee on Jan. 9 heard progress updates on Peninsula Trail work, including a paving contract amendment that delays construction until spring 2025, a grant extension for interpretive signage that will include outreach to Native American contacts, and geotechnical test results that cleared one permitting hurdle for Phase 2 boardwalk work.

The committee’s discussion centered on translating geotechnical and permitting results into a construction bid for a bridge and boardwalk for Phase 2 of the Peninsula Trail, and on using an extended Mass Trails grant period to develop inclusive interpretive signage and maps.

Committee member Kat McKee said the paving contractor’s required professional-liability issues delayed a December paving window but that the contract was amended to extend the deadline through June 2025, meaning the project will be “first in line in the spring” when weather allows. The committee’s initial short paving window in December was missed because contract signing took longer than expected.

McKee also reported the committee received a Mass Trails grant extension through the end of the year to finish signage work. She said the committee plans to reach out to a contact made at the Mass Trails conference to obtain historical information used by nearby towns and “include that into our signage,” with the aim of adding interpretive material that acknowledges Native Americans who lived on the land now occupied by the reservoir.

On Phase 2, McKee said geotechnical borings have been completed after an equipment-related delay. The results will determine whether footings and pilings for the planned bridge and boardwalk will meet bearing requirements; McKee said she will follow up with Beals (the project consultant) for the detailed boring report.

McKee told the committee that, after consultation, “Mass DEP did confirm we do not need the water certification” for the small wetland area involved in Phase 2 work. The committee discussed that avoiding the additional water-certification process would have saved an estimated $10,000 and a potential 3–5 month delay.

The committee agreed the next procurement step is a bid that will seek a contractor to act as project manager, purchase the bridge, install the boardwalk and bridge, and perform related construction. McKee said the earlier bid posted last year drew no viable responses because it lacked required engineering details; the new bid will include clearer engineering scope to help contractors price the work. Dave LaPointe, the committee’s point contact with Beals, was named as the person McKee will check with on bid preparation.

Smaller preparatory work can proceed: with the committee’s notice of intent (NOI) filed, members can start limited natural-surface trail clearing and small-diameter tree removal ahead of boardwalk construction. McKee said she will register the NOIs with the registry of deeds (a filing fee of roughly $100 per registration) and that those fees will come from the Trails Committee budget.

Volunteers were discussed as a resource for small trail tasks. McKee said the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) did a site visit to help plan an accessible alignment and that community volunteers may be able to handle the short natural-surface section adjacent to the planned boardwalk. The committee also noted benches delivered in component form remain unassembled and will likely be put together in spring with volunteer help and the committee’s “gorilla cart.”

Administrative items discussed included volunteer recruitment for a committee vacancy and the town annual report deadline; McKee said the town annual report is due Jan. 17. The committee set its next meeting for Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m.

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to approve minutes from Nov. 21: passed (Satyendra Sharma: yes; Kat McKee: yes; Will Warren: yes). Motion recorded and passed during roll call.
- Motion to adjourn at 8:07 p.m.: passed by roll call (Satyendra Sharma: yes; Kat McKee: yes; Will Warren: yes).

The committee will return to Phase 2 bidding, the Beals boring results, and sign content work in its next meeting.