National Grid line-replacement project to affect Southborough trails; committee urges documentation and public meeting attendance
Summary
National Grid plans transmission-line replacement that will overlap trail corridors in Southborough. The Trails Committee urged members to attend an open house Nov. 6, discussed timber-mat access, temporary closures and restoration requirements, and agreed to photograph trail conditions before and after work to document impacts.
The Town of Southborough Trails Committee reviewed plans from National Grid to replace overhead transmission lines that cross town trails and said members should attend an open house on Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Public Safety Building to ask questions and monitor potential trail impacts.
Chair Kat McKee said the utility project could require timber mats for heavy truck access and may produce temporary trail closures or detours in places where line work is under way. "They will need to lay timber mats so big trucks can drive over the trails," McKee said, adding that that work could require brief closures while crews pull wire or perform other activities.
Committee members emphasized restoration and permitting. McKee told the group that National Grid has indicated it will work with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Massachusetts Water Authority (MWA) on wetland and reservoir-area work and that the utility has outreach staff handling door‑to‑door notifications. Members asked that before-and-after photographs of trail segments be taken to document conditions and support any restoration requests. "I think we should take before and after pictures, just to ensure that, you know, things are are followed up with," Will Warren said.
The committee discussed specific sections near the Sudbury Reservoir causeways where drawing overlays suggested closer proximity to the reservoir; National Grid representatives told the group they are replacing existing lines and (where shown) the line depiction may not reflect final pole siting. Work could begin as early as February 2026 and may last months in some sections depending on the schedule, McKee said.
The committee agreed to circulate details of the Nov. 6 open house and to invite National Grid technical staff to a future committee meeting if members want more detailed routing or staging information. Members also recommended coordinating with Sudbury Valley Trustees and the conservation commission for oversight and to confirm restoration standards.
