City moves forward with emergency closure of Boscawen Street; planning commission to stay engaged
Summary
City Council authorized the city manager to continue an emergency closure of Boscawen Street; Planning Commission asked for regular updates and offered to participate in redesign and a collaborative retreat with Council to coordinate planning and safety goals.
Planning staff updated the Winchester City Planning Commission on Nov. 5 that City Council authorized the city manager to continue the emergency closure of Boscawen Street and directed staff to begin a process to determine the street's long-term configuration.
Staff noted planned public-works improvements had been designed assuming the street would remain open to vehicular traffic; the emergency closure requires re-evaluation of those designs and creates an opportunity to align improvements with a possible pedestrianized design. Commissioners requested the design drawings and background materials that the City previously prepared (2018—9) and asked for continued engagement and public opportunities as the city develops alternatives.
Several commissioners emphasized that the redesign process should center public safety and walkability in light of the accident that initially spurred the closure; staff reported Council plans to include a collaborative session with the Planning Commission on its upcoming retreat and said more information will be provided as designs are refined.
No formal action by the Planning Commission was taken; staff will circulate the council memo, existing concept drawings and invite ongoing input from the commission as the city advances the Boscawen Street evaluation and public outreach.
