Milton Trails committee adopts staffrecommendations to prioritize short loops, directs staff to bring plan to City Council

The Milton Trails Advisory Committee on Nov. 13 voted unanimously to accept city staffrecommendations that prioritize a set of short loop and connector segments the staff says can be delivered more quickly with existing funds.

Committee members adopted a revised "right-side" project list staff presented for immediate pursuit, which focuses on filling sidewalk gaps and completing adjacent two- and three-mile loop connections (segments labeled R, S and T on staff maps). Staff said the shorter list avoids state-route coordination and the complicated parcel negotiations that would slow larger projects.

"This will be an actual presentation from me," city staff member said during the meeting when describing the second reading of the blueprint code revisions and the related project list the committee had prepared. Staff told the committee the recommended Freemanville half-mile connector is roughly 2,700 feet and estimated its cost at about $800,000 to $1 million, and staff described a program-level target in the $3.5 million to $4 million range.

The committeemotion to accept the Nov. 13 staff recommendations was made from the floor and carried by voice vote; the chair declared the result unanimous. Committee members said adopting the revised list would allow staff to brief the City Council quickly and, if Council concurs, begin design procurement and scope work.

Several members said the right-side list best matches the committeegoals to connect neighborhoods to schools and parks while delivering projects within the existing budget. Staff emphasized options to stage material choices (for example, building an initial gravel surface and upgrading to asphalt later) to lower upfront costs and manage risk.

A longer, higher-value corridor labeled D1 on staff maps -- a nearly 1.5-mile segment along State Route 372 from Providence to Wood -- was discussed as a high-use but complex project because it requires coordination with the state Department of Transportation and more extensive right-of-way work. Staff recommended keeping D1 on a separate capital list (referred to in the meeting as the "T SPOSS" project list) for future funding cycles rather than placing it among the near-term projects.

Next steps include staff presenting the committee's recommendations to City Council at the second reading of the blueprint on Monday; staff said they expect a work session with Council after blueprint changes are finalized and, if Council gives direction, will proceed with hiring a design firm for the recommended segments.

The committee also discussed minor substitutions to the recommended list (for example, adding Red Road sidewalk gaps and a lower-cost H2 segment) and agreed staff could adjust the project list before it goes to Council. The committee concluded there was no urgent need to meet in December unless Council returns the item or asks for additional community outreach.