The Millis Select Board on Nov. 24 authorized the town administrator to sign an amendment to the town's roadway contract with JH Lynch and Son Inc. to carry out a Complete Streets redesign and sidewalk repairs on Exchange Street.

Board members and consultants said the project has two parts: a sidewalk improvement paid in part by a $100,000 earmark from U.S. Rep./state funding routed through Sen. Rebecca Rausch's office and a broader intersection reconfiguration under the Complete Streets grant. Officials cited an $118,845.65 price for the sidewalk segment and roughly $125,482.04 for intersection work; the board approved an additional $300,000 to extend the current JH Lynch contract so the work may proceed and prices remain locked in through June 30.

Supporters told the board the design (prepared by Beta Engineering) shortens pedestrian crossing distances, adds marked crosswalk treatments and reorganizes vehicle turning lanes and a central island to improve sight lines. The plan will remove about four angled parking spaces near 12 Exchange Street and add pavement geometry and raised guidance where vehicles and pedestrians interact, officials said. The police and fire chiefs asked that final designs preserve sufficient turning radii for emergency vehicles; those details will be confirmed during construction.

Some residents and board members asked about lost parking and whether narrower sidewalks could preserve spaces. Engineers said required sidewalk widths limit how much curbside space can be reclaimed, but they noted some unstriped curbside areas are not counted as formal stalls today. The Complete Streets funds awarded to Millis three years ago ($433,000) were cited as the primary source for the island/reconfiguration work; the $100,000 earmark is restricted to sidewalks.

By approving the contract amendment, the board authorized JH Lynch to carry contract pricing into the next construction season and to begin procurement steps so work can be scheduled in spring. The motion passed unanimously.