Town planners show two refined downtown options — signalized triangle and 'peanut' roundabout — after heavy public input

Westborough planning staff and consultants presented updated work on downtown improvements on July 22, offering two refined alternatives intended to improve pedestrian safety, bike connections and downtown vibrancy.

Director of Planning Jenny Gingras and consulting engineers (Kimley Horn and associates) reviewed public input collected since the 2024 downtown plan and explained engineering tests and tradeoffs. The previously discussed triangle (signalized intersections with new curb and bump‑outs to tighten crossing locations) remains an option. In response to community skepticism about the triangle, consultants presented a newly tested single‑lane 'peanut' roundabout variant that keeps a larger central green and reduces paved area while tightening entry geometry to slow traffic and create protected pedestrian islands.

Consultants said they tested large‑truck and fire‑apparatus turning movements for both concepts and are developing revised conflict‑point, parking‑loss and cost comparisons. Early tallies showed the signal option would reduce about 14 parking spaces while the peanut variant could remove about 47 (parking strategies and potential off‑site solutions were discussed). Both options could accommodate bike lanes in parts of the corridor, but doing so would require converting angle parking to parallel spaces or removing spaces in constrained segments.

Board members pressed for more data: projected traffic throughput, crash‑reduction scoring, cost estimates, and how each option affects downtown businesses and emergency response. Staff said the project will proceed with additional analysis, stakeholder coordination (including the fire and police chiefs), cost estimates and further public meetings. The board recommended continued public outreach and asked staff to present a consolidated transportation and capital priorities plan at an upcoming meeting to allow prioritization.