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Groveland board orders trailhead signage, directs staff to study expanded parking and safer access
Summary
After hearing complaints about on-street parking, safety and wetlands damage near the Main Street trailhead, Groveland's Select Board ordered 'rail trail' signage and tasked staff to explore expanding designated parking and creating an off-road path so users can reach the trail without stepping into traffic.
Staff presented an overview of parking use at the Main Street trailhead and the results of a partnership with National Grid that created six formal spaces adjacent to the pump station. The town said heavy use has led some visitors to park on the roadway, causing safety concerns and localized erosion toward wetlands.
"Would the Select Board like us to install no parking signs along Main Street in that particular area?" staff asked, noting that any changes affecting wetland buffers would require Conservation Commission review and permitting.
Board members discussed short-term and long-term options. Several members favored a soft short-term fix of signage directing users to the designated parking area and providing an overflow option rather than immediate physical barriers; others urged designing a plan that accounts for future trail connections to Haverhill and increasing use.
Votes and direction: The board voted to formalize and post 'rail trail parking' signage (staff had already ordered signs). It also voted to instruct the town administrator and highway superintendent to explore expanding parking at the existing trailhead, subject to safety, environmental review and permitting, and to add an off-road access path so users (including parents with strollers and bicyclists) can approach the trail without using the travel lane.
Environmental and safety constraints: Staff noted the presence of 20-, 100- and 200-foot buffer lines around wetland areas; proposed improvements would need engineering and possibly a Notice of Intent to the Conservation Commission. The board declined the staff'recommended boulders option because staff and highway personnel flagged safety and plowing concerns.
Next steps: Staff will examine locations for modest overflow parking, consult with the highway department on sight-lines and appropriate widening or stabilization methods, evaluate possible permitting needs with the Conservation Commission, and return with cost and design options. The board asked staff to include a public information update pointing people to the off-street parking options once signage is live.
