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Acton residents press MassDOT at hearing over missing sidewalks and driveway access on Great Road
Summary
Residents at MassDOT's design hearing urged the agency to address long-missing sidewalks and to reduce driveway access along a congested stretch of Great Road, saying intersection fixes alone may not solve pedestrian safety problems; MassDOT said sidewalks are part of a separate complete streets project.
Residents filled the public-comment portion of MassDOT’s design hearing to press officials about sidewalk gaps and driveway access along Great Road in Acton, saying intersection-focused short-term fixes should not obscure long-standing walking safety problems.
Kate Chang, who said she lives just off Great Road and served on Acton’s Sidewalk Committee from 2007 to 2017, told the panel she was disappointed the short-term project does not add sidewalks on a dangerous half-mile stretch where there is no shoulder and pedestrians must walk near fast-moving traffic. "There's no sidewalk from 27 to where Woodvale Condominiums are. It's a very dangerous stretch of road," she said.
Design staff responded that the short-term project (613166) is limited to improving crossings at three intersections and that bicycle and continuous sidewalk work are part of a separate complete streets project (613872) and other town-funded efforts. The consultant said parts of the complete streets work — including a shared-use path between Davis Road and Harris Street — are advancing under a town-led effort with MassDOT funding for construction.
Other residents described daily congestion and multiple driveway and entry points near Concord Road that make crossing dangerous. "It's just a matter of time before somebody gets hit there," Carol Bajen said, recounting frequent crossings between a gas station and a convenience store.
Alyssa Nickle, a member of the Acton Select Board, urged that the complete streets work address driveway consolidation and curb-cut reduction — citing prior local projects where eliminating excess driveways slowed vehicles and improved pedestrian safety. She cautioned that such changes could be missed if a study does not progress to construction.
MassDOT officials encouraged written comments and said public input will be reviewed as the design advances. They reiterated the short-term project's scope and pointed residents to future opportunities to comment on the complete streets phases that would include sidewalks and bicycle accommodations.
