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Sudbury staff present $1.4M preliminary design for Parkinson Field parking and BFRT ramp access
Summary
A preliminary design by TEC, Inc. estimates $1.4 million to reconfigure the Parkinson Field driveway and add a 69‑space parking lot (4 accessible) and related amenities to serve the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail handicapped ramp; town staff said the plan is preliminary, permitting and wetlands needs are unresolved, and some amenities could be cut to lower cost.
Town staff presented a preliminary design and cost estimate for significant improvements to the driveway and parking area serving Parkinson Field and the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT) handicapped ramp.
Marcia Rasmussen, Interim Trail Coordinator, said TEC, Inc. prepared the September preliminary design with an estimated project cost of $1.4 million. The preliminary plan calls for 69 parking spaces, including four accessible spaces, a stormwater retention basin, underground electricity and lighting, water supply, landscaping, and a porta‑potty pad. Rasmussen said the design is preliminary and that staff will talk with the Ti‑SALES property owner about the possibility of exiting through Ti‑SALES to the traffic signal, which could allow a one‑way driveway; otherwise more complex driveway engineering or a right‑turn‑only exit may be required.
CPC members asked whether the proposal is the optimal use of CPC funds and whether lower‑cost options exist. Rasmussen recalled that 2024 design intent included paving for easier plowing, a hydration station, lighting for later use, and a porta‑potty pad. She said removing lighting, underground electric, water, and other amenities could lower the estimate by approximately $400,000.
Laurie Eliason of the Park and Recreation Commission said Parkinson Field is a key town field with “excellent potential for greater use” and noted the field is used nearly every day by a Lincoln‑Sudbury ultimate‑frisbee team. Rasmussen said one adjacent landowner has received preliminary plans and she will reach out to the other two; she also said it is unknown whether wetlands replication or additional stormwater mitigation will be required — permitting review will determine that.
Rasmussen outlined a tentative schedule: more clarity on permitting and requirements in spring 2026, permitting over the summer, and potential construction start in fall 2026. She said some contingency is built into the $1.4 million estimate and that alternative approaches could provide flexibility if costs must be reduced.
