Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Active Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council directs engineering for Augustine Avenue Trail Phase 3, prioritizes school connections
Summary
Council reviewed Phase 3 trail options and directed staff to proceed with Section 1 (school connector) and an alternate for Section 2 to reduce easement needs; roughly $800,000 in design funds were available, while full construction of the green‑line alignment was left for future grant funding.
Charlestown — The City Council on Oct. 21 reviewed three alternative alignments for Phase 3 of the Augustine Avenue Trail and gave staff direction to prioritize segments that best connect schools and existing neighborhood trails.
A presenter from Alba Engineers (S17) described three sections. Section 1, an approximately 800‑foot connector to the school campus, had a preliminary construction estimate of $143,500 and engineering costs of $17,200 — "about a $160,000 give or take in Section 1," the presenter said. Section 2, designed to link into existing trails near Hewitt Road, was estimated at roughly $303,150 construction plus about $36,000 in engineering fees (≈$340,000).
Councilors discussed county vs. city right‑of‑way boundaries, the number of private easements required (Spruce Hill areas were specifically noted), potential coordination with Washington High School and developers, and whether to pursue signalized or mid‑block crossings where state roads are involved. The council agreed that Section 1 was a clear priority and asked staff to pursue an alternate routing for Section 2 that reduces easement needs while keeping the school connection.
For the northern end (Phase 3A), a sidewalk‑heavy green‑line alignment was estimated at about $1.76 million in construction plus $211,000 engineering, a total approaching $2.0 million — funds the city does not currently have. Smaller park‑oriented alternatives (3B) have lower trail costs but could require a bridge (estimated at about $350,000). Councilors and staff noted that larger grants and a pending $250,000 congressional earmark for a West End connector could support future work on the green alignment.
What’s next: Council directed staff to use roughly $800,000 currently available for design work on priority segments, to coordinate with school officials about siting and potential contributions, and to return with refined engineering estimates and easement plans.
