Coming before the Mattapoisett Select Board on August 27 was Greg Russell of VHB, the engineering firm hired to help the town navigate the hundreds of steps needed to climb in order to secure TIP funding (Transportation Improvement grant monies) for its village roads redevelopment project.
On this night, Russell addressed the current status of the project and what has transpired since the June public meeting that was held by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
During that meeting, the DOT team discussed the 25% design as drafted by VHB with local input. It also opened up the dialog with the community by asking the residents to forward their comments and questions directly to the DOT.
To date, 56 letters have been received, it was noted. Russell said the comments included advancing the design as currently conceived, a sidewalk on one side, implement traffic-calming measures and the consideration of underground utilities.
The project has yet to be acted upon for the next step in the process (75% design) due to the need to incorporate such items as the hiring of an arborist to evaluate the current health of trees with a report by the end of September. Until recently, these trees were slated for removal. Also holding up the step is the question as to whether the public wishes MassDOT to consider making all or part of Water Street one-way traffic.
That option, which had been forwarded during previous public meetings, found Select Board member Jodi Bauer digging into decades of old board minutes.
“Back in the 1980s, the town voted to make Water Street one way – it failed,” said Bauer, noting the negative impact the action had on businesses and residents. “We should learn from the mistakes of the past.”
Another reason why the one-way plan would prove difficult would be the routing of traffic onto narrow side streets. Russell said that upgrades of side streets would be necessary to handle the increased traffic flow. Highway Surveyor Garrett Bauer was not in favor of the one-way, also citing the impact on other village roads.
Russell said that other aspects of the project to consider included two sidewalks, bicycle accommodations, on-street parking and a wider tree belt.
Moving forward, Russell said the town needs to identify a preferred concept to share with DOT. Further, he said it is necessary to incorporate agreed-upon design changes and resubmit an updated 25% design (anticipated in winter/spring 2025), then advance the project to the 75% design status.
Select Board member Tyler Macallister asked that a table-top-size design be made available for public review. Another public-facing piece will now be a website exclusively for this project where information can be made available and public input received.
On the subject of stormwater discharge, Mike Huguenin, president of the Mattapoisett Land Trust, wanted to make sure that the MS4 regulations would be part of the planning. MS4 mandates specific cleanliness of water being discharged into the sea. Town Administrator Mike Lorenco cautioned that fines may be levied against towns failing to meet the standards.
In other matters, Lorenco said early voting is now available at Town Hall and that public input is still being sought for the Hazard Mitigation survey available on the town’s website.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Select Board was not announced at adjournment.
Mattapoisett Select Board
By Marilou Newell