The Marion Pathway Committee met virtually on June 17 and heard an update on the Marion Shared Use Path from committee Chairman John Rockwell.
In identifying a small but significant collection of factors regarding Marion’s plans for a bike path, including wetlands impact, being in a state-designated Environmental Justice Neighborhood, crossing vehicular traffic and crossing a state highway (Route 105), Rockwell explained how the project is caught up in red tape.
For instance, certain triggers require that an Environmental Impact Report be filed with the secretary of the state and environmental affairs. Because of that, Rockwell said, there is an environmental census block on the northern side of the railroad bed that crosses Route 105 and runs through Washburn Park.
He considers the project a positive impact.
“There will be some noise and construction right next to the apartment buildings, but on the other hand when they’re done, that’ll be a great amenity for that whole neighborhood,” he said.
Also attending the Zoom-only meeting were members Paula Meere, Dan Eling, Steve Lohrenz and John Menzel.
In discussing the bike path, Rockwell acknowledged that a lot of paperwork must be filed, a time-consuming task.
One environmental issue that the committee needs to address is the number of rivers that flow year-round across the bike path. Rockwell said modern topographic maps established from aerial photographs identify four rivers that cross the path, but he disagrees.
“There’s actually only one, and the way you get around that is to go out there and take photographs four days in a row when the area’s dry,” said Rockwell, noting that this will take place in August.
Rockwell said the state has hired someone to handle all the project work related to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA).
“The idea is that anytime there is a state project that needs state permits that rises over certain thresholds … there’s communication amongst all the boards, and all the issues are sorted out ahead of time,” Rockwell explained. “The idea is you don’t have state projects causing problems for other state agencies.”
Rockwell told the committee he was told to expect the state’s response around Thanksgiving. He said no state permits are attainable until the Environmental Impact Report has been filed and the state secretary has accepted it. The report will be prepared by a firm that typically handles MEPA-related files and that the state has hired, said Rockwell.
Menzell asked if there are any other loose ends required by the state Department of Transportation.
Rockwell explained that the town cannot work on the necessary easements until the state approves the plans, and that cannot be done until the Environmental Impact Report process is complete.
“It’s like everything else in this project, we don’t have a lot of control,” said Rockwell, whose institutional knowledge helps in the case of proving there is only one rather than the four crossing rivers shown by the state-generated map.
Given the process and the requirements to respond to state feedback, Rockwell said he expects a groundbreaking no earlier than FY26 (a year from now).
It is expected that the trees located between the apartment complex and the bike path will come down amidst construction, but Rockwell said shade trees can go well in that space. He said the trees will be of substantial size when fully grown.
Menzel said he would like to see the bike path connected to White Eagle (the Sippican Lands Trust parcel) and Parlowtown Road. Rockwell agreed it would make a nice connection for the path.
A reorganization of the committee only reinforced established roles, as Rockwell remained chairman. He also received approval to make Meere’s dual service official as both vice chair and clerk. “Poor Paula’s done all this work without which we would not survive,” he said.
The committee also needed a representative to the Stewards of Community Open Space. Having noted that member Lorraine Heffernan (who could not attend the June 17 meeting) had done a good job in the role, the committee voted to recommend her reappointment. The Select Board makes the final approval.
The next meeting of the Marion Pathway Committee will be scheduled in August on a date yet to be determined.
Marion Pathway Committee
By Mick Colageo