Town representatives from Marion, Rochester, and Wareham – the three towns traversed by County Road – met with representatives from the Southeastern Regional Planning & Economic Development District on November 30 to discuss reclassifying the 5.5-mile stretch of County Road between Routes 28 and 105 as an “Urban Collector,” which is an upgrade from an “Urban Local” road.
SRPEDD, at the request of the three towns, collected traffic volume and vehicle speed data, along with origin-destination, vehicle classification, and land use information to determine the eligibility of County Road reclassification, and they identified County Road as feasible for Urban Collector status.
Urban Collector roads are eligible for federal funding for street upgrades, something all three towns and residents agree County Road needs.
Although Marion and Wareham were eager to apply with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to start the process, Rochester representatives weren’t as enthused once they heard more about what sorts of costs the town would be responsible for in the event of a County Road project.
Roads classified as Urban Collectors by the Federal Highway Administration qualify for special funding for road upgrades; however, there are specific federal guidelines and design criteria for the width of the roads to accommodate for all traffic, including bicycle and pedestrian. Some costs are covered by the towns themselves, including design, right of way matters, and permitting.
Rochester Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge and Town Administrator Suzanne Szyndlar both wore concerned expressions on their faces.
“So these are big costs,” said Szyndlar.
Eldridge pointed out that, with federal standards for widening of roads to almost double what County Road is now in some spots, some houses located five to ten feet from the road would result in costly land acquisitions.
“I’m not a lawyer, but I think you’re looking at some serious land taking,” Eldridge said. “If somebody says no, then you have to go to court and take it through court.”
SRPEDD Transportation Planning Manager Paul Mission urged the three towns to further consider the petition for the road reclassification, saying, “I think County Road has a good shot. It’s really just changing the status of the road. Changing the physical condition of the road would be the next project.”
Mission suggested that he could meet with the individual boards of selectmen should they prefer a more formal presentation, including more detail on one option Mission suggested the towns could propose to MassDOT and the FHA to increase the odds of reclassification.
Since the FHA prefers to maintain a steady percentage of roads classified at Urban Collectors, Mission suggested offering to trade-off on current Urban Collector Roads in order to acquire the 5.5 miles of County Road.
Wareham and Marion are the only two towns with Urban Collectors, which includes Front Street and Spring Street in Marion.
Presently, the percentage of Urban Collectors in the region is 9.3 percent. Adding County Road would increase it .2 percent to bring the percentage up to 9.5.
“In the grand scheme of things, it is relatively insignificant,” said Mission. “The role of the road and the increase in traffic certainly justify a serious consideration for change.”
If Marion did not foresee applying for federal funds for any future projects on either Spring or Front Streets, Mission said a trade-off, if necessary, could include those two streets.
“At some point in time, something’s going to have to be done with that road, like it or not,” said Marion Selectman Stephen Cushing.
Mission requested that once towns make up their minds to move forward that they draft a letter of support from the board of selectmen.
Before adjourning at the Wareham Town Hall, Szyndlar told Mission she might take him up on that offer to present to the Rochester Board of Selectmen when she approaches it on the County Road matter.
By Jean Perry