Weston committee advances Merriam Street walkway to May Town Meeting vote

WESTON — March 21, 2018 — Weston Traffic and Sidewalk Committee advances Merriam Street walkway with sharply reduced tree and wall impacts. At a March 21 public meeting on the half-mile west-side walkway, Chair Jay Doyle and Vice Chair Clint Schuckel reviewed a redesign that cuts tree removals from more than 50 to 21, places seven additional trees on "manage" status, and shortens the stone wall reconstruction near Baker's Hill Road. The Conservation Commission issued an order of conditions in February; the Planning Board hears the scenic road permit March 26, the same night the Community Preservation Committee considers the construction funding request against a $700,000 placeholder estimate, with bids opening March 22. Schuckel, a south-side resident with no direct benefit, urged corridor neighbors to attend May 7 Town Meeting: "If we're fortunate enough to get to Town Meeting, we got to get the vote out." The committee also advanced a roughly $60,000 design contract combining the Ash Street walkway and Case Estates legacy trail and flagged $1.2 million in TIP design requests for Route 20 and Route 30 projects.