Weston Panel Advances Revised Ash Street Walkway Design That Spares Large Trees

WESTON -- December 14, 2022, Weston's Traffic and Sidewalk Committee advanced a revised Ash Street walkway design that would spare large trees by routing the path through MWRA land. Committee Chair Jay Doyle and town engineer Jason walked members through a concept alignment that turns off Ash Street onto a four-foot path through the woods, returning to the roadway to connect with a crosswalk and the Case Estates Legacy Trail, removing only one dead stump within the right of way and avoiding any trees 12 inches in diameter or greater. The redesign eliminates the vertical curbing that blocked wildlife movement across the road and doomed an earlier version at town meeting roughly two years ago. Barbara Fullerton of the Tree Advisory Committee, admitted late from a Zoom waiting room, secured a tentative commitment for a presentation at the advisory group's January 18 meeting. Chantel Buchanan, co-president of the Lexington Street Neighborhood Association, also raised concerns about surging Waltham-area commercial development traffic, a 2003 truck exclusion she said is under-enforced, and winter accident risks at the curved North Avenue intersection, with Weston Police Captain Kelly offering to pull speeding-ticket data and schedule enforcement details on the street.