Weston panel votes unanimously to back Fitchburg rail trail feasibility study

WESTON -- March 27, 2025, Weston's Traffic and Sidewalk Committee unanimously backed exploring a Fitchburg Line rail-with-trail corridor from Weston to West Concord at its March 27 meeting. The vote, framed as a no-cost first step, directs the committee to bring the concept to the Weston Select Board and supports a regional push to ask the Boston-area Metropolitan Planning Organization, CTPS, to conduct a feasibility study at no direct expense to the town. Committee members Bob Cronin and Linda Nelson, working with counterparts in Lincoln and Concord, said the MBTA has shown informal interest in the concept because trail access reduces parking pressure at commuter stations. Chair Jay Doyle noted that a companion rail-with-trail already exists in Belmont and part of Waltham and that the eventual goal is a continuous off-road route from Kendall Green station to West Concord, connecting to the existing Mass Central Rail Trail. The committee also heard a draft summary from Beta Group consultant Jeff Masuitis of a March 20 public workshop on the town's pedestrian-bicycle master plan, which drew about 30 engaged residents and generated feedback across interactive maps, Post-it boards, and a comment box; an online survey tied to the study had logged 60 responses as of March 27.