Weston Rail Trail Committee Advances Fencing Project, Plans Two October Meetings

WESTON — September 17, 2019 — Weston's Rail Trail Advisory Committee advanced a fencing and planting agenda Tuesday as the trail nears its official opening. Paul Pentiel outlined a 100-foot fence extension at 73 Concord Road, estimated at under $5,000, that would screen residential improvements from trail users; abutter Dave Sunderland has consented and the committee expects to use a sole-source procurement. The panel is managing two DCR grants — a matching planting grant of roughly $57,000 each from town and state, and a separate $100,000 recreational trails grant that must be spent by June 30, 2020 — with chair Mark Horowitz agreeing to confirm by email whether the town's $57,000 match check has been sent before a September 28 deadline. The committee scheduled added meetings on October 15, October 29, and November 13 to review expected 30 percent spur designs from engineer NICH before a six-committee town review process. Abutter Gus Weisman told the committee the trail is already heavily used and "ought to be promoted at all times as a really good thing," while Bill Fadden of the Bay Circuit Alliance reported his organization is working with DCR to permit the Bay Circuit Trail to share the right-of-way.