Weston Rail Trail Committee Advances Trailhead Designs Ahead of Grant Deadline

WESTON -- October 15, 2018, Weston Rail Trail Advisory Committee reviews trailhead redesigns, hears 40B development pitch near trail. The committee, meeting October 15, spent the majority of its session on revised plans for the Concord Road and Church Street trailheads after engineer Niche's precise survey work revealed that an original turnaround design at the south Concord Road spur would require a seven-foot retaining wall adding more than $50,000 to the budget; a three-point turnaround solution, vetted with abutters the same day, won informal committee support. At Church Street, independent drawings from property owner Brian Burke, who proposed routing trail users through historic station archways and cutting pavement nearly in half, were referred to Niche and DPW for informal feasibility review without additional paid redrawing. Developer Mark Romanowicz briefed the committee on a 160-to-180-unit 40B proposal at 751-761 Boston Post Road, just west of Gun Club Lane, describing possible public parking and a comfort station at the trail's edge, with a 100-to-150-foot natural buffer. The committee also received a Recreation Commission report estimating bench costs at roughly $1,000 each and recommending stone or granite for durability, with a trail walkabout planned for the following Wednesday with Paul Janicki. The trail's official opening remains tied to completion of the Conant Road underpass, now targeted for early summer 2019.