Weston Traffic Committee Delays Highland-Route 20 Study Update to March

WESTON -- February 15, 2023, Weston's Traffic and Sidewalk Committee postponed its Highland Street and Route 20 intersection update after consultant VHB canceled at the last minute, rescheduling to March 22. Public Works staff Jason told the committee that VHB had already contacted MassDOT to gauge state support for intersection redesign alternatives, which range from full signalization to reconfiguring the angled Boston Post Road approach into a four-way intersection. On other fronts, a survey amendment for the Route 20 at Wellesley Street sidewalk extension was awaiting town signatures, with a follow-on design amendment estimated at $25,000. The Ash Street walkway path, defeated at a prior Town Meeting at roughly $400,000, is targeting fall Town Meeting 2023 after design and MWRA licensing work wraps up around May or June, with Jason estimating four to six weeks of construction time. Resident Bruce Pastor warned the committee that environmental and cost opposition to the Ash Street path remained a real political risk.