Project

 

Name

Support / Oppose / Request / Concern

 

Comment

 

Response

Project under consideration in FFYs 2022-26 TIP Amendment Six

Bedford-Minuteman Bikeway Extension (#607738)

Arlington residents: Matthew Hammer, Paula Jordan, Bob Santosuosso

 

Bedford residents: Cecilia Alder-Clarke, Julia Allen, Scott Allen, Stephen Andress, Peter Bagley, Bin Bao, Rhona Barlevy, Richard Barlevy, Julie Bolch, Bruce Bond, Martha Brill, Haim Brill, Julie Brill, Sophie Brill Weitz, Rebecca Brill Weitz, Nat Brown, Carla Brown, Alyssa Brown, Nathaniel Brown III, Amanda Brown, Laura Bullock, Lan Cao, Yijun Carrier, Daniel Carroll, Tara Carroll, Christina Carvey, Matt Castillo, Yuan Chen, BingBing Chen, Julia Clarke, Sarah Clarke, Jean Coady, Henry Coady, Angelo Colasante, Deborah Cullen, Sharon Curtin, Stephanie Davidson, Vanessa DeGennaro, Jillian DeGrazia, Charles DeGuglielmo, Claire Demeo, Mike Dirrane, Eileen Dirrane, Mike Dirrane, Shannon Dirrane, Nick Donovan, Erin Duffy, Deb Edinger, Jacqueline Edwards, William A Edwards, Lori Eggert, Jim Eggert, Maureen Eliason, Jim Eliason, Joseph E Esposito, Mary Lou Esposito, Stephanie Fairchild, Rachel Field, Carin Folman, Valerie Franks, Juan Gao, Steven Garret, Coreen Garrett, Desiree Girifalco, Michael Girifalco, Joseph Girifalco, Gail Green, Lei Gu, Dave Guerino, Katie Guerino, Molly Haskell, Kirk Haskell, Andrea Hayes, Matthew Hayes, Marian Hobbs, Kelly Horton, Arlinda Johnson,  Kalantari,  Kalantari, Areen Kalantari, Julie D Katta, Anilkumar Katta, Jennifer Kennery, Shaun Kennery, David Kimmell, David Kimmell, Suzanne Koller, Ryan Koller, Linda Kovitch, Maria Kritikos, Brennan LaGrassa, Wendy Lentine, Matt Lentine, Jinghua Liu, John Lorusso, Kimberly Lorusso, Robert Lough, Yan Luo, Michael Lynch, Melissa Lynch, Ying Macdonald, Sylvia Mallory, Michael Manlief, John Mara, Krista Mara, Christie Martin, James Martin, Elizabeth McClung, David McClung, James McClung, Ryan McClung, Jimmy McGinn, Kelly McInnis, Mark K McInnis, Gabriel Miano, Daria Miano, Robert Mici, John Monahan, Sandy Morvillo, Aaron Moynahan, Ron O’Brien, LoriAnn O’Brien, Alison O’Connell, Jon OConnor, Joe Piantedosi, Michael Porter, Devon Porter, Greg Post, Janet Powers, Dori Pulizzi, Mike Pulizzi, Emma Pulizzi, Heather Pullen, David Pullen, David Radlo, Vittorio Raho, Carrie Raho, Kate Reynolds, Peter Ricci, Rebecca Ricci, Joleen Ricci, Julie Robbins-Porter, Wei Rong, Beth Santaella, Adam Scharff, Adam Scharff, Carey Sclafani, Mike Sclafani, Michael siciliano, Margaret siciliano, Kyle Smith, Thomas Spaulding, Robin Steele, Stephen Steele,  Stoppe, Richard Stoppe, Alice Sun, Maria Tatarczuk, Michael Tecci, Katherine Tecci, Tyson A Trautz, Sarah L Trautz, Linda Ugelow, Jessica Uhing-Luedde, Rebecca Venuti, Laura Wallace, Timothy Wallace, Jin Wang, Christine Wang, Margaret Watro, Ronald Watro, Kyoko Weissman, James B Weissman, Angela Winter, Michael Yang, Chris Yannoni, Derek Yerardi, Kristen Yerardi, Fuchang Yin, Rong Zeng

 

Billerica residents: Nanci Carroll, David Carroll, Cathy Hertler, Joyce Higgins, Karen Stocker

 

Cambridge resident: Holly E Mockovak

 

Chelmsford resident: Maurene ONeil

 

Concord residents: Franklin Jonath, Jodi Loughlin, Bija Satterlee

 

No town specified: Adrienne Kimmell, Jeanie Piantedosi

 

Oppose

We are a group of 189 concerned Massachusetts residents. Please see our letter below.


To Whom It May Concern regarding the paving of the Reformatory Branch Trail in Bedford:

We are writing to express our disapproval of the paving of the Reformatory Branch Trail in Bedford. Since the state would fund the project if approved, the voters have only had the opportunity to vote on aspects of the project, such as design plans. Voters never voted if we wanted the path paved. At the March 28-29 Town Meeting the only way to stop the project was to vote down the town’s ability to gain access to the abutters’ property. The article to grant the town this access was defeated in a 2/3 majority vote. This was a statement by the voters that we did not want the path paved.


Before town meeting, a petition on 
change.org asking people to sign if they did not want the path paved received over 600 signatures. Petition · Save the Reformatory Branch Trail · Change.org


We believe the majority of people living in Bedford want the path to remain as it is. Every day, children commute to the middle and high school, families enjoy nature, and dog walkers, runners, pedestrians, and bikers all use the path. There is great concern that if the path is paved, the increased speeds of bikes will make it unusable for most families. Removing 4.3 acres of trees, including the tree canopy shading the path, would make it unusable on
the hot days of summer.


The purpose of the proposed change is said to be to help bikers commuting to work from the west side of Bedford (near the Concord line). However, commuting cyclists can and do use the existing path for less than 2 miles or bike on the road to the Minuteman Bikeway near Bedford center. At the May Concord town meeting, residents voted to keep the path unpaved. With no support from Concord and the loss of support in Bedford, we feel this project is no longer viable.

Please remove the funding for Program 607738: Bedford-Minuteman Bikeway Extension, from Loomis Street to Concord Road (Route 62) from FFYs 2022-26 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Six.

 

Thank you for submitting the above feedback on the proposed FFYs 2022-26 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Amendment Six and the Bedford-Minuteman Bikeway Extension project on behalf of 189 concerned residents. The Boston Region MPO appreciates your engagement in the TIP process and values your perspective on this amendment. Your comments will be shared with MPO members as a part of their review of the proposed FFYs 2022-26 TIP Amendment Six on July 21st. During this meeting, it is anticipated that MPO members will vote on the endorsement of Amendment Six after taking into account the comments submitted on this amendment. All MPO meetings are public, so you are more than welcome to attend the meeting virtually if you would like to do so. More information on the meeting, including an agenda and link to participate via Zoom, is available on the MPO's meeting calendar.