Developers present Lyman Street mixed‑use plan and BWALT trail concept; board continues hearing for more review

Developer representatives and traffic engineers returned to the Town of Westborough Planning Board for a status update on the proposed mixed‑use project at 18 and 30 Lyman Street and to present a concept for a BWALT shared‑use trail through the shopping center driveway.

Mark Donahue, representing the applicant, introduced VHB civil‑engineering and traffic staff and said the presentation focused on peer review responses and design follow‑up. "This evening is really more to the board of a status report," Donahue said, noting the team is working to resolve peer review comments with engineering and DPW.

Vinod Calakaria of VHB described a concept for roughly 1,100 feet of shared‑use path along the northerly edge of the driveway. "That's a total length of about 1,100 feet," Calakaria told the board, outlining a cross section that recoups 10 feet of pavement to create a 10‑foot paved trail with buffer strips. Designers said the 10‑foot paved width meets applicable standards though they acknowledged that wider sections are sometimes desirable for higher traffic.

The proposal prompted detailed safety and operational questions. Town engineer Lisa advised keeping the trail on the north side to avoid drainage and visibility issues she said would be created by shifting the trail to the south: "From our perspective ... it is better on the north side," she said. Presenters also discussed using flashing beacons (RRFB) and other intersection controls; VHB cited FHWA and NACTO guidance on beacon effectiveness and said each crossing location would be reviewed.

A public commenter who identified himself as Byrne criticized the concept's dimensions and safety. Citing upcoming accessibility guidance and setback concerns, he said the 10‑foot trail width was inadequate and said he would not use the path as proposed: "This is a terrible design. And personally, I'll never ride that if you build it this way," Byrne told the board.

Board members asked staff to solicit formal letters or comments from the Active Transportation & Safety Committee and to request a police department safety review. The planning board agreed to continue the hearing to June 4 for further DPW/engineering follow‑up on drainage and sewer moratorium issues and to allow the applicant to respond to peer review and to refine trail alignment and signage. A continuation motion was made and seconded and the board set the next hearing date for 06/04/2024.

Next steps: the applicant will return with responses to peer review and DPW comments, additional coordination with the police department on crossings and signage, and detailed trail design options for north vs. south alignment.