Bridge-and-boardwalk bids exceed Southborough funding; committee weighs options and timeline

The Town of Southborough Trails Committee reported April 9 that bids to build the Phase Two bridge and boardwalk on the Peninsula Trail came in far above the committee’s available funding, forcing a reassessment of materials, scope and timing.

Committee members said the two competitive bids received in the winter were about $445,000 and $468,000, while the committee’s Phase Two allocation (including contingencies) is roughly $211,000; the group also holds a $47,000 CPC bucket that could be repurposed only after Phase One is formally closed with CPC and the town. That shortfall led members to discuss alternative approaches to reduce costs or seek new funding.

Why it matters: The bridge and boardwalk are central to closing the Harbor/Peninsula loop. Without additional funds, the project cannot proceed as bid. Committee members warned that changing materials or design can increase costs for abutments and require rework of already completed engineering plans — changes that could add tens of thousands of dollars.

Members and staff reviewed options: seek additional grant funding (the committee discussed a MassTrails grant round in February 2027 for which local funds could be used as a match); rebid with altered scope or procurement terms; ask town procurement whether targeted bridge-only bidding is permissible; or build an interim reroute around the work area while the committee continues fundraising and grant planning. Engineers and the bridge manufacturer told the committee that abutments — the load-bearing supports for the bridge — are the primary cost driver and that the contractor bids did not disclose detailed line-item breakdowns for proprietary reasons.

Committee members said the Appalachian Mountain Club and Bay Circuit Trail volunteers remain available to complete natural-surface trail segments and some boardwalk work, but volunteer labor cannot substitute for engineered structures and required permitting. The committee also discussed timing: project bids and evolving supplier prices (contractors said materials costs rose about 25% since the original estimate) mean the committee must plan now to avoid last-minute funding crises when the next MassTrails grant deadline approaches.

Next steps: prepare a schedule of deliverables and procurement questions for town staff and the procurement officer; consider whether a narrower bridge-only bid can be solicited; and if needed, plan a fall special town meeting petition to reallocate Phase One funds as local match for Phase Two or pursue a future MassTrails grant cycle.