Proposed Beaver Street milling project receives go-ahead from Conservation Commission

The Conservation Commission determined that a proposed Beaver Street milling project is classified as a ‘limited project”, meaning it is not under the protection of the Wetlands Protection Act. The project must be approved by several other city boards and committees before it can begin.

The project is part of a revamp of the MBTA crossing at the location, according to transportation engineer Kimberly Miller from Nitsch Engineering. Some of the construction would take place within a 25-foot buffer zone to the Beaver Brook wetlands area, so the Conservation Commission is required to determine whether the work can take place.

The project seeks to mill and overlay the portion of Beaver Street between Waverly Oaks Road and Clematis Avenue. The sidewalk along the south side of the street will be reconstructed, and a ten-foot shared use path will be added on the north side of the street to maintain the connection of Waverly Oaks Road to the nearby rail trail. Compost filter tubes will be placed along adjacent Beaver Brook so that runoff from the project doesn’t enter the waterway.

Waltham resident John Allen raised concerns about the project’s plan to narrow a portion of the roadway by five feet, saying that it would endanger cyclists. Allen was instructed to direct all questions and comments about the project to city traffic engineer Michael Garvin as those details are not under the purview of the Conservation Commission.

Commission vice chair Bill Doyle said because the proposal is under a limited project classification in the Wetlands Protection Act, it does not require a formal notice of intent.

In other business, the commission:

• Signed off on the construction of a drywall shelter at the Home Depot on First Avenue. The shelter will be used to store drywall so that it doesn’t get damaged by the elements while waiting for the customer to pick it up. While this isn’t under the jurisdiction of the commission, all committees and boards need to sign off on development prospectuses.
• Approved plans by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to construct a stone wall alongside a portion of eroded asphalt walkway close to Beaver Brook. The wall will support the walkway and prevent further erosion.