No timeline on Rail Trail bridge despite nearby road improvements
Although Waltham’s section of the I-95 corridor will see significant road improvements in the next few years, the state doesn’t currently have plans to create a dedicated cyclist and pedestrian crossing using the old railroad bridge.
Some cyclists already use the abandoned rail bridge as a convenient connection between the Waltham and Weston arms of the Mass Central Rail Trail, which are currently separated by the placement of the highway. Still, the bridge can be difficult to navigate; users have reported poison ivy growing near the track and a steep drop-off along part of it.
A DCR spokesperson said the bridge needs such extensive repairs that the agency has no plans to fix it. Instead, the department is relying on planned improvements to the official route for cyclists and pedestrians crossing the highway, via the Route 117/Main Street bridge.
From the Main Street bridge, travellers can currently turn left onto Jones Road to pick up the Rail Trail connection as it passes near the commuter rail line. Once construction is finished on Green Street, trail users will instead be able to turn left onto its dedicated 10-foot-wide pedestrian and bike travel lane to reach the Weston arm of the trail.
At a June presentation to the Traffic Commission, a representative from VHB, the civil engineering company designing the nearby Green Street connector road project, explained that the new road was designed to accommodate a future signal at the former railroad bridge, because discussions with the DCR indicated the state did hope to redevelop the bridge eventually.
Author
Comments (1)
Leave a comment
When commenting, please keep in mind we are a small non-profit focused on serving our community. Our commenting policy is simple:
- Common sense civility: we’re all neighbors, but we can disagree.
- Full name required: no anonymous comments.
- Assume the best of your neighbors.
More than two years ago, I wrote a resolution asking DCR to come before the City Council to discuss its plans for the abandoned railroad bridge and the future Mass Central Rail Trail crossing over I-95, particularly the new Green Street extension.
I raised a concern that the proposed Green Street extension would soon become a major piece of the area’s transportation infrastructure. Rather than creating a future conflict between the trail and Green Street, I asked DCR to evaluate a grade-separated crossing—either a bridge over Green Street or an underpass beneath it.
DCR refused to attend the committee meeting. Instead, they responded that a grade-separated crossing would be “prohibitively expensive.” That’s a vague response, especially given that similar rail trail bridges and grade-separated crossings have been constructed elsewhere in Massachusetts. We also still do not know whether DCR intends to rehabilitate the abandoned railroad bridge or make the Main Street/Jones Road route the permanent trail connection.
While I’m pleased that the Green Street project has been designed to accommodate a future signal at the railroad bridge should DCR move forward, the larger issue remains unchanged: there is still no definitive plan and no timeline from DCR. My greatest concern remains public safety. If the trail ultimately crosses at street level, cyclists and pedestrians will be required to navigate what will become a major highway interchange. That question should be answered before—not after—the trail connection is finalized.
The matter remains before the City Council’s Public Works/Public Safety Committee, and I intend to continue pressing DCR for answers so residents understand what the long-term plan is.