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Bike-Path Plan |
By Scott MacKeen At a meeting two weeks ago in Mattapan, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation unveiled plans for construction of a path that would link together two sections of the Neponset River Greenway trail. Under different options put together by a consultant for the DCR, the new path could run along the south side of the river through Milton or the north side through Mattapan – or through parts of both communities – as it bridges segments of the trail from Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester to Truman Highway in Hyde Park. Three of the five options for the path have it going along the MBTA trolley tracks near Capen Street. Some who live on that street say the DCR has not considered the opinions of those who feel the proposed 10-foot-wide bike path would not fit down that route without significant impact to area residents. Several of those residents brought their concern to the Selectmen during the Citizens Speak portion of the board’s May 27 meeting. “From a neighbor perspective, this really came out of nowhere,” said Brian Kennedy, of Capen Street, who spoke for a number of the residents he said are frustrated in being left out of the decision-making process. Prior to presenting their plans publicly, DCR officials held a focus-group meeting with a select group of “stakeholders,” those area residents who could be impacted by the bike path. They said the meeting helped refine their plans for the path, which is still in the design phase and currently has no funding source. However, according to Kennedy, “Homeowners in the [Capen Street] neighborhood were not stakeholders” and were not invited to attend the meeting. “Our neighborhood [will be] extremely impacted.” The options that involve Capen Street would result in the path “spilling out almost into [a neighbor’s] driveway,” said Kennedy. The path is expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million and could involve a number of river crossings on the route. The two options that avoid Capen Street keep the path largely on the Mattapan side of the river. The drawback to that scenario is that several Native American archeological sites have been uncovered on the north side of the river and placing the path there would require extensive tree removal along the Neponset, according to the DCR. The Milton and Boston conservation commissions will consider the project. Although Town Administrator Kevin Mearn attended the DCR meeting in Mattapan, and subsequently laid out the opinions to Selectmen at a May 20 meeting, the board has yet to take up the bike-path project in public. Selectmen Chair Marion McEttrick said the board could either choose to endorse one of the five options or propose an alternate scenario. Either way, she said it is important first to know where the public stands. “We haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk about this. We want to hear what people think,” McEttrick said. McEttrick suggested that the board set aside public-discussion time on the bike path for their June 17 meeting. Selectman Bob Sweeney indicated that he would support the views of the neighborhood. The DCR has an open period for submission of public comments that ends June 25, although Selectmen voted May 27 to ask for an extension. According to Mearn, the state recreation agency will hold at least one more public hearing on the proposal before deciding on one option. Visit the DCR’s Web site at www.mass.gov/dcr for more information. |
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