government

Lincoln has received $400,000 in state funding for 10 projects that are part of a larger effort to improve street safety and accessibility for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Under the Complete Streets program, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) makes available up to $400,000 annually per town for eligible infrastructure projects. To qualify for funding, a municipality must develop a Complete Streets policy and a prioritization plan of desired improvements. Lincoln’s policy, which was approved in January 2017, received a score of 93 out of 100. Only 22 of 48 Massachusetts communities that applied this year received funding.

The grant does not cover design or studies. The town already received a $50,000 grant for technical help in creating its application and Complete Streets policy, and any project design costs will come from Chapter 90 state funding, said Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney, who was a key force in securing the grant.

Under terms of the grant, the newly funded projects must be completed by September 30, 2018. They are:

1. A new Lincoln Road sidewalk in South Lincoln near the Ryan Estates that was never completed after road reconstruction in 2010.
2. Informational kiosks at Lincoln Station, the commuter lot, and trailhead that will provide information on local events and the locations of amenities such as rest rooms, parking, food, water and the trail network, as well as nearby attractions including Drumlin Farm, the Gropius House, the Codman Estate, and Codman Community Farms. Bike racks at Lincoln Station, the commuter lot, and trailhead.
3. Bike racks at Lincoln Station, the commuter lot, and the trailhead.
4. A bike pump and repair system at Lincoln Station.
5. Repairs to existing roadside paths and/or sidewalks due to tree root damage, etc., in sections of Routes 117 and 126, Trapelo Road, Lincoln Road, and Blackburnian Road.
6. Wayfinding signs along Weston, Concord, South Great, Lincoln, Sandy Pond, Baker, Trapelo, and Bedford Roads to link Lincoln Station to other areas of interest for transit users, bicyclists, and walkers. Town officials have worked closely with Minute Man National Historical Park, the Lincoln Conservation Commission, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and other stakeholders in developing a wayfinding system. The kiosks and signs are part of the town’s revitalization goals in trying to “make Lincoln Station/South Lincoln a vibrant town center and hub of the community, connecting to other local amenities in town and the MetroWest region,” according to the approved project application.
7. Signs, roadway markings, crosswalks and gateway treatments to improve pedestrian, transit and bicycle access and safety in and around Lincoln Station.
8. Improvements to the intersection of Route 117 and Lincoln Road including crosswalks, a pedestrian “refuge island” similar to those at the Route 117 railroad crossing, traffic calming measures, pavement markings, and signage. “While a project to address overall intersection layout and geometrics would be a major undertaking and require a significant planning and engineering effort, the town proposes to focus on steps that will improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as perform a traffic calming function,” the application noted.
9. A new off-road path from Baker Bridge Road to Baker Farm Road to connect to the existing trail network.
10. The first phase of construction of a new path from Lee’s Bridge to the canoe landing parking lot on Route 117.

Estimated costs for individual projects range from $1,600 for the bike racks to $115,000 for the paved roadside repairs (project #5).

The 10 projects are part of a wish list totaling 28 projects that the town hopes to get funded over a five-year period. The town will apply for another $400,000 in funding in May 2018. Possible future projects include:

• Installation of shelters on both sides of the MBTA tracks at Lincoln Station.
• New paths, improve existing paths and upgrade roadway shoulders to improve connectivity and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on Concord, South Great, Lincoln, Bedford, Old Bedford and Old County Roads.
• Intersection improvements, crosswalks, pavement markings and signage at three intersections: Tower Road/Route 117, Five Corners, and Routes 117 and 126.
• “Park and ride” lot improvements, pay kiosk and lighting, and bicycle parking fixtures at Lincoln Station..
• Improvements for those turning left from Bedford Road onot Route 2A (either marking the road or widening it).
• A new paved roadside path along 117 to fill a missing link from Tower Road to the Weston town line.
• Upgraded roadway shoulders, pavement markings and signage along heavily traveled roadways including Lincoln, Bedford, South Great, Concord, Trapelo, Baker Bridge, Sandy Pond, and Weston Roads.
• Path improvements from Lincoln Station to the Lincoln School.

More information is available on the town’s Complete Streets web page.

A News Acorn published on September 13 incorrectly stated that the Board of Selectmen would meet on September 28 at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum cafe. The meeting is actually on Monday, Sept. 25. The original article has been corrected.

Sen Elizabeth Warren speaks to the media and overflow crowd at the town hall event in Concord (click to enlarge).

By Gary Davis

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren criticized the failed health care bills as well as growing income inequality in the U.S. at a town hall event that drew an overflow crowd of more than 1,500 area residents to Concord-Carlisle High School on August 25.

Preceding Warren were state Rep. Cory Atkins (D–14th Middlesex) and State Sen. Michael Barrett (D–3rd Middlesex), who opened by discussing some of the critical legislative issues facing Massachusetts residents. He mentioned two pending state bills he authored, one to counteract the effects of carbon dioxide and climate change and another to require presidential candidates to submit their tax returns to qualify for the ballots in the primary and general elections.

Click here to see a video of the August 25 town hall

When Barrett introduced Warren, the audience greeted her with a standing ovation. She began by thanking grassroots organizations and individuals for saving the Affordable Care Act by speaking up at Town Hall meetings, and visiting legislators’ offices as well as calling and emailing to express their opposition.

The health care bills presented in the House and Senate would have created  tax benefits for the wealthy and health insurance companies that would come from cuts to Medicaid and reduction of essential services for millions of Americans, Warren said. “Those bills did not represent our values,” she said. “They were not who we are as a country. We believe that health care is a basic human right, and we will get out there and fight for it.”

State Rep. Michael Barrett and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Addressing income inequality, Warren said that from 1935 to 1980, the GDP rose 70 percent, with 90 percent of the benefits going to the middle class through basic income growth, new protective financial regulations, a new progressive income tax, investment in education to provide an equal and better future, and investment in infrastructure. However, starting in the 1980s, the economy focused on tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations; between 1979 and 2012, the income of the top 10 percent of earners grew about 76 percent, while income of the bottom 90 percent decreased by about 9 percent even though the GDP rose, according to the World Wealth and Income Database, she said.

Answering questions from the audience for over an hour, Warren spoke of the need to respect and honor our transgender troops, strongly condemned neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and encouraged the audience to make a commitment to work for a Democratic and accountable government based on shared prosperity and equal opportunity.