MassDOT outlines improvement plans for Route 138

The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is embarking on a long-term project to build sidewalks as well as bike and pedestrian paths over a nine-mile stretch of Route 138 between Brush Hill Road in Milton and the Canton-Stoughton town line.

MassDOT held its third public meeting on the project on Tuesday night in the function room at Fuller Village in Milton. More than 100 people turned out as MassDOT representatives and consultants outlined their plans for the roadway and then held interactive sessions with residents on six impacted areas in Milton and Canton, starting with Brush Hill Road and working south to the Stoughton line.

MassDOT’s Michael Trepanier said the October 22 meeting was one of several planned meetings and he would be amenable to hosting the next one in a few months in Canton. Trepanier said the project is currently at the 2 percent planning stage and estimated that it would take at least 10 years to complete. He said MassDOT has listed the Route 138 corridor as one of its future spending priorities and has already submitted $18 million in capital funds for a future state budget, but he said the total price tag could be much steeper.

Speaking at the meeting were state Rep. Bill Driscoll (D-Milton) and state Senator Walter Timilty Jr. (D-Milton). Timilty said he is strongly in favor of making the area safer and will pledge his support to the project. Although Rep. Bill Galvin could not attend due to another meeting, he told Timilty that he was a strong advocate of safe sidewalks and public safety.

Trepanier said what originally began as a paving project has expanded to become much more, including a coordinated sidewalk and bicycle and pedestrian path from Brush Hill Road to Stoughton Center. He said the project will also look at intersection safety, drainage improvements, and lighting where needed.

MassDOT has divided the project into six subsections with half in Milton and half in Canton. Trepanier said the area around Royall Street and the junction of Route 128 poses particular safety challenges, but he did say there would be a coordinated pedestrian and bike route.

The two other subsections in Canton are from the interchange to the Metropolis Skating Rink and from Randolph Street to the Stoughton line. Geoffrey Howie, senior vice president of transportation for Greenman-Pedersen, the chief design and engineering firm for the project, said this section of Canton would have bike and safety paths on both sides of the street and more highway turning lanes.

Trepanier said MassDOT wants to gather more feedback from the public and would soon publish a website and an online survey. Initial public meetings were held in both Milton and Canton in 2018 and a previous survey netted 780 responses in Milton and 360 in Canton.

In attendance at Tuesday’s meeting were Canton Selectmen Chairman Chris Connolly, Selectman Mark Porter, who heads up the Traffic Study Committee, and Town Administrator Charlie Aspinwall. Porter said he is pleased that the state recognizes the problems in the area and is “working to address it.” He is interested in learning what solutions MassDOT identifies for the interchange and for the gas stations and retail shops in the area.

Although not directly connected to the MassDOT project, Town Planner Laura Smead and representatives from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council were scheduled to meet on Wednesday evening with Canton officials and residents to discuss economic development and zoning on Route 138 from Randolph Street to the Stoughton town line. The meeting was held at Bank of Canton headquarters and details will be published in an upcoming edition of the Citizen.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Oct 26 2019. Filed under News. Both comments and pings are currently closed.