The time is 6:28 p.m. Our first order of business tonight will be to approve our minutes of our last meeting from or actually our last two meetings from 5525 and from 42825. A motion we approve the minutes from 55
and 428. Second motion made and seconded. All those in favor I I three nothing. Thank you. All right. Our first order of new business tonight is six bank requests determination. Okay. So, um the personnel board was
able to meet this afternoon at about 4:30. Um they didn't have um all the members, but they had a quorum uh there. They have made a recommendation um given the latest medical um note doctor's note
um to the to the sick bank applicant to extend uh for another 80 hours uh use of sick bank time. Mhm. That's the request they're making of the select board. Um at that time we will they will meet
again on June 1st. I'm sorry. Yes, that'll be June 2nd on on the Monday. U they'll meet ahead of the The problem is they're Yeah, the select board is meeting that night. So, we're all set.
We're lined up. It's two weeks from now. So, they will meet um right ahead of your meeting, review updated information, which we are anticipating, and then make uh a new recommendation at that point. Uh we do believe it'll be
going on after that time. Uh it's just whether there might be some return to work or coming up that um we want to try to anticipate in the next allocation of hours. Okay. Um, and DTO, are you
looking for that addition additional hours voting on it today or and then a follow up in two weeks for potentially more or different or whatever? So, I'll follow up for potentially more in 2 weeks.
Um, and you know, just general information. Um there's right now the way the sick bank works you can't one person can't use
more than 90% of it of the sick bank Mhm. So, we have not hit that 90% yet. And even if there is additional time, there's still some wiggle room between that 90%
um and the personnel board will wants to um work on the particulars of the sick bank policy. you know, just we're see, you know, this is only the second time it's been
used in about a decade. Yeah. In about 10 years. So there's, you know, some little tweaks and stuff, you know, once we start digging into it that you're going, "Oh, maybe this could be a little clearer or, you know, maybe, you know,"
and I know we had talked about it with the select, the personnel had talked about it with the select board at one point was bumping that because we have more people coming in now eligible for the sick bank of possibly changing that
600 hour cap up to a,000 just because there's larger pool of people, more larger pool of people, but you know, we may have to, you know, work on tweaking some things with, you know, maybe 90% won't be the right
percentage at that point. If it's a larger pool, one individual should in theory have a smaller maximum of that total pool. That makes sense to me also. bring it down to 60% and that's you know to you know to come later on right
now you know we're not close to that 90% so okay so but for now the ask is to for initial 60 hours would you say 80 hours okay another two weeks another two weeks okay um and we do know we'll need for the bulk of the next two weeks but uh
given potential for some return to work during that time period. We just don't know how much. Okay. And what's the balance of the bank in general right now with with and without the Okay. So with giving this 80 Mhm. would put the
bank at 292 292 hours. Okay. So there's still a fairly robust chunk of hours left there. Not not close to the cap by any means, but uh we're not we're not getting down, as you said, we're not getting down to that 90% mark, right? Okay. And I think
um the 90% is based on what the balance was when the the person made their original request. Okay. So that was 532 at that point. And so 10% of 532 is 52. So, right, we're looking at leaving
5253 in there being said and done as a maximum under the current rule as a policy maximum. Yeah. Okay. All right. I just I just want getting all the the numbers in my head. So, I I Yeah. And yeah, we was it next week, week after in the near
future, everyone will get the letter who is now there's six people eligible. There's six more people eligible. they have to make a contribution to the sick bank in order. So, the number should, you know, go up a little bit. It it
won't help this person because but it'll help with the the future state of the fund for other people. Yeah, that makes sense. And that'll still be in this fiscal year. So our I think the personnel board's current reading on the policy is once July 1st hits that the
bank is if it's over 600 it'll be knocked down to 600 unless the policyy's changed and then in the that fiscal year people could donate again if they wanted to. Okay. It does seem fertuitous that we have six people who are coming into the program at the same time where the
bank is being depleted of hours. So unlike the scenario we were actually talking about the last time about this is actually that their hours aren't going to just disappear in a couple of weeks or months anyway. So that actually works out well for everybody. Um I that was all just technical questions. I have
no no problem at all with with voting yes on doing so. I just wanted to make sure I had my hood up on it. Dan, do you have any questions? No. Chris, I'm assuming you don't since you were I was at the meeting. Sorry. All right. Um at this time, I would entertain a motion to uh approve
the um the personnel committee's recommendation for the sick bank. Motion to approve the personnel committee's recommendations for the sick bank. Second. All right. We have a motion made and seconded. All those in favor? I I three nothing. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Absolutely. All
right. Uh next up is review the complete list of selectman sorry select board committee membership and liaison duties. Um and just to all remind all of us last time uh we voted to reorganize and part of that was um a blanket everyone who's
on the committee as the render and continue to do that. So this is largely just confirming all of that but also there's if I'm understanding correctly there's at least one that we haven't dealt with in the past that you'd like us to and and it might be defunct. I just wanted to go I found an older list
so I just wanted to double check. Um at that point um the village center committee was active. I think you and you were the last appointed crystal was before you but if they are remain active you I
don't I'm not sure. I'm not sure if or were they are they no longer active? I we're not doing no it's kind of we finished the report and I think we're but who knows if we could now down. Yep. Okay. So, unless there's a final presentation of the final report, I
think I think we just issued it and that was I don't think this was no presentation. Okay. I just wanted to clarify that. Um the other one was the housing committee. I'm on the housing committee is that and that's still stay I hadn't heard from the housing committee yet. So, I just wanted to make
sure it was active. It is when there is anything to the active above. The active about Okay. Um, the other one was the Sunderland Ditch Committee. So, I believe all three of us are members of the Sunderland Dish
Committee, unless I'm mistaken. Wasn't that the I You're listed in 2023. I'm sorry. I'm thinking of a different committee. Yes. No, I am I am on that committee. And we had had some discussion u before Jeff left about Oh, sorry. Can you Jim is trying to join the meeting. I
just noticed just don't want to leave him hanging. Um, we had had some discussion about trying to solicit donations of rights of way from members of town whose properties
abut the ditches because currently one of our struggles is that the ditches we don't have good access to them. So, even if we wanted to have Jim and the I would George and the highway department like go and do maintenance on them, dredge them or, you know, unstick them or
remove the beaver dams when they come up. We don't have access to that currently. And so, one of the things we had started talking about then kind of fell by the wayside because of the department. Yeah. Cuz basically what would happen is you could clean this junk, but if you
can't get access or easement or permission for this junk, it's going to stay the same. Yeah. Everything just back up and then went on. And so yeah, so that was the last real activity on it. That was some of
the struggle was cuz you kind of need to have access to the whole thing for it to make any sense at all. because to your point like if you have access to parcels 1 3 5 6 7 but four you don't and four is where the beaver dam is none of the rest of it really matters. Um part of the the
history of it is traditionally the farmers whose land most of these ditches are on have sort of unilaterally done the maintenance themselves. But there's less of an appetite to do that for a number of reasons. One of those being that um they're also kind of like
trenching other people's property to do that and they don't want the liability around that. Um and also just it's a lot of work to maintain those ditches. But um there's a there's a reason they all exist and it's why our town is Sunderland and not Swampfield um is because of that. And so the the I'm not
going to say that the committee is defunct, but we also haven't met because until we get some movement on something to discuss, there really isn't a lot to discuss. I know there was um I went to an agricultural event at the library where the ditches were talked about and
then I talked to Jen uncles a little bit about it. Mhm. So I think yeah it is an issue that's pretty important with all the transfers of property and yeah the thing I will say is the permitting is tough for the non-aggricultural land and
but I know there's been there was a lot of comment in that when they're doing the new regulations but I don't know if we'll get any relief from them but that's the hope that it's supposed to come out this this year sometime back to the matter at hand. Yes, keep me on that. Yeah. And um now that you're here
and things are starting to season in the past and we're starting to sort of pick up the pieces from having transitions with Jeff and whatnot, um that would be a place that I would like to see us starting to build and do. So, get moving. Um great. It'd be good to know who else is on that committee so that we
can start to maybe get together at the very least know that we have active people and they'll go look for us and go, "Oh, he hasn't been in town for 5 years. What are we doing here?" So if you don't mind doing a little bit of leg work on that, that'd be great. Thank you. And then the last one was the Sunderland Emergency Preparedness Team.
I think that's like the one we're all three of us are on that. And I believe also you and the police chief and the fire chief and Okay. Um I don't know if there's anyone else beyond that highway. It should be Georgia. and Georgia and and possibly even Darius from was Laura
Smith on she was the one doing a couple maybe. Who is that? I I'm not sure. There might be a couple other people on. I I'll see what I can find out in their last If you don't mind, that'd be great. Thank you. No, that would be great. And Dan, you
were um on that. So, we need to get It said vacant then. You probably got on it last year, but I didn't any notes from last year. Okay. So that that takes care of that. Thank you. Wonderful. All right. Um next item is review of employees recommendation for
placement um for one of the town resolutions land acknowledgement on the town website. Um did you all see the email that we got from Aaron? I'll share it with you. He he was wondering if the land acknowledgement
could be reviewed more as a I mean placed with other historical documents. Mhm. Okay. We were talking about having a separate um resolution section. There's a draw down menu and Aaron read the minutes I believe of your meeting
and he's here tonight to explain what his thinking is as well. But I thought it was, you know, he was working to put it in context um with information that's um regarding the same era. And so I
thought it uh it would be good for you guys to talk. Yeah. Know I I uh this might portray how familiar I am with our town website a little bit. But um you know that sounds like a wonderful place to put it and and largely we were
just looking for a place to put it because we nothing jumped out at us. But um I think that this makes a lot of sense especially given that it is effectively the subject matter is the history of our town and so is the rest of the stuff in this list I'm seeing in front of me. So it makes a lot of sense.
You know Erin, do you want to come forward to speak just so we can hear you on the video? Thank you. Given that town meeting has authorized the town to place this on the website, the question becomes where do we put it? Mhm. And uh I think it probably is best to put it in
a place where people can gain access to it easily, where it's readily accessible. And given the content of it, it seemed to me that there's the first menu on the website is about Sunderland and there are various sub menus in there. One of which is history written
by Wendy Hul quite some time ago. And if you look at that history, it's an excellent history, but it makes no mention whatsoever of anything before European settlement. Doesn't mention that there were people here for tens of thousands of years. And so the land acknowledgement in some sense fills in
that gap is supplementary to to the history that's already there. So I suggested that it appear right underneath the history that we're getting put together to to complement it. Mhm. That makes sense. I think one of the reasons that we were thinking about having a separate section for things
like this is because we have two of them this year and the potential for having more in the future made sense to for the same visibility reasons have a place where if I was going to some website to be able to see like what you know what town resolutions have passed you know what non-b resolutions to have a a place
where I'm not going like multiple menus in um so I still think large big picture wise for for the other one that was voted on time meeting and for future ones it makes sense to have that um but to your point because this is very specific about the history of our town
and almost like if you have it right after the history that doesn't mention it, it's almost like little asterisks after like by the way like you know if you want to know more read below. Um so I to your point I I I agree to the the validity of that but
I'm only one of the three of us. Do you have any I mean if you want to put the resolutions together somewhere and but have it also there I think that's that's fine. which is also an option is that nothing says that it has to either only live in one place or not be linked out to multiple places like it could be its
own standalone you know townspons us/land acknowledgement.html but when you go to the drop down for about there's a link to it when you go to the drop down for the the the other you know driven driven um items then we'd be able to access it
from multiple places so um I think given the content of the resolution I think it it merits a certain a special place. If you look at other channels who have options, it's not a resolution. Okay.
Yep. No. Um, did we ever figure out who's responsible for making changes to the town website? That is obviously one of our big big questions. Is that the our uh IT team? I still have to find out if it's Civic
Plus that might need to do it. Um I I talked to Mel. It's beyond what she's been taught. So um we'll reach out to to it the Northeast IT first and but it might end up being Civic Plus that will make the change. Okay.
Um no pressure and full disclosure, I have an interest in this, but uh just so you know, the Franklin Tech computer and web design department does do this kind of work for town. In fact, my son who was in that program is doing it for the Buckland Library currently setting up
their website. So, if we do end up finding out that there is we don't already have a contract that covers that and we'd want to go ahead with have these changes made um that's going to be a very cheap option as compared to more commercial options. Um and anytime we have we can engage the students. I
always like to try to do that when possible. Oh, yeah. So, just just a note there. And so, I can reach that I'll reach out to that department at the school. That'd be great. Wonderful. Um, so I would entertain a motion
to agree with and approve the placement suggestion from the Human Rights Commission and Aaron specifically um, for the land acknowledgement. Does that sound I make a motion that we put the land acknowledgement after the history of Sunderland on the about tab of the town
website. Second. We have a motion made and seconded. All those in favor? I I I three nothing. Excellent. Thank you for me. Thank you, Aaron. All righty. Uh next up, we have review and assign the uh at Wow, that's a word that I
attestation. That's a word. The attestation for Chief Deatropolis's post reertification. Um so just for context for anyone paying attention um all police officers in the state of Massachusetts are required to be certified by post which is our police certification uh division in
Massachusetts. Um and this is a regular is it yearly 5early something like that I think this every 3 years every 3 years. every 3 years. So, it's a regular reertification and this part of it is the town uh effectively certifying to post that the information they have is
is current and up to date and there's nothing glaring that we're hiding from them or that kind of thing. That sound correct? Correct. Okay. Yeah. Um so on that end, is there anything that you need from us other than just to have had reviewed that and uh your review of that
and signature is what we need. Um the police chief um did all the other officers, reviewed them and signed off and of course he could not do his own so we came to you. Okay. Is there any questions or anything? Okay. Um I reviewed the materials that you provided
and everything looks looks fine to me. I don't have any complaints and there's nothing that we as a town feel that we need to inform post of. So um on that end I would uh entertain a motion to um accept and sign the attestation for
chief uh from post. Make a motion we accept and sign the attestation for chief please chief second. All right we have a motion been seconded. All those in favor I I three nothing. Thank you. All righty. Uh, last but certainly not least, we have a mass trails
presentation um with drawings um by engineer and select board member Dan Murphy. Dan, what are you? Sure. I'll just give a brief little history and then I'll introduce uh Jim. Uh, a little history on this. Uh, I started talking with NASDAQ about improvements to group
116 in in part because they have on the Mass Trails priority map north of UMass through the woods in back, it they had a a planned uh upgrade for that trail um on the on the priority map for the state. So then I thought, well, if
you're going to pop out and come right there, we should just keep going north. And uh so I started and basically bring it all the way maybe to the weight park and ride because the that whole length there's some parking areas along the way. I thought it made sense. So I didn't know how to because wanted to figure out how best to do that. Started
talking to Mass a couple two years ago and they suggested applying for a mass trails grant. Uh it's kind of a unique grant. Typically those trails charge somebody in the waiting room. Oh yeah. Typically, typically the trails grants are rail trails and stuff like that, but
this is kind of a little bit unique because it's along along the highway, but uh they approved it and uh Jim from VHB. They've been working on it and uh so tonight's basically the first look at the conceptual draft. It's it's first time out, so we'll take all the comments
that anybody has and help and well and happy to happy to get them. And um with that, I guess I'll turn it over to Jim, but uh yeah, go right ahead. He needs to share screen. That's the only Sure. Yep. All right. Thanks, Dan. Thank you for having me tonight uh to go over this
plan with everyone. Uh it's exciting project. We've been working on it since uh last fall. Uh we were here uh last October with the kickoff. And tonight, what I'm going to do is give you an overview, as Dan mentioned, of progress
we've made with the with the project um going along the entire corridor. So I screen you got a looking good. Can you hear everyone here? We can see.
Okay there too. Can everyone hear? Yeah. Well, if you want to move up. It's And you can see it there as well. Yeah. Yep. Turn that one. I need the camera. All right.
Can everyone see? for a quick overview. Uh the project um from the town of Waker parking where I bought at the intersection of Route 5 and 116 goes through Deerfield over the Connecticut River through the town of
Sunderland down into the town of Ammer to the intersection of Route 116 in Street. Uh total distance is approximately 6.7 miles. It was a pretty long um trail. Uh and what we were
tasked with is to see if we can fit a 10 foot wide share juice path similar to the noi rail trail within the corridor, the roadway layout of route 160. Um the intent is to obviously on the southern
end to connect to the University of Massachusetts and then to the south the Noric Rail Trail, also the known as the Mass Central Rail Trail. Um so what I'll do is just to give you an idea of a general
cross-section of what we're looking at. Um so Cher's path 10 ft in width. There's going to be area. This is a typical section um in general that you'll we'll go along the corridor. I'm going to be
showing you some um concept engineering plans and I just thought it would be good just to give you a little bit of a reference of just in general what we're looking at. Um Route 116, two travel lanes, shoulders. Um, in areas where
we're going to have the sheer path at the same relatively the same grade as the roadway, uh, we're going to have at least a 5-ft grass buffer, another twoft buffer, and then the 10-ft shared path. Um, you'll see when I go through the
plans, there's a lot of areas where I'm going to be proposing reductions in travel lane widths. Uh, in general, the travel lanes are 12 ft wide with 8ft shoulders. Uh but in order to accommodate uh the shared use path, in
order to provide a safe buffer and also to provide a little bit of traffic coming, you'll see I'll be proposing some areas of the roadway where we reduce the lanes from 12 to 11 ft and shoulders down to potentially 4 ft as a
minimum. Uh in areas you'll see where the path is a little bit closer. Um and you'll see this in the first segment I go over. Um, same type of cross-section, two-lane roadway, 4T shoulders will be proposing in some areas. Um, you'll see
only a twoft buffer here. And this is an area where the the bike path will be elevated a little bit from the roadway and separated by a granite curve. So, where we have granite curving along the roadway, uh, the shear juice path will
be a little bit closer to the road. Um, but we will still maintain a buffer shoulder area to the nearest travel lane. Um, and I just wanted to give a kind of a quick picture of kind of what the general sections are going to look like. Um, obviously, um, there's going
to be variations to it, but in general, it's going to be something to this nature. Um, and as I mentioned, we we took the corridor and we segmented it into six sections um, for workability and potentially for, you know,
implementation purposes. We looked at logical places to to break um, the segment um, so it's more workable with obviously a somewhat of a decent destination of either end. So the segments we did, I'll show you how we
segmented it. So these are the the six segments and beginning in Weightley, I'll bring you through Deerfield, Sunderland down into Ammerst. Uh I'll begin with segment A and this is the uh the northern area. So
what I'll do is I'll share my design plans. And what I'm what I'd like to do is go through the plans. I'll go through them, you know, and show show you some order of magnitude improvements we're doing. Um, it's a lot of information, but I'm going to try to hit the highlights and then once I finished, um,
kind of open it up for your comments, questions, um, etc. So, one thing I do want to mention are these plans. They are this is these are feasibility study plans. They're not survey design construction plans. you know, we're these are order
of magnitude concept plans to show that a shared juice path can fit within that route 116 layout. So, with that, I'll go through the first section and I'll step you through um the
general improvements of what we're proposing. So at the intersection of route 5 and 116, we'll propose some improvements to the traffic signal to provide a crossing here or connection to the parking ride
block where the shared juice path norly terminus is and it'll provide a connection to existing bike lanes that are on route 5. So along this section of Route 116, we are putting the path along
the northerly side. So for the entire length, 6.7 mi, the path will either be along what I'm referring to as the northerly or the easterly side of the roadway. Um there will be no areas where we're proposing path on an on the
opposite side of the roadway with the intent to use existing crossings and minimize any type of crossings across Route 116. So in this section we're proposing um the 10-ft line path uh granite
curving elevated and reducing the travel lanes to 11 ft in width and 4ft shoulders. And we will be sh we'll be shifting the sher's path into the northerly shoulder and partially into
the travel area. Um once we get to the railroad bridge, there is a sidewalk on the norly side. We're going to use that right of way um in addition to the runway to continue the shared path along here.
Um, same cross-section, 11T travel length, 4 foot shoulders with the 10-ft path continuing along the northerly side. Um, we're just looking for some opportunities. We saw a little bit of a cleared area here where there's
potential for maybe a little pull off of the path for people to take a rest. And in doing the modifications to the roadway proposed modifications, what we're trying to do is there's existing drainage along both sides. There's a lot
of drainage grass drainage swelles and we're trying to maintain those as best we can um without impacting them. So any type of widening that we propose, it's minor and it would be on the southerntherly side just so we can maintain this cross-section. Uh we're
trying not to impact the drainage swailes on this side and trying to maintain them along the northerly [Music] side. So then we approach the intersection of uh this is where the mass dot
maintenance facility is. So it continues still along the northerly side. You'll see we're retaining the drainage ditches or swailes. [Music] And then when we get to the Sugar Street
intersection, proposing a couple things. one, some signal improvements to um provide a crossing for the shared use path across Sugarloaf Street and potentially a crossing um across Route
116 controlled by the signal um to the other side of Sugarloaf Street, the southerntherly side to provide potentially a connection to the neighborhood below. Um this would be part of the signal. In addition to that, a little spur from the path here
connecting over to um Sugarloaf where there is some existing parking along here as well and bike lanes on Sugarloaf Street. Let's see. Path will continue along the northern side. This is that pulloff area
um where people park um I think they go hiking for recreation. would have a little connection to the path here. Uh continue the path along the northerly side headed towards River Road
North. And then as we approach, let's see here, River Road South, which is here, there's a small area just before the intersection where we are going to reduce the path from 10 to 8 ft. and
it's only for less than 200 feet. And the reason for that is a steep drop off on the back side here. Um where we're trying to um we're trying to avoid as best we can without creating a structure or large retaining wall. So small section here it's going to reduce to
eight but then widen back out to 10. Uh we sketched in the the intersection improvements mass DOT is doing. So we would um obviously it widened the crossing for a 10-ft crossing for the path cross river road um and then come
back and continue towards the bridge over the Connecticut River. This section here is roughly 1.4 miles in length. That is the end of segment A.
Segment B will pick up right here which I'll roll into now. So segment B is the first part is the crossing over the Connecticut River. And what we're proposing to do is um continue a similar
section with 11T travel lanes and 4T shoulders. Um what's up there now is 12T travel lanes, 8ft shoulders. And so we're looking to reduce the travel and shoulder width in order to get some real estate in order to place a
shared juice path along this north side. This is the side also where there's a sidewalk. So we would be using that space as well for the shared juice path. Um so essentially traffic would be shifted to the south a little bit in order to accommodate shared juice path
along here. And I just want to stress this is conceptual um you know we haven't done a structural analysis but we're we did get bridge plans and we're you know we're still looking into the feasibility. So this is um this you know still has to be designed um but but
there's a potential for for doing this along the northerly side of the bridge and I will show you a section in a moment. So as I continue along the bridge here is the concept section. So, as I mentioned, right now there's or
was 8ft travel lanes, 12T or 12T travel lanes, 8ft shoulders. We would be cutting the shoulders in half to 4 ft and reducing the vehicle lengths to 11. That would provide us room to do the shear used path on the norally side. As
I mentioned, uh, on the roadside, we would have kind of like a larger type of concrete, like very large, similar to a curb, but much larger to hold bridge railing, a lower bridge railing, a 10-ft shared juice path. You'll see a twoft offset, and then
you'll see a railing similar to the railing that is out there now. Um we will probably be proposing a um another safety fence in this area here as well along the river side. And again this is conceptual. We haven't done structural
analysis. It fits based on the layout. Um but we still have to look into um feasibility structural feasibility I should say. Go. Then we come into the village center intersection and we continue
along the northerly side where there's sidewalk um provide a small spur to school street where we can um pick up any type of bicyclist coming south 147 that can connect to the path.
um actually widen the crossing in order to get the shared juice path across the roadway and then continuing the share juice path partially and where there's existing sidewalk now for a section along here. Uh we are looking at another
concept of this location. Um it's almost done. Um it's looking at a one lane roundabout in this intersection and having the path go around that. um you know that was part of the visioning study that the town had done. So we're
trying to do a concept of putting that one lane roundabout in this area and then bringing the path obviously around it. Um and that should be done within the next week, week and a half or so. We're just doing some final tweaks to it.
And this is about roughly 600 ft from the garage hill road intersection. And this is where this segment um ends on this end here. And and that segment is just over half a
mile. So we go into segment C where this leaves off. So, we continue the path still along the northerly side. We're still maintaining 11 ft travel lanes. The shoulder width will vary in this area cuz we're trying
to keep the path, you know, as far from traffic as possible. Um, and close to the tree belt or in the tree belt if we can. Um, there's existing bike lanes there now. um we're proposing those won't be needed because of the shear juice path that will be going in place
of it and the path in this area will still be elevated and separated by grand curb. So then as we start to leave the village center area um a little zigzag here um
with the path trying to avoid a few few obstacles. Still continuing along um the northerly. Now we're going to be calling it the easterly side of route 116. Uh this area will still be continuing 11T travel lanes. Shoulders will be a
little bit wider proposing approximately 5 ft. Um path will still continue along here. One of the things where you'll see at various locations is we're going to have to reconstruct some of the drainage swells along here. Um currently a lot of
the drainage along the roadways kind of referred to as country drainage where water sheet flows off the edge of Bur to swelles that will either lead to water bodies or um infiltration areas. Uh path will
continue along the side. Now we're more of a on the easterly side of the runway. Uh we transition out back to 12 ft travel lanes. Um 8ft shoulder on one side and approximately a 9 ft shoulder
on the other side. Kind of maintaining what's there. Now uh we have ample right away through this area. Um this is an area where we're proposing a retaining wall uh in order to hold up this section here.
Uh there'll be some guardrail obviously in this area as well to protect it. Uh path continues along this easterly side. Uh roadway layout remains primarily what it is today. Uh we're able to fit it in the tree belt area.
Uh, another area here by Drag Brook where we're probably going to need some type of retaining wall to help support the path here. Um, potentially some new guardrail. There's an existing guardrail. Now, we would be moving it to
uh the street side um of the path. uh path continues. As you'll see, we're using we'll be replacing sidewalk in this area here with the shared juice path. Uh roadway will still be
maintained primarily as it is near the apartments. Uh the signal here, we're potentially proposing another crossing on 116, obviously controlled by the signal such as the other that's a little bit closer to the bus pulloff.
[Music] Okay. Again, a path continues easternly side. Um, we're approaching the pulloff area. So, as we approach the um pulloff
parking area right here by Mohawk Brook, there's a a drop off. This is an area here where we would either be proposing some type of retaining wall to support the path or
a small bridge in order to bridge that depression going down into the brook in this area. Um this is the seasonal pulloff area. We're proposing two things. Path with a
long roadway continuing. Uh probably need some type of retaining wall cuz of the embankment on the back side of it. We're also proposing bringing spur into the parking area along here. Um obviously try to utilize existing
parking where we can uh for people that want to use the path. uh continue it back kind of loop back out to the roadway and that is where segment C ends and that total length is approximately 1.8 miles.
So, moving on to segment D where this leads off. We're trying to meander still the trail through, but you can see this is the roadway layout line, keeping it within the layout. Um, trying to work around utilities. Um, but this is an area where
actually where the Bullhill Road intersection is. uh the the right of way generally is about 100 ft um for the roadway. This area here is a pinch point in the right of way. Um, so in order to
maintain that 10-ft path through here without having to encroach into private property, uh, again, we we do another reduction in the roadway cross-section by making 4ft shoulders and 11T travel lanes in order to squeak that 10ft share
juice path through this area here through this intersection. Okay, path continues along easterly side. We're maintaining 11 ft travel lanes. Shoulder widths will vary in this area. 4 ft to 8 ft roughly. Uh we're
looking at bringing bringing this up. There's a level somewhat level area in this this area here. Bring the path along here. We're trying to avoid some of the drainage swelles and utilities by bringing this through
[Music] here. Let's see. Path continues that level area. We come back down. closer to the roadway. We continue the path in this area and you'll see here there's an 8ft
shoulder, 12t travel lane, 12t travel lane. Those are roughly existing. However, we did reduce the shoulder on the trail side to 4 ft in order to create um some larger of a buffer between the travel lane and the proposed
shared juice paths. Um, so we figured if we're going to reduce one, we're going to reduce the one on the side of the path in order to bring maintain a larger buffer to the path. Okay. Path continues.
Um this area right here we're proposing uh retaining wall here to hold support the path. Still the path continues both with travel length and we did reduce the shoulder just on that one side where the path is. So, we're maintaining somewhat
of the original cross-section. And again, we're trying to maintain some of that existing drainage that's out there now. Uh path continues. Uh another potential
retaining wall because of the side slopes continues. Russellville Brook. Uh, you know, potent potentially a, you know, extension of the Culbert or potentially a crossing in this area right here. And then we get to the Hover
Hovered Hill Road intersection. That's where this segment ends. That segment is approximately 1.1 miles into segment E. Path continues on the east side. We get to the area of the intersections of
Plum Tree and East Plum Tree. Uh we swing the path around the back side of the bus pulloff area here. So, as you as you've been seeing where there's areas of sidewalk, we're using that right away in order to fit the share juice path
through. We're going to retain the rapid flashing beacon crossing on 116. Uh continuing the path meanders a little bit in this area in order to get over this water. Uh crossing through
here we go from Sunderland into the town of Ammerst. uh still maintaining 12T travel lanes. And then as we approach road intersections, we break the path a
little bit from following the the edge of the roadway. There's an old alignment looks like for Southerntherland Road intersection that we're going to follow um in order to kind of meander the path and keep it away from the roadway which
this is where the segment ends and the last segment F picks up and I'll show you in one moment. Uh that section's about just under a mile. Just under a mile. Finally, the last section, section F,
Southerntherly area. I believe this may have been the old alignment for Sunderland Road. We're going to use that for the path. There's already a utility corridor. We will parallel that here. We will propose a crossing across Sunderland Road with the rapid flashing
beacons. Uh, and then once we get to this area here, um, this is like a a small drainage area for the roadway that fills. We're either going to do a path along the perimeter, continue it, or
potentially do a boardwalk through through that drainage area. Uh this is the um section 116 as you know um high speed, no access other than from the ends. Uh we're not proposing
any changes to the roadway. Uh we are trying to shift the path and keep it as far from the roadway as possible. Uh there's a large drain swale that's right along the shoulder area, the roadway. We're looking at putting this path on
the back side of it. So there'd be a greater separation from the roadway. So we continue to f follow this level area on the back side of the swale. Uh eastbrook we would need small bridge to go over that. Uh continuing
the path, you know, kind of making greater separation where we can from the roadway. Uh we approached the Mill River. We're going to need a bridge over that as well. Uh there's like a farm access
drive here. Um we don't plan on touching it, but we do plan on putting warning signs in advance on both sides of the shared use path. Again, path follows. It's a level area right along 116. Great separation in the roadway, at
least 25 ft, if not more. Which brings us down to the southerntherly terminus, the intersection of Meadow Street. Um and for right now we're showing a small spur headed towards Meadow Street this direction and knowing what North
Pleasant Street town of Ammeris has been doing like a large sidewalk um along that roadway in pieces. You know, this could potentially connect to that. This would be the potential connection going on to the University of Massachusetts um
planned white way master plan. Um, and we're also showing a section crossing this intersection here. Obviously, they upgraded so it's um signalized pedestrian bicycle crossing um and potentially have a a spur that can go,
you know, either north or along this side of the roadway to connect to the UMass connector. Um, you know, there's some flat areas over here. So, you know, there could be some potential, you know, depending on how the state looks at it
is maybe some trail head parking at this end. Um, but we're investigating that as well. Um, especially in this area. Um, that segment it's a mile long roughly. Um, we started doing some
estimates for costs which will be part of the study. right now since they're not completed, but we're looking at probably close to $50 million um price tag um for this entire project.
It's that's you know it's a large amount. That's why we segmented it into various projects and the it's order of magnitude. So, you know, we're looking at big picture. Um we haven't this is based on aerial GIS information not a
survey and um super detailed design those that's what's going to be coming um as this project advances in the future um for construction. But that's just to give you a general order of magnitude what we might be looking at. Um cuz it involves construction of the
path, you know, the bridges, modification to bridges, modification to roadways and intersections as well. So um it is 6.7 mi go distance. Um but this is this is a great connector project uh
north south. um you know view mass connection the pinnacle um and then getting it down to the mass central neurotic trail. Um this is going to be a great project um for people to go back and forth. So
um that's that's what I have to present. Sorry it took a little bit a lot of information. I tried to show you the highlights. Um, and now I'd like to, you know, if you have any questions, uh, comments, um, you know, happy to take them. We haven't finalized it. Our goal
is to finish this prior to the end of June. The mass trans grant, everything has to be completed by the end of June. So over the next 6 weeks, we're going to be doing any type of modifications, tweaking to the plans based on comments we receive from the town. Um updating,
finalizing the constru conceptual construction cost estimate, and then preparing a report that kind of summarizes all the work we did um that helps mirror um some of the improvements along um the various plan sets.
So I do have one not really question but sort of concern consideration and that is just and you did kind of mention this in your presentation but the section that includes our intersection of 116 and 47. We also concurrent to this have a village provisioning project and we
have plans going on for how to design that. I'm assuming this is the case, but I would want to make sure that whatever we do, those two projects are in concert so that neither project has to undo or redo the work of the other project a couple years later because we put the shared use thing in, but then we decide
to go to a rotary 2 years later and then they're tearing the whole thing up. So, I would just want to make sure that the prioritization of the sections is done in with the the timeline and planning in mind of that section. Um absolut yes absolutely we are um and
as I mentioned we have another concept for that intersection with the roundabout that we're developing and we're doing that um based on results from that study so we are trying to mash those two together so they are working in concert I kind of already heard you say that in the presentation I just sort
of wanted to make sure I was very explicit about wanting that to be a consideration um and it may be simple as that's one of the last sections we do because it needs more time at percolation than the sections. So, we start, you know, with some of the easier ones and that's that's towards the end
of the phase. Um, by the way, I just want to make sure that we were not wasting our time and effort to to redo it twice. Um, that's a great point. So, was there a reason you started in Wheatley versus starting in Ammerst? You know, you have Wheatly is
A where it seems much more if Ammerst is already working on those, why aren't we starting A on the Ammerst side and coming through? We we were originally looking at that.
Um it's a state roadway and I know some of the stationing starts from a different direction. So when we were stationary it relayed it out how we anticipate it might be laid out based on that dot stationing. So there was no
specific reason why other than that you know for labeling where we began the project and just to be clear though the A through E or F whatever it is that's just arbitrary labels that's not the the prioritization or the timeline or anything like that.
Right. And then can you go to segment D and like zoom in really close for me for a couple areas? I'm just, you know, it will help me understand the So, if you can go down by Plum Tree Road where the gas station and
Bub's Barbecue is, it just if I can get my head around how wide this really is. If I can like see like Sure. Sorry, it's taking a little No,
that's all right. It's just, you know, to say 10 foot, 8 foot, 4 foot. Sometimes I've got to actually see it laid over parking lots and stuff. Yep. Went too far. I think it's actually C.
Oh, I thought it was D. I can't remember where the brain is. See was bigger than No, it's in D. Yeah, there is definitely that's down or hid this area here.
Yeah, this a gas station. Yeah. All right. I just trying to if I can like just tight. Yeah, it's tight. There's a side existing sidewalk is right where my hand is right there. So, we're trying to
follow that alignment as best we can. Yeah. And then, you know, just to the next piece of property there. That's bumpy. Yep. Right across the front here. Yeah. Okay. So, we're trying to keep it in the
general area where the existing sidewalk is and then if it were extended. Um, as I mentioned, we're trying to trying to keep it away from any kind of parking areas and keeping it, you know, somewhat centered closer to the roadway where the
existing sidewalk is. Now, we take some question. Jennifer, Jennifer had a question. Start mark I have several questions. This is Anthony. Your first name is Jim. Jim. Hi, I'm Mark. I live near Plum Tree.
This is not a rhetorical question. Be sarcastic. I said this to Dan. Y Jeff, do you know where 99% of the bike riders go when they start heading up into Sunderland once they cross the Amherst line? I I don't and this is very important.
It's 99% of them take a left turn onto Palm Tree Road. And I've said this to Dan many times. Yep. And they do this because it's prettier. They feel safer. I'm a bike rider. 99% I see them every day. I live
on North Plane Road. They then go up North Plane. Then they go up Salt Silver Lane. Then they bang the left down Old Ammeris Road. and then they go up main street. So if we're going to spend $50 million, bike riders want to feel safe
in general and you feel a lot safer doing that. I'm just telling you 99% go down plum tree, take that left on plum tree. You're going to spend $50 million. I don't know how many are going to decide, oh, I'd rather go up 116 with 7,000 cars go up and down each way or
just continue to take that left turn and go down. I'm very serious about this. And as I always bring up the example and general just here where they put a sidewalk on route 5 and 10 near Yankee Candle. How many people I go in there all the time. I think I saw one person
walk on the million dollar sidewalks. He's agreeing with me over here cuz someone thought it was a great idea at the time to go from the gas station up to Yankee. I don't know how many hundreds of thousands they spend on that. No one uses the sidewalk. I don't want this to be a similar situation.
And maybe you can consider coming down Plum Tree or going up 47 cuz 116 is so congested. The other thing I'm trying folks that I'm very serious about this point. I've seen it for 25 years. You need to think about that. They're still going to want to take a left down
country. That's my first comment. I want you to think about that one very seriously. The second one is as a bike rider, you're going to have a two-way on one side of the highway. So, the bike riders are going to be going up and down this way. So, they're going to be [Music]
facing I don't know how to explain it. So, the both bike, you know, I mean, so you know what it's like when you're driving down the highway, you see a car coming at you. Anyhow, make my point clear that way. But any I straight to my first point. You really need to think about
that cuz I just feel much more comfortable coming down plum tree and then up north road. Yes. So I I guess can I ask you a question? So a lot of the the cyclist you're referring to, are they kind of like the people that rode bikes kind of
were the more serious cyclists? They're the most serious cyclist, the ones who are wearing the 24-hour long bike riding clothing, which I never understand. Sorry. Most of them, and there are some general bike riders, but most of them are the uh very serious bike riders. The
mammals. Yeah. No, I'm a huge cyclist. Not as much as I used to. So, I understand and I understand what you're you're referring to. But I I I I should note that the shared use path, the intent on going up 160 as opposed to kind of coming down
plum tree. You know, this is a little bit of a more direct route. And the sher's path is also going to be used by people that walk as well. you know, it's it's a facility that's separated from the
roadware where we have a buffer between that and the travel way. And the intent is the the state's complete streets policy where we're trying to make accommodations where it's, you know, as safe as possible for users of all ages and abilities. Um, you know, are people
going to want to walk or someone who's not a hardcore cyclist going to want to go down plum tree and zigzag around? they, you know, they're they're probably going to want to stay on a shared juice path similar to a neurotic. Um, and in this type of facility, we're trying to
build in the um the buffers to give that sense of safety that you're not in the roadway in the travel way that you are separated. You have a 5, seven or 8t buffer from the edge of the roadway or you have a granite curving that comes up
and separates you. So, you know, that's I'm not saying I'm just trying to have a lot of safety buffers and all that stuff to go along. Okay. Right. The whole safety concept, right? Okay. That's good to know. Yep. So,
um I know I know the feeling with the cyclist there. So, no, I would just also add that, you know, plummet tree is currently a safe route. Part of the point of this and part of the idea behind this is that making 116 also a safe route gives those bicyclists more
options because of course some bicer continue on plum tree. No matter what we do, bicyclist are continue to go places that they go and enjoy. We're just giving another option. Plum tree doesn't currently need a lot of improvement to be a safe space for those people. I disagree with
that. I will I will I I will retract that. Um is currently a a path that people choose as a safer alternative to 116. It's a safer alternative. And so for for from my perspective, the place that
needs the improvement more than anything is the place that we are all agreeing is currently not safe. And that's for me the idea behind this. Um, and why? So, but sorry, Jennifer, you would want to deal? Yeah. So, I I um I'm an allaround kind of biker. So, I have the
recreational time. I don't have any special clothing. Yeah. And on the commuter kind, so on when I'm doing in commuter mode, I am on that part of 116 and there's a lot of crud on the road. And when it's an
elevated, if it's going to all I couldn't tell if it was all going to be elevated. that'll keep some of the crud from getting up to the shared youth path and not being more, you know, the day after the street sweepers come is the best and then it goes downhill quickly.
Um, so I didn't know if it was all elevated. And then I wondered about the guard rails, why there's guardrails in some places between the roadway and the shared use path and not others. Okay. Um, so as far as the guardrail, we
were putting it in similar locations to where they where it is now because it's the areas where the guard rail typically are now. They're um protecting motorists from going off into like lower areas ravines. So we're kind of putting that
relocating that to the street side to continue that protection also to give protection from the bike path. uh you know, can we look at other areas if we feel another area may need it, but typically the guardrails put in to protect something such as a slope from
cars running off. Um in relation to between the road and the path being elevated, a lot of this area here, it's going to be at grade, not elevated. A lot of the elevated area is closer to is more likely in the um village center of
Sunderland. um the Deerfield area going into Weightley. Um where do you see an Acra? I'm going to go back to a little uh let's see here without curb. This is just a little simple section that I showed in the beginning to give you a
little perspective. Um this is the shoulder. We're at a minimum we're going to have at least a 5ft grass area, another twoft little buffer before the path. in this 5 foot grass area. You know, we haven't finalized any type of
drainage, but there's a lot of country drainage where the water sheet drains here. So, this could be some type of small swale. So, as far as the correct from the road getting to the path, it's got it's got a good distance to go. So, I guarantee none's going to get there. I
can't guarantee that, but I think it's going to be much less likely um that it will get there because of this buffer area. it'll get captured. So, one one question on the the CRUD angle. I'm sorry. And then I'll get back to the um
do we have a plan in place and this is not so much for the engineering but more for the town for clearing snow off this shared use path during the during the winter or is that going to fall on the state to do because it's 116? That's probably subject to discussion just because if it if it's is separated by
grassy null and potentially other things. It's not just something we're going to be able to hit with the cloud trucks. We're going to need to either have one of those little cattle thingies or whatever. I just want that to be somewhere in the back of somebody's head. That's going to be an additional
cost to the town and whatnot. Would you put the snow? Also a question. Yes. Did you have a question, Peter? Yeah. Um, if there's some place around this part of the state where such a shared use
path adjacent to a busy road exists that we could actually look at. Uh, I know there's there's one in construction right now in the town I live in, West Springfield along Memorial Avenue, 116 or 147 I should say. Uh, we
know where the Eastern States Exposition is. Uh there's one being installed probably this year, next year. Uh it's going to connect to a bridge um that was recently put in by Mass D going over to the town of Awam
Avenue, you know, similar type roadway cuz this is a different animal than a rail trail. Yeah, this is East Hampton different animal and it's and it's uh it's I would guess the use of bikes versus you talk about people walking. I
mean, I can't imagine a lot of people walking between Sunderland and Ammers for, you know, either because that's the way they commute or because, gee, it's a nice place to go walk because there's now a sher trail, but they're trucks and cars whipping by all the time. So, I
would think that that consideration is should be pretty low priority. Um, I look at the area you're talking about here, the 6.7 miles, and I ride my bike often and ride it in, you know, sometimes I'm in a hurry and sometimes
I'm not in a hurry. And sometimes I use your exactly what you say, the country road cuz it's it's not it's a whole lot nicer. But I'm totally comfortable with that 6.7 mi. I'm totally comfortable riding about 6 miles of it right on 116
right now. Okay. And I know what you say about the stuff that gets on the section of 116 like what you get particularly get south of the 70s and head down towards North A. Okay. But you got an 8ft shoulder. Okay. And you got a rumble
strip. Okay. In addition to show there may be trucks and buses going by, but I'm like 6 7 ft away from Rumble Street and I feel like you know this is this is great. Okay. I don't feel threatened at all. I mean, I'm still careful, but I
don't feel a threat and so on. But I do feel a threat every time, if you look at 116 from Wly, where they're going to start this down in North Ammerst, every time another lane appears on 116. Okay. They take the feet needed to
create they took the feet needed to create that lane and they take it right out of the shoulder. the shoulders. So you're coming at 116 and you get to the center of tumble and you got a real nice shoulder, real nice shoulder, real nice out of book, you got a foot and a half. Yeah. Okay. Just when the traffic is
getting backed up and therefore less predictable. Okay. You got the same thing going on when you uh you cross the river uh you get to the left turn lane to go on river road south. It squeezes up. Then all of a sudden you're back. You got at least 6 ft or something like
that. You go up the hill to the line street. Boom. Just again when car there's more traffic and cars are stopped and you're not sure what they're going to do. You're down by foot. Okay. You could take Lord knows it would be you know it would be we did North
Main Street for what 2 million bucks something like that 50 million bucks for something. I mean they got to get said 10% of that. You know it's still crazy. You ought to fix you for safety. You got to fix the places. Each one of them would take a little bit of
widening, okay? So that you could still have the left turn lanes where you have them and so on, but you're not squeezing the bike lane down to, you know, 2 ft, foot and a half, something like that. Okay? And then take some of the money you're talking about spending here and
fix the other place. You see the you see the bike traffic down the south end of town. Okay? I live on North Main. I'm just past Clay and I'm, you know, I consider sort of a death zone there from where we got the bike lane ended just
before the end of the the new north main. So you got about 2 300 y before you got the clay up where you got new road but they didn't have room for a bike land from there up to road and bikes and you got biker and biker and biker going up there and they get they
got to get as far as Paul's road and then they take a left and they're safe okay and that's a crazy area okay and that's an area that if you're talking about priorities priorities in spending okay priorities in trying to get safety
before, you know, this activity and so on. Well, that ought to be number one. And because that's part of I know Franklin County has a whole, you know, they've got Franklin County bike path. You see it all the time. So on that section of road is, you know, a very
active Franklin County bike path. It's the only safe way up the east side of the river north of Sun cuz the alternative, the only alternative is going up 47. Okay? and it gets up and as soon as you you know and it's still got no shoulder and you got hills and you got heavy traffic and you got trucks and
all this. So I just think this is the priorities are crazy, you know, and but if you had a way of getting state money number one to fix the section there on, you know, past CL
and just get shoulders on it, okay? Cuz you know it's a good road. it just doesn't have the width. And then start looking at the places particularly um you know whatever you do in the in the center of town with with if it comes to a rotary or not or something the center
of town how actually going on north south on Main Street is pretty good on a bike. I mean they left they ran the bike lane on on the north side right down to the light. You got a place to get I mean that that all works pretty darn well. The south main works well and so on.
We're going he's going on 116 there. He said you got to spend a little money just, you know, widen out widen out the lane a little bit and and and put the uh put a little more you know if you go over the jungling bridge. Okay. What do we I don't know what he
said should something like that. Nobody gets up. Nobody gets up on the sidewalk there on the north side cuz you got plenty of room on the shoulder. I go on the sidewalk. I mean it's almost like you see a lot of people walking from there. Okay. People
walking between but when you go south of the apartments you see somebody walking you figure you know. All right. Nancy Nancy Nancy Jim just
could I ask Nancy just come forward so we can hear you on the video. So just before you get the I just want to give Jim a chance to to you want to add. I I I just wanted to mention that you know I understand what you mean about utilizing more of the shoulder area for riding a
bike but one of the things to note that is a facility like this. It's not just going to be people that are out there biking now. The intent is to create a safe travel area for people who may not bike now that want to bike along the corridor. You know they may not be safe
going on. My wife wouldn't be. Would I? I did it when I was younger. Would I do it now? Probably not. If I had this here and if I had this here, would other people want to go ride with me or use it as a transportation route? Absolutely.
Because you're separated. You have that sense of security. So, this is not just geared towards bicycles. This is geared towards walking as well. And it's or and it's to create a avenue that's safe, that attracts people of all ages and abilities. you know, you're going to
have younger children and kids that can use this that may not feel safe going to the travel stroller. So, you know, that's of of all the facilities that can accommodate bicyclists, uh, the separated shared use path is is is
substantially safer in my opinion and would probably attract more users than, you know, trying to put something in in the roadway. Will it work in the roadway? Yeah. But you're not going to get the users that you would get with
this type of facility in my opinion. Good. Uh Nancy, I'm also on the conservation commission. I have three questions for you actually. Um one is actually a question I thought was going to ask because we've been very concerned about
wildlife. I can't believe you didn't ask. I don't really question. So I'm speaking for Mark here. Is there um any opportunity here to improve the situation for wildlife? There's so much
roadkill especially as you get toward north Ammeris line where the water bodies are. The turtles are crossing. Fisher cats are crossing and they're getting wiped out and I stopped and helped the turtles cross the road several times. I mean,
we've been asking for signage, for crossing, for, you know, so far the state has done nothing. It seems like, well, we're spending all this money. Maybe this would be the opportunity to do something or or at least a mention in the report. Oh, sorry. Wait. Go ahead. Go
ahead, Jim. Go ahead, Jim. I was going to say, no, this is why we're here. We're here to hear these concerns. if that's a concern. Granted, we we didn't look at it right now as part of the share juice path because it's crossing 116, but as part of the report summarizing everything, we can put that
in there, bring it to the state's attention, as Dan mentioned that, you know, hey, there's there's areas along this corridor for doing improvements. You know, if there's an opportunity for wildlife crossing, maybe they can incorporate it in some fashion. Uh we didn't as part of this cuz we were strictly looking at feasibility of
getting this path along along the side of the corridor and we were trying not to cross route 116 and utilize kind of existing crossings now for safety reasons obviously. Question two. Um Dan, I know
you'll probably know this anyway, but let's imagine we've got mammals, right? Middle-aged men in life and they're zooming along, right? They go fast 30 mph 40 I don't know a lot of speed there and then you also have like little kids learning to ride
bikes or walking or whatever like is there a division between the mammal lanes and the slow people [Music] walking there isn't um what typically happens you slow down
um I've in these with people that ride fast these types of facilities um we slow Yeah, you respect it. It's a, you know, it's a facility. These types of people want to use, you slow down, you respect it, you know, and you go around people, you're courteous. Uh, you go,
you combine somebody, you know, you signal that you're coming. Um, so, you know, will somebody go fast when there's no one there? But if there's people there, let me tell you, they're going to slow down. Um, I know I've done it hundreds of times. Um, it's just it's
courteous and the intent is to have a travel way for everyone to use. Question number three. So, part of the problem when you're close to [Music] these cars zooming by on 116 um is noise
and is there any technology that can help reduce, you know, traffic noise? Is there any sort of like cheap fencing or surface that you know just anything that again I know you're physically divided but is there anything else that can help
you feel cuz I don't think you're going to landscape the whole thing that would cost another $50 million. No the no unfortunately not that I can think of. The only thing I could think of is there's a few areas where there was kind of like a greater separation. you know, there you could potentially
put some kind of plantings like arites to help provide a little bit of a buffer, but for the majority of the path, unfortunately, it's so close to the road. I can't think of anything that's really going to scream the noise. Well, I will just add that one of the things that the village center visioning
project aims to do is to slow down traffic through this corridor of Sunderland for a number of reasons, but safety is one of those. And so as part of a larger picture, if we can through narrowing lanes, putting in visual cues,
uh even things I believe during the visioning process, we learned things like the flags on the side of the road, give people cues to slow down because oh, I'm in a village center versus just a highway. Some of those efforts might end up roundaboutting down the noise cuz the noise is proportional to the speed that
the traffic is going. So if we can as a larger part of not just this project but as you know the the visioning of our of our of our 116 corridor in general work on the the speed of traffic even just getting them to drive the speed limit let alone maybe bringing that speed of it down or giving you know reasons to do
that. Um, beyond that, you know, sound travels and unless we're talking about putting some sort of giant, you know, foam barrier next to the road the whole way down. I I, you know, there's really not going to be a lot we can do to that. But where we are hoping long term that with the safety measures we're trying to put in for the building center visioning
process that will also slow things down a little bit. The old rule used to be that the speed was determined by the average speed that drivers would drive. 85th percentile. That to me was like a crime against transportation. So the hope is
that something better than that rule might um take effect so you can't that's it. Thank you. Well, just being as a former member of the conservation, I like to I know we kind of laugh about it, but seriously that if you could put
in at least having signs, wildlife crossing signs, the body of water is right on the north, Sunland line. It's it's a heavily trafficked wildlife area. You see the roadkill there, especially in the spring
and the fall. I've seen it. And uh it is a turtle crossing. and you try to cross 116 and maybe maybe they could calm that area during the spring or something. It's it's tough cuz it's I'm asking you to get Yeah, of course. Of course. I want one thing I just want to mention on
the shy's path. I see this also as like for commuters to get out of their cars. You could park up at the Wheatly Parking R. You can get on your bike if you want. You could park at the old get off get out of your car and get on your bike. And then there's a 300 ft rightway down in that north amorous section. I see is
the way he puts a park put a decent sized parking lot in there. Let people park there just for that short section. They want to just ride their last couple miles. Um but I see that as that is, you know, opportunity. You get 18,000 cars going up and down. And if we can get a few hundred of them off, that's that's good. And if we need more, that's great,
you know. So that's just another another thing I see I've seen on this is a you know, real potential because there's so many people going through that quarter. Are electric bikes peritted on vibration?
That's a good question. Jim, go ahead. Yeah, I don't know the legalities of it. Um, I have ridden a bike, electric bike on bike. I tried it earlier this year. Um, but the legalities I don't know. And it's the same type of thing where I was
riding with my my my wife and respect of the people who are walking and who are riding uh non-electric bikes. Um so it's it's it's a matter of you know people who are riding those are typically going to want to follow the rules and be
courteous of others. Um they're not motor they do go quick but they're not motorcycles by any means. Um they're a different type of ride. Go ahead. I wanted to raise another opportunity maybe with the stream crossings. I'm not sure if all of the
culvers are correctly sized for increased precipitation and climate impacts. Um if it's going to be an extension of a covert for adding the shared use path, we might as well
get the right size cover in there. um and make it stream friendly for especially the river ones that are carrying fish. Um and the there was one spot where there was a potential bridge. I forget
where that was down near Hubard Hill Road. There's that big culvert there that there were a few places where there was and a couple bridges they were going to upgrade some pedestrian bridges. Yeah, for sure. I mean there shouldn't be bridges. Yeah. And while you're on that,
the the area behind that pull out area with the sand dunes in front. Um that is a nice quiet shady area. It seems like you're going to you'd have to take out a bunch of trees to put that wrap around part of the path in maybe. Are you hold the edge
of the pavement in there, Jim? No. There's a sidewalk on the back side of that already. Yeah, there's there's I looked that laying this out as dry as possible and I believe there is like there is like a little bit of a sidewalk. There is and
it is a level area because where the trees start is about where the drop off starts as well. Uh and I believe there was some fencing back here as well. So there's fencing back. We pulled this path in as close as possible to avoid um impacts to
trees. It's a good that's a good observation though. Um along the bank here we don't anticipate getting into any. Um you know I don't this is just over Ian.
Um we might be close to a couple here but I don't I don't think so. We were we did a field observations I kind of looked at level areas in where those drop offs start. there be a like a fence and that's where a lot of the tree line started.
Um, but the intent isn't to go in and just take trees. We're trying to um minimize any kind of tree takings throughout the project. So, I know that this is your full-time job, you know, mapping out these things,
but I I do have concerns that on the bridge, especially making anything narrower because every ambulance call in Sunderland comes over that bridge to get
here. Our the ambulance is in South Deerfield. So having that, you know, knocking down the breakdown lane, having a wider raised
area with the truck traffic, the big vehicles, you're 100% positive that would not create any type of issue for an ambulance, a fire truck, and a large
dump truck. Everything else, everybody having room there on that bridge. Yes, people will have room on this bridge in the event of an emergency like an ambulance. Uh don't forget we still have 4ft shoulders. People following
rules like they should even with eight patrolers. You're supposed to pull over. Well, I know to let the e So, there's going to be ample room between these travel lanes for an emergency vehicle to go in in either direction if people are
pulled over as they're supposed to. I just I just worry about it cuz they want to get through they get three they want to get three lanes cleanly through there. That's why they want to no I I I understand it. It's just
very original pull over when the ambulance was crashing through. Yeah. I mean, cuz you're coming up when you're coming in from Deerfield, you're coming up kind of blind in that ambulance. You can't see a thing on that bridge. Not that I've ever done it before,
but there's anybody else online. Any other questions, Liz? Any other questions? Liz, Dana. Okay. I don't like what they did there. I think it's an angle of that sidewalk. It's just It's not
They squared it out. They squared it out to make it sidewalk. This is conceptual. This is our final design. We're showing that it works, you know. [Music] Yeah. I'm just wondering what the
process is going forward with this is to uh you know what your key points are and what points there would be decision of no you know go or no go or the the key the main thing to know is that this is a mass road so they own it. Uh they
control it. They said do a feasibility study if you think this can work and they helped us and they told us to go to the mastros folks. So they obviously have some interest. I mean you go down and look at route 9 and I'd be I'd love to know how much they spent on that since I lived in this town and it's been
a lot. So we're a little bit do I'd say on that point and sort of to Peter's previous point. Um I don't necessarily disagree that this $50 million could potentially be spent in a bunch of different ways in town to improve things. Whether we can get the state to give us that money for anything else or
not is a whole different question. And I don't see this as a zero- sum game. I see this as a place where there are state funds available for us to do something good that we wouldn't be able to turn around and say, "Great, let's turn that into a new school or a new whatever. So, let's take advantage of that state money." Um, I still don't have numbers in front of me of what this
is going to cost to the town or what's going to cost to other things. Those are absolutely concerns. If if if the town's going to been on the hook or the towns are going to be on the hook for 35 of the $50 million, that's entirely different than if the state's going to pony up 45 and three towns, four towns are going to have to share $5 million or
something like that. So, um, and how much, let's say that share of that is a million dollars, how much would that million go elsewise versus $1 million towards a $50 million project that could potentially have a lot of benefit. So, um, there's obviously a lot more going
on here. And I do also very much want to know what the cost share is going to be like um and that kind of stuff. But ideally in an ideal world, we'd be able to make this project happen and also through other funding sources be able to do things like the North Main Street stuff that needs to be done and that
kind of thing. So Dan Dan, you help. So I just want to make clear that that nothing's a zero sum game and this is not, you know, us deciding to do it this way versus other ways. This is an opportunity with money that we would not necessarily otherwise be able to spend. Right. But it's still, you know, the
state money is our money too. And you know, this is basically strikes me as one option. True. Okay. And you know, are there other options being considered or will be considered or is this one just going to sort of, you
know, because we said, you know, one option got suggested and and it's, you know, alternatives are not really going to be considered, you know, I don't know. I just the guy asked about the process and you know it may not be we may not be running this but we still have a interest in it that's fairly
significant and I hate to see that you know we get a long ways down this road and then all of a sudden well we're not going to do that and you know whatever we've invested at that point is just a waste another part of it also is that because it's a state road the state will sometimes decide to do what they want to
do and if we are driving the studies driving the visioning and presenting the plans, we have a lot more control over what eventually happens. We've seen, especially with the bridge, if they paint it blue because they decide to paint it blue one day. So, if we if we just don't do anything, the state might
decide to go ahead with a project like this completely sands our input. And so, like there's a certain the blueprint. It's it's it's like the blue at all. I don't know. That's true. Um but just that that
that you know part of this is we are beholden to whatever the state decides at the end of the day and we can do our best to try to give them plans and ideas and whatnot that's going to you know make us happy as well as the state happy
but uh you know we are beholden to them. Any other questions, comments, anything? One other area of concern is the south of Bullhill Road. Yeah. Little hill. Yeah. Is the one that goes up to Lag. Yeah. It's along Bagged
in. Yeah. Bag's property in Lauren across from Lauren is going up onto the higher slope. Safer, but that's still town. That's still part of the rightway. Yeah. Next town right at B Hill just to about 60 something feet. But then then
why go ahead Jim? just work just concerned about taking over, you know, space that's being utilized by people along that right away. Um, and maybe have other plans for that upper hill
than to have a You're within the rightway the whole road. You're within the rightway the whole way, Jim, right? There's no takings. We were. We are. Yeah, we stayed within the layup completely. uh this area here where there's uh a
utility line through here. Yeah, there's a drainage swale and this is an elevated area. It was level, fairly level and it was more of a separation. So, we looked at it and again, this is this is why we're meeting here tonight. Um, you know, we thought this would be an avenue
to kind of one give the path a little bit of a deviation from a straight line and then kind of give it a little bit more separation from a roadway with a little elevation um just to change a ride. But if that's going to be problematic, you know, then we look at
relocating it closer to the roadway. So, um, that was just, you know, one of the things we looked at as we we laid out this path along the roadway. you know, try to avoid utilities, drainage swailes, and try to make it somewhat of a nice ride too for for the
users. But nothing set in stone here. So, um, again, this is preliminary conceptual. So, we're if this is going to be problematic for some reason cuz it's used for the land is used for something, then you know, maybe we
relocate question. This might be a little bit high in the sky, but one other thing that we talked about is how much our traffic has um increased basically because UMass has grown a lot and it grows without asking
any of us neighboring towns what we think about the situation or giving us, you know, any say. And I'm wondering if some of this might be paid for by UMass as compensation, but just a great idea. I mean, you're
definitely speaking our language. Anytime we can get another entity to pay for something in town, we're we're definitely a fan of that. Um that's so honestly the way this project is going to work if Masto decides to advance this project it will
be paid 80% federal 20% state 0% town of Sunderland. If this project advances that's how it will be funded. Is that okay? Yes. We're just operating as though there's going to be because if we don't we got
much bigger problems. She tells Jim, tell me that how long if if this went into design, how long would the design take to go through the mass on approval? Yeah. Uh a fast track mass DOT design that's
going to use federal funds 5 to 6 years. So we we get through the next presidential election. And again, in a in a in a project like this, 6.7 miles, this is most likely going to be done in sections. So, it's not all going to happen at once. This is
going to be a process over over many years. Um, and you know, again, that's what I'm worried about and will be the only one alive to do a project like this. I think
that's great because if you don't use those those funds, another community will um guaranteed that they're very competitive. And Shootsberry really doesn't need this much money. Well, that's always what it comes down to is either this money is going to end
up funding their product in Boston or it's going to fund products like these. So, you know, I'd like to see some of that money come west for for that product. And honestly, like we live in an area that has beautiful scenery and not as adequate bike access and show use
access as it could. Well, and again, it turns a potential with all those apartments on 160 with a high percentage of students. It gives them the opportunity if they choose not to take the bus to ride into
UMass. I mean, I don't know how many of them would. I mean, I know when I was college age, it was pretty tough to wake up in the morning to get in my car and go
someplace out a bike ride. But tell us more. But, you know, there is that potential. Yeah. No, I I think that it's not just about the scenery. It's not just about the leisurely path. It's also about
giving people an access to more of the valley and and also, you know, we have FRTA buses that come to the park and ride. If you can come from Greenfield down to the park and ride, hop on your bike and make it all the way to UMass, that just opens up a lot of possibilities for a lot of folks. So, I
think that there's definitely some good good opportunities. Uh, any more discussion before we move to close? I just wanted to say that this presentation will be repeated on Thursday night. I Yeah, believe Jim, I
haven't talked to you yet, so we got we got to talk. So, yeah, we're trying to get to before the CPA, the CBC group do this again, but this is all online um as well. So, wonderful. Thank you. But we'll at least bring the report. At least bring the report if we don't get all the plans in
front. Jim, thank you very much for all your time and expertise and answers. Um, I appreciate all the work that's gone into this so far and we will, I'm sure, talk to you more soon. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Thank you, Dan. Thank you. All righty. That is the end of our new business for
tonight. Uh, for old business, we have select board updates. Dan, anything? No, this was it. That wasn't enough. Crystal. No, just obviously we talked about already I had personnel committee
tonight prior to this. You guys know all of that. So, um I think that there's nothing else coming up. All righty. Um only thing for me is just a reminder that the town's Memorial Day parade will be this Friday at 6:00 p.m. kickoff. 5:30 show up to
organize. Um, and it'll take our normal route from here from the memorial out front of a building, uh, down across the intersection down south main to the cemetery down into the cemetery and there will be a ceremony down there. Um, the final determination in terms of
weather will be made towards the middle of the end of the day on Friday in case there is a need to reschedule for some reason or whatever. Um, please come down to there is no rescheduling. It's either we hold it on Friday night at 6:00 or it's canled. So, think good thoughts about the rain and whatnot. Um, but
either way, they're not going to have it at the school. Um, I was told they haven't done that for a while and so at Correct. Okay. Um, but hopefully the weather will hold up. Um, and if you can make it, please do. It's a wonderful tradition and one of the things I love
about our town. So, uh, that's it for me. Any, uh, 10 minutes for updates? I just want you to know that Alai Alternative Care gave me a phone call. This is the um the marijuana dispensary that is um building a facility off of
116 or re renovating a facility. Um they wanted to let me know that they put in for a DBA just to be called Al Thai. Not a horrendous change. It's just a very simple change. But they the
update also included that construction should be complete in the summertime and they plan to open in early September. Where's the location? It's near the subway. It'll be Frontier Frontier Pizza Center. No. So the the on the other
side, sorry. Yeah. So where the 7-Eleven is that building that had the chiropractor and all the kids used to skateboard there and stuff. the it's like a Yeah. Is that a blue house next to the blue house? Yes,
there's a blue house between there. Okay. He can use the subway as a reference point. So, can you still charge them an extra fee for the impact of the town or is that So, the short answer is you can, but you have to justify everything that you like. If you
say give us $1,000, we have to be able to justify what that thousand impact comes from and and and earmark the money for specifically for those things. We can't just be like, "Yay, give us the money and now we bought another police cruiser or whatever." Now, if we can if we can justify that we had to add
another police officer for some reason because of it or whatever. We could disallow that. Uh it just got a lot harder. It's not disallowed as much as it's just a lot harder. Um, in reality, it kind of makes it not worth it at the end of the day because it's like you jump through all these hoops and then
you have to submit all this paperwork to the thing and you get $300 back or something like that. So, it's it's it's more of a direct reimbursement at this point that the free the free money is over. Yeah, Northampton got all the free money unfortunately. They going out of
business. There's too many. Well, there's no more money. There's no more free money anyway. So, No. Yeah. Um, but thank you for the update that I appreciate that. Um, I'm assuming the name change doesn't really have any effect other than just good to know. Okay. Yes. Um, and as we get
closer, I'm sure we'll hear more about the the opening and and if anybody does have an objection to that, if you would. Yeah. I I didn't assume I it didn't seem like there would be a reason to object to that if they were changing a name. something that maybe like curious like
you know kids toy zone or something like that I'd be like maybe that's no problem but just a minor name change like that cigarettes for kids yeah exactly like something that was in itself problematic I could see there being an issue but just a simple name change like that should be should be an issue for us okay
good any comments on that I have no problem okay anything else from you uh not tonight wonderful all right that is all of our old business um under correspondence we don't have a correspondence public comment I We already had a lot of public comment. Anything else before we call today?
Wonderful. Thank you very much. Um, no executive session tonight. At this time, I would entertain a motion to motion. Wonderful. Motion B seconded. All those in favor. I I three nothing. Time is 8:15. Thank you everybody. Have a great day.