Bay Colony Rail Trail Update

Selectman Osler "Pete" Peterson provides on the status of the Bay Colony Rail Trail, a recreational rail trail project spanning Newton, Needham, Medfield and Dover, that has been slow-moving but is now picking up speed.

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Bay Colony Rail Trail Committee Talks Money

At its meeting Monday night, Medfield's BCRT Committee discussed costs associated with the conversion of the old railroad tracks to a rail trail, grants and donations received, and the revenue attainable from salvaged iron.

Editor's Note: The following relates to the Bay Colony Rail Trail and appeared as part of Osler "Pete" Peterson's blog Medfield02052 on 8/28/12.   BCRT meeting last night The Bay Colony Rail Trail committee met last night, and I attended most of the meeting, until I excused myself to attend the continued ZBA hearing on the Gatehouse 40B on West Street. These were the highlights that I heard: It was reported that the BCRT discussions were contentious at the Dover ATM, with some not wanting to even rebuild the bridge over the Charles River to Needham, so people could not get into Dover from Needham.  However, Dover’s strategic planning questionnaire demonstrated strong overwhelming town support for the BCRT if it does not cost the town any …

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Transportation Bill Earmarks Money for Bay Colony Rail Trail

The $1.5 billion bill helps build infrastructure that strengthens the state’s economy over the long term, governor says.

Gov. Deval Patrick called the $1.5 billion transportation bond bill he signed Thursday what the state needs to strengthen its economy and "quality of life for the long term.” The bill has set aside several million dollars to upgrade bridges and roads in Boston, and also included $250,000 for a rail trail in the towns of Needham, Dover and Medfield.  “Our transportation infrastructure had suffered from years of neglect, so this administration started rebuilding roads, rails and bridges in every corner of our state and creating thousands of jobs," Patrick said after he enacted the bill, which enjoyed the strong support of the Legislature, passing the House by a vote of 150-2 on July 31, the last day of the session. The bond bill ensures …

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MBTA Vote to Authorize Lease with Medfield Moves the Rail Trail Project Forward

Last week, the MBTA authorized a 99-year lease with Medfield and other towns involved with the Bay Colony Rail Trail. Medfield expects to be ready to sign a lease next year.

Last week, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority authorized a 99-year lease  with Newton and the towns of Medfield, Dover and Needham for portions of an abandoned railroad right-of-way for use as a rail trail. But the decision does not mean the towns will actually be ready to sign the lease anytime soon, said Christian Donner, chairman of the Medfield Bay Colony Rail Trail Study Committee which also includes residents Graham Plonski, Erik Holm, Susan Lynch, and Albert Brenton. “This is great news indeed,” said Donner.  “It means the MBTA is ready to enter into negotiations with the towns.” The proposed seven-mile stretch of the Bay Colony Rail Trail would traverse railroad tracks no longer used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority …

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Lightly Attended Town Meeting Swiftly Approves 27 of 28 Warrant Articles

With just 332 residents in attendance at Monday’s Annual Town Meeting, all articles in Medfield’s Report on the Warrant passed, with the exception of Article 24, which was dismissed.

Editor's note: This article was updated on Tuesday, May 1 at 9:56 a.m. to reflect the clarification Warrant Committee chair Gus Murby made in the comments section below regarding the description of Article 19. Medfield's 361st Annual Town Meeting came and went without a hitch Monday as the small quorum of 332 residents representing the town passed 27 of the town's 28 warrant articles presented in the Report on the Warrant in just under two hours. The only article to be dismissed from the report was Article 24, which was an article submitted by Medfield's Water and Sewer Commissioners asking to see if the town would fund a study to look at the feasibility and costs of installing a filtration plant at water wells numbered three, four and …

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A Closer Look at the Bay Colony Rail Trail Proposal in Medfield

About 50 people attended a public information meeting with the Bay Colony Rail Trail Committee on Saturday and many expressed concerns with the proposed conversion of 1.5 miles of abandoned railroad tracks in Medfield.

Later this month, Medfield town meeting voters will be asked to jump on board with a plan to convert 1.5 miles of unused railroad tracks in town into a multi-use recreational path that would run from Medfield through Dover to Needham Junction. The proposed seven-mile stretch of tracks no longer used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority, includes 1.5 miles in Medfield – between The Center at Medfield and the Dover town line – 3.5 miles in Dover from the Charles River to Hunt Drive, crossing over the scenic trestle bridge, passing under Center Street, then through two miles of Wylde Woods conservation land – and two miles in Needham – from the Charles River to the Needham Junction commuter rail station.  “The objective is to …

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Peterson: Cost of Water, Bay Colony Rail Trail and Lyme Disease Study Committee

Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler "Pete" Peterson touches on several topics that were discussed at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting on his blog, "Medfield 02052."

Editor's note: The following was published by Medfield Board of Selectmen chair Osler "Pete" Peterson on his blog, "Medfield 02052." Water's a Bargain ... Relatively Medfield’s water appears to be a bargain, comparatively speaking, when the town’s water usage rates are compared to those of Millis, Medway, Norfolk, Walpole, and Dedham-Westwood. Our water charges appear to be a fraction of what the same amount of water would cost you in those towns. At the high end, our rates for the same amount of water are less than half the Dedham-Westwood costs. To view the graph that summarizes local town's water usage rates (Nov. 2010), click here.  Medfield Board of Selectmen Support Bay Colony Rail Trail On Tuesday, the Medfield Board of Selectmen …

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Selectmen Agenda: Medfield Taxes, Debt Schedule and Rail Trail Committee

The Medfield Board of Selectmen meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. on the second floor of Town Hall.

The Medfield Board of Selectmen are expected to hold a tax classification hearing with the Medfield Board of Assessors at Tuesday’s meeting and will also hold a fiscal year 2013 budget meeting with the warrant committee and town departments. Other Action Items: Also on the agenda for Tuesday, Medfield Town Administrator will review the town’s debt schedule with the selectmen. Selectmen chair Osler Peterson will go over the draft he prepared of his proposed selectmen’s calendar and the board will appoint its newly created Bay Colony Rail Trail Study Committee. There is also expected to be an update on the status of the Medfield State Hospital. The Board of Selectmen meet every first and third Tuesday of each month on the second floor of …

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Question of the Day

Poll: Medfield and the Bay Colony Rail Trail

What do you think of the proposed seven-mile trail through Needham, Medfield and Dover?

At the town’s last Board of Selectmen meeting (Nov. 1), selectmen Osler “Pete” Peterson and Mark Fisher voted in favor of creating a committee to study the proposed Bay Colony Rail Trail and its relevance to Medfield. “The selectmen created a committee to study whether the town should create the Bay Colony Rail Trail and make recommendations as to the issues involved,” Peterson wrote on his blog, Medfield 02052. “The issues are already well defined but not all the answers are clear. It is hoped that the committee’s recommendation can be voted on at [Medfield’s] Town Meeting in April.” Selectman Ann Thompson voted against creating a Bay Colony Rail Trail study committee because she wanted to see what the other towns, primarily Dover, was …

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Meeting Notes: Selectmen Create Rail Trail Study Committee, Elect Housing Authority Board Member

The Medfield Board of Selectmen met Nov. 1 at Town Hall. Here’s a summary of the town business it discussed.

The Medfield Board of Selectmen spent much of its Nov. 1 meeting in Town Hall discussing last weekend’s October Nor’easter and the impact it had on Medfield with police chief Robert E. Meaney Jr.  Another topic that facilitated discussion among the selectmen was Selectmen chair Osler Peterson’s request to appoint a citizens committee to study the feasibility of a rail trail in Medfield as part of the Bay Colony Rail Trail. The selectmen voted 2-1 in favor of creating a Bay Colony Rail Trail Study Committee to consider various questions and issues before ultimately aiding the selectmen in deciding whether or not the town should proceed with instituting the proposed Rail Trail. Selectman Ann Thompson opposed Peterson’s motion to create the …

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