Boxborough Planning Board Unanimously Approves $58,875 Traffic Study Contract Recommendation

BOXBOROUGH -- April 29, 2024, Boxborough Planning Board votes to pursue a $58,875 town-wide traffic study. The board voted 5-0 Monday to recommend execution of a contract with Green International Affiliates for a comprehensive traffic study of the Route 111 corridor, subject to funding approval at the upcoming special town meeting. Traffic consultant Corinne of Green International revised the scope earlier that day, dropping one of two optional intersection analyses to bring the project just under the $60,000 town meeting article threshold; the board agreed to retain Saturday traffic counts, including bicycle and pedestrian data, despite an estimated $2,500 savings from eliminating them. "For $2,500, that's not a massive amount of money to do that," said member Rich Desiree. The study covers four core locations plus the Hill Road and Liberty Square Road intersection, with 72-hour counts. The board also approved a $1,195.10 invoice from Places Associates for stormwater bylaw enforcement work at 984 Mass Ave and debated an unresolved interpretive question in the town's tree preservation bylaw, whether large-scale applicants must survey trees across an entire parcel or only within the area of proposed disturbance, with no formal action taken pending a future agenda posting.