Public Hearing Notice  WESTFIELD - Columbia Greenway Trail project in Westfield, MA.

Purpose:

The purpose of this meeting is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Columbia Greenway Rail Trail (Center Downtown Section). All views and comments made at the meeting will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.

Proposal:

The proposed project consists of the construction of the final segment of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, including 3,500 feet of multi-use recreational trail and the rehabilitation/replacement of five railroad bridges in Downtown Westfield. The project begins at the end of the existing Columbia Greenway Rail Trail, near Main Street and ends at the recently constructed Columbia Greenway North Segment at the Westfield River Railroad Bridge. The improvements to the five bridges include a new signature bridge over Main Street, rehabilitation of the bridge over Elm Street, and the replacement of the bridges over Thomas, Chapel and Orange Street.

A secure right-of-way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The city is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. MassDOT’s policy concerning land acquisitions will be discussed at this meeting.

Written views received by MassDOT subsequent to the date of this notice and up to five (5) days prior to the date of the meeting shall be displayed for public inspection and copying at the time and date listed above. Plans will be on display one-half hour before the meeting begins, with an engineer in attendance to answer questions regarding this project. A project handout will be made available on the MassDOT website listed below.

Written statements and other exhibits in place of, or in addition to, oral statements made at the Public Informational Meeting regarding the proposed undertaking are to be submitted to Patricia A. Leavenworth, P.E., Chief Engineer, MassDOT, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, Attention: Roadway Project Management, Project File No. 603783. Such submissions will also be accepted at the meeting. Mailed statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the public meeting transcript must be postmarked within ten (10) business days of this Public Informational Meeting. Project inquiries may be emailed to dot.feedback.highway@state.ma.us

This location is accessible to people with disabilities. MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT’s Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857-368-8580), fax (857-368-0602), TTD/TTY (857-368-0603) or by email (MassDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us). Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.