New Westborough BWALT Trail Section Seeks Town Environmental Approval

WESTBOROUGH, MA — A plan to build a new section of the Boston-Worcester Air Line Trail (BWALT) in Westborough took a major step forward this month, with the town moving to secure environmental approvals ahead of construction.

An engineering firm working on behalf of the town earlier this month filed plans for the trail with the Conservation Commission. An approval from the commission is typically the first step in any development near wetlands.

Segment two of BWALT would span 1.6 miles from Otis Street near the edge of Hoccomonco Pond through wetlands and behind shopping plazas to just south of the Park Street intersection with Route 9, according to plans. The segment would also connect to another portion of the trail that follows old trolley tracks from behind Stop & Shop to near Park Street.

The new plans come after the state Department of Conservation and Recreation gave Westborough a $440,000 grant last year to plan the new segment. Plans call for the BWALT to be built in six different segments totaling about seven miles. The segments also include spurs that reach Chauncy Lake and between the Commuter Rail station and Route 9.

An even wider plan calls for BWALT to stretch from Framingham to Worcester. The trail would follow a long abandoned trolley line that used to connect Boston to Worcester.

The town's engineer has requested the Conservation Commission to review the segment two plans at the commission's next meeting on June 11. Learn more about plans for BWALT here.