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Route 3 Corridor Infrastructure Analysis for the Towns of Bedford, Billerica, Burlington and Chelmsford and the City of Lowell

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Route 3 Corridor Infrastructure Analysis for the Towns of Bedford, Billerica, Burlington and Chelmsford and the City of Lowell Route 3 Corridor Infrastructure Analysis for the Towns of Bedford, Billerica, Burlington and Chelmsford and the City of Lowell Report February 2010 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts Contents Acknowledgements . .1, 2 Evaluate Infrastructure . .3-2 Assess Site Challenges and Executive Summary Opportunities . .3-2 Wastewater Disposal Capacity . .ES-1 Compile Site Inventories . .3-3 Transportation . .ES-2 Identify 43D Sites . .3-3 Development Sites . .ES-2 Section 4: Community Overview Section 1: Introduction The Corridor Communities . .4-1 Project Purpose . .1-1 Route 3 Corridor Funding . .1-1 Overview of Each Community . .4-1 Study Objectives . .1-1 Bedford . .4-1 Billerica . .4-2 Section 2: Project Context Burlington . .4-2 Project Area . .2-1 Chelmsford . .4-3 Transportation . Network Background . .2-2 Lowell . .4-3 Corridor Branding . .2-2 Community Utility Summaries . .4-4 Bedford . .4-4 Section 3: Methodology Billerica . .4-5 Facilitate Meeting with Local Burlington . .4-7 Officials . .3-1 Chelmsford . .4-8 Collect, Compile, Assemble, & Analyze Locally Provided Data .3-2 Lowell . .4-10 Review and Analyze Transportation . .4-10 Mass GIS Data Sets . .3-2 Existing Conditions . .4-11 Identify Potential Traffic Volume Counts . .4-11 Sites for Consideration . .3-2 Hot Spots-Congestion Areas/Times .4-11 Conduct Field Visits . .3-2 Future Projects - On Tip . .4-13 TOC-1 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts Public Transportation . .4-13 Section 6: Implementation Strategies Safety Issues . .4-14 Public and Private Funding Sources . .6-1 Transportation Improvements . .4-14 Funding Opportunities and Roadway/Intersection Improvements4-14 State Programs . .6-1 Billerica . .4-14 Economic Development . .6-2 Burlington . .4-14 Transportation . .6-5 Chelmsford . .4-15 Water and Wastewater . .6-6 Lowell . .4-15 Remediation/Cleanup . .6-6 Environmental Issues . .4-15 Private Business Development Assistance 6-6 Site Ratings . .4-15 Next Steps . .6-7 Site Listing (Attachment) Section 7: Recommendations Aerial Maps by Community (Attachment) Infrastructure . .7-1 Transportation . .7-2 Section 5: Proposed Development Sites Regulatory . .7-2 and Database Profiles Developing the 43D Candidate Site List .5-1 Further Study/Research and Analysis . .7-3 Proposed 43D Sites . .5-2 Bedford . .5-2 Billerica . .5-2 Burlington . .5-3 Chelmsford . .5-3 Lowell . .5-4 Site Profiles . .5-4 Site Summary Report (Individual Site Profiles) TOC-2 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts Acknowledgements Primary Participants - Town of Bedford - Richard Reed, Town Manager Town of Billerica - Stephanie Cronin, Economic Development Coordinator Richard Scanlon, Principal Assessor Town of Burlington - Robert Mercier, Town Administrator Town of Chelmsford - Evan Belansky, Community Development Coordinator City of Lowell - Theresa Park, Director of Economic Development Additional Participants - Town of Bedford Town of Chelmsford Richard Joly, Planning Director Peter Cohen, Town Manager Chris Nelson, GIS Analyst Michael Donoghue, Fire Captain Richard Warrington, DPW Director Darren Guertin, Conservation Agent James Pearson, Director of Public Works Town of Billerica Frank Reen, Chief Assessor Abdul Alkhatib, DPW Director Kelley Conway, Town Engineer City of Lowell Susan Ferrell, GIS Analyst Adam Baacke, Assistant City Manager / Division of Planning and Development Peter Kennedy, Director of Planning Aaron Clausen, Associate Planner / Bill Williams, Former Town Manager Planning Board Town of Burlington Lisa DeMeo, City Engineer Daniel DiTucci, Board of Selectmen Maria Dickinson, Economic Development Officer D. Anthony Fields, Planning Director Joe Donovan, GIS Manager Thomas Hayes, Town Engineeer Jeffrey Gomes, Transportation Engineer Kristin Hoffman-Kassner, Assistant Planner T J McCarthy, Assistant City Manager / Sonia Rollins, Board of Selectmen Public Works John Sanchez, Superintendent of Public Works George Proakis, Director of Planning Russell Washburn, Assessor 1 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts Presentation Guests - Robert Halpin, President and CEO, Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council Jay Donovan, Assistant Director / Economic Development, Northern Middlesex Council of Governments Nicholas Lowe, Founding Partner, 451 Marketing Funding for this project was made possible through a grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Permit Regulatory Office. 2 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts Executive Summary The Route 3 Corridor Study area, consisting The five area communities share in common the of the Towns of Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Route 3 Corridor as a major transportation link Chelmsford and the City of Lowell, represents and they share similar challenges for continued a major segment of the economic base of the economic growth. Additionally there are unique Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The corridor issues confronting each community that must is typically not perceived as a regional entity by be resolved to achieve economic development businesses seeking development locations and is objectives. The issues range from those which often overshadowed by other areas. Even though can be locally addressed to those which require much of the corridor has experienced significant action at the intermunicipal, regional, and state development, it nonetheless possesses great level. The issues are primarily focused around potential for further economic development. wastewater disposal capacity and transportation, While the bulk of the corridor's future develop- as they relate to the sites analyzed in this study ment will be in the form of infill development, and their potential for economic development. redevelopment, and consolidation of unutilized or functionally obsolete properties, this study has also identified several undeveloped sites. Wastewater Disposal Capacity Wastewater disposal capacity is an issue each community faces in common. Each community needs to achieve reduction in current wastewater Even though much of the Route 3 flow via inflow and infiltration (I&I) reduction, Corridor has experienced combined sewer overflow (CSO) reduction, or water conservation measures as a prerequisite significant development, it for additional flow capacity from new develop- nonetheless possesses great ment. Additionally, there are portions potential for further economic of the Town of Billerica lacking sewer service which significantly hampers development. This development. report identifies these areas and projects order of magnitude costs for improvements. ES-1 Route 3 Infrastructure Analysis - Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, and Lowell, Massachusetts While the communities are actively pursuing Development Sites resolution, there are issues which remain outside This study presents an inventory of approximate- of their reach. For example: ly 200 parcels which represent approximately 50 No amount of I&I reduction in Burlington development sites. The sites have been rated as will solve sewer flow capacity issues if other “high,” “medium,” or “low” representing their communities, downstream in the “readiness” as candidates for consideration as Massachusetts Water Resources Authority 43D sites. (MWRA) system, do not take steps to reduce I&I. Chelmsford, which is served by the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility, is reach- The sites rated in this ing its limits in allocated capacity. Lowell is report as “high” are unable to increase capacity as it is under order by the federal government to reduce candidates as 43D sites. its CSO. Therefore, Chelmsford can only accommodate additional flow from develop- ment with a corresponding reduction in The number of parcels and sites identified in water consumption through water conserva- this study precluded a detailed analysis of the tion measures. build-out potential associated with each site. Billerica is nearing its permitted capacity at Such an analysis could serve as the basis in its local wastewater treatment facility. evaluating the economic benefit in terms of tax Billerica has prepared a wastewater manage- revenue and increased employment associated ment treatment plan to increase capacity of with the development of each site. This would its facility. Additionally, there are potential assist decision makers in evaluating the econom- sites in Billerica which are not currently ic benefit associated with the capital expendi- served by the sewer system. As the northern tures identified in this report. portion of Billerica (which is lacking sewer service) borders south Chelmsford near the The site and parcel data presented herein is a Route 129 interchange on Route 3, the valuable tool in establishing an inventory of the potential for an intermunicipal approach for Route 3 Corridor's economic development wastewater treatment should be examined. potential. Its value could be augmented with the incorporation of the potential build-out and eco- nomic benefit estimates into a dynamic interac- Transportation tive database to assist public decision makers in Route 3, which is the spine of the Corridor the strategic deployment of capital investments Study area, has recently been upgraded by the and the potential return in terms of jobs and tax Commonwealth of Massachusetts and
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