What can be done to address abutters privacy concerns?
Part of the federal and state money earmarked for this project may be used to install hedges or fences to increase abutter privacy. These barriers may be placed relatively close to the rail trail, effectively ceding some MBTA land for the private use of the abutter. Also, since the MBTA land is 80 feet wide in most places, shifting of the trail away from homes while still staying on MBTA land is also a possibility. In any such trail shift, the additional cost and concerns of the landowner on the other side of the shift must also be considered. Should this project proceed, it is expected that the design will be influenced by abutter concerns we have already documented and by future abutter input.
As many know much of the rail bed is along commercial property. However, there are sections along residential property. We are planning on a dual approach: Direction and Separation. First we will provide clear and specific directions and reasonable signs at key areas to articulate the route. During the design process we will create separation between the trail and adjacent properties. Fencing will be constructed where privacy and adjacency are a concern.
