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iVanasse Hangen Brustlin,Inc. Introduction Project Significance - Lexington's ► Improve existing network of trails within the Greenway project "String of Pearls" area ► Use Greenway as a means to preserve the existing historical, The West Lexington Greenway project area is a five-mile swath of cultural and ecological resources,and as an educational tool land located west of Interstate g5/Route 128 within the Town of to interpret these resources Lexington,Massachusetts(see Figures la and b for Site Location). The primary goal of the Greenway Project,funded by town West Lexington Greenway Task Force Community Preservation Act(CPA)funds,is to plan for a network of pedestrian and bicycle trails,including universally accessible The process commenced in 2007 with formation of the West sections,linking all Lexington Conservation Areas on the west Lexington GreenwayTask Force(WLG Task Force),a combined side of Route 128.A central component of the Greenway Master committee of Town officials,Planning Board and Conservation Plan is to strengthen the two mile linkage between the Minute- Commission members,and local citizen open space advocates man Bikeway,a regional multi-use rail-trail,with both the Battle and design professionals.The Task Force's role is to oversee the Road Trail located within the Minute Man National Historical Park master planning process,conduct public meetings and outreach (MMNHP),as well as the Battle Road Scenic Byway through the to interested stakeholders,and guide the ultimate implementa- construction of universal access trail to link these three tion of proposed trail network improvements to insure resources(see Figure 1 c—Site Orientation).Furthermore,this compliance with Master Plan recommendations.Task Force linkage will strengthen plans for a statewide trail network that members included: would connect Northampton to Boston via a continuous trail running through Lexington and other communities.Many ► Duke Bitsko,WLG Task Force,Design Professional sections of this statewide trail network have been completed in ► Richard Canale,Town of Lexington Planning Board nearby towns and this West Lexington Greenway will comple- ment this network. ► Stew Kennedy,Town of Lexington,Conservation Commission, Bicycle Advisory Committee,Conservation Stewards The Greenway area represents the largest assemblage of open ► Paul Knight,WLG Task Force,Conservation Stewards spaces in Lexington.Viewed from above,the Greenway resembles a series of open space"pearls",which are truly gems,connected ► Karen Mullins,Town of Lexington,Director of Community by the continuous"string"of the NSTAR power line easement(see Development/Conservation Administrator Figure 2).These green spaces are in essence a series of green ► Keith Ohmart,WLG Task Force,Conservation Stewards,Citizens islands surrounded on most sides by developed land.A major for Lexington Conservation goal of the Master Plan is to take advantage of the continuous open space of the power line easement to strengthen connectiv- ► Karen Simmons,Town of Lexington,Director of Recreation ity of the entire Greenway trail network,and to make the network ► Mike Tabaczynski,WLG Task Force,NEMBA,Bicycle Advisory function more as a whole rather than as separate pieces.The Committee,Conservation Stewards Master Plan also considers improving connections around and across the project area to connect to open space and community resources near the Greenway(See Figure 3—Open Space and Planning Process Connections). The planning and design effort commenced in October 2007 with Summary of Goals and Objectives: the appointment of the firm of Vanasse Hangen&Brustlin,Inc. (VHB)to complete the Greenway Master Plan.Representatives of ► Layout and design the Minuteman Connector to strengthen VHB worked with the WLG Task Force from the fall of 2007 linkage between Minuteman Bikeway and Battle Road Trail through the summer of 2008 compiling an extensive inventory ► Protect largest swath of semi-contiguous open spaces within database as the first phase of the planning process.The inventory the Town of Lexington included natural resources,such as wetlands and habitats,and cultural resources,such as existing trails and historical features. ► Improve access and connections to all Town Conservation The inventory then informed the site analysis and planning/ Areas located west of Route 128 2 West Lexington Greenway Master Plan