2017-03-13-CEC-ATM-STM1-rpt - Laserfiche WebLink

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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE REPORT TO 2017 ATM&STM 2017-1 Comprehensive Watershed Storm Water Management Systems In order that the Town's storm-drainage system capacity is maintained to handle runoff from impervious surfaces, the Town must manage its storm-water runoff associated with its 18 brooks and three watersheds. Additionally, sediment deposits, organic debris, and refuse can impede the flow of water through watershed areas, and cause flooding and damage to private property, thus creating liabilities for the Town. To date, the Charles River, Shawsheen River, and Mystic River watershed-management plans have all been completed. The Willard Woods "daylighting" and drainage improvements, as well as stream-bank stabilization for the Vine Brook in the Saddle Club Road area are completed. The Whipple Brook storm-water design is underway. DPW is reviewing which specific locations will be addressed with the FY2017 funding. For the FY2018 funding request to address other priority areas, see Article 12(g)). [Note: There is some location overlap with Town-Wide Culvert Replacement as some projects require both culvert repair and stream-management planning.] Culvert Repair There are more than 50 culverts in Town. Many of the older culverts are near or at failure. A culvert is defined as a pipe or drain that carries a stream or ditch under a roadway. DPW's engineering program for on-going culvert inspections has confirmed a need for culvert replacement and extraordinary repairs. This is a companion effort to the ongoing Comprehensive Storm-water Management Watershed work. In 2015, worked was funded for the culvert work under Revere Street at the North Lexington Brook, and the culvert under Concord Avenue at Hardy's Brook. This work, as well as the Bikeway culvert which was funded for FY2016, have been completed. For the FY2018 funding request, see Article 12(j)). Public Grounds The Town owns approximately 630 acres of land of which approximately 110 acres are in parks, playgrounds, conservation areas, athletic facilities, school grounds, and historical sites. In addition, Town staff administers and maintains four cemeteries with a combined area of just over 30 acres. The Forestry staff maintains approximately 10,000 trees along roadways and an undetermined number of trees, shrubs, and plantings on Town-owned land. For the FY2018 funding requests that are not cited under Recreation, see Article 12(o &p). Minuteman Commuter Bikeway In FY2015, a request was being made to investigate restoring the bridge carrying the Bikeway over Grant Street. As noted above under Culvert Repair, there also was a request to replace a culvert supporting the Bikeway. In addition, in FY2015 funding was authorized for the design of Way-Finding-and-Etiquette signage for the Lexington portion of the Bikeway (Arlington and Bedford declined to participate), with follow-on FY2017 funding. Design is complete and bids are being prepared. For the FY2018 funding request, see Article 12(m). Town Center Streetscape Project Increasing the vitality of Lexington Center has long been an open-ended goal of the Town as businesses come and go and usage patterns change. Projects in support of the Center have been both large and small, including rezoning the former Battle Green Inn site and the installation of a seasonal "pocket park" on Massachusetts Avenue in front of the Ride Studio Café.The deterioration of the infrastructure through the Center, and the needed safety enhancements as the traffic volume has increased are significant concerns. To address these infrastructure, safety, and enhancement issues in a coordinated manner, the Center Streetscape Improvements Project was created. When fully implemented, it would address from business-front to business—front across Massachusetts Avenue and run from just beyond the intersection with Woburn Street, Winthrop Road, and Fletcher Avenue northwesterly to just beyond Meriam Street. The results of that Project would be further enhanced at that Meriam Street end by work under the Battle Green Streetscape Project. 24