Select Board Approves Bikeway Closure for MWRA Project
Arlington's Select Board approved a winter closure of the Minuteman Bikeway and removal of dozens of shade trees for a Massachusetts Water Resources Authority pipeline project exceeding $30 million.
Select Board · Meeting of October 26, 2026
Arlington's Select Board approved a winter closure of the Minuteman Bikeway and removal of dozens of shade trees for a Massachusetts Water Resources Authority pipeline project exceeding $30 million. The board voted unanimously to close the bikeway between Drake Road and Mill Street starting in December 2029, routing an estimated 1,000-plus daily users onto a 1.8-mile Massachusetts Avenue detour. Member Stephen DeCourcey cited MassDOT data showing "half a crash a month" on that stretch of Mass Ave and pushed for added safety measures before construction.
Town Counsel Michael Cunningham affirmed the board "does not relinquish its authority" to order safety changes after the vote. The board also approved a $2,500 Farmer Series alcohol pouring permit for the incoming Arlington Brewing Company and a letter opposing state cuts to Mass Save funding. More than a dozen residents and children testified during a four-year-record-length open forum about deteriorating playgrounds, including Crosby Playground and Cutter-Reinhardt Park, prompting a referral to the town manager.
In the full story:
- Consent Agenda and Board Roll Call
- Appointments to Boards and Commissions
- Open Forum: Government Speech and Resident Access
- Open Forum: Playground and Park Maintenance Crisis
- Open Forum: Tree Committee and Conservation Land Management
- MWRA Construction Package 3: Tree Removal Hearing
- Minuteman Bikeway Winter Detour
- Alcohol Regulations: Farmer Series Pouring Permit
- Letter on Mass Save and Alternative Compliance Payments
- Correspondence and Referral
- New Business
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report: 3,462 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of October 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.
Correction (Oct. 30, 2026): An earlier version of this story reported five votes as 5-0. They were unanimous voice votes, and no count was announced.
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