Above: Prepare to bypass the area of the railroad tracks if you’re crossing through downtown the 22nd – 24th. But, if you’re visiting a business there, their welcome mats will still be out. (image cropped from Google Maps)
Next week, construction crews for CSX railroads will return to Southborough.
Commuters will have to detour around the area from the morning of Tuesday, April 22nd through potentially the end of day on Thursday, April 24th. But businesses and their parking lots will be accessible throughout the work.
The workers will make long awaited improvements to the downtown Main Street railroad crossing. Unfortunately, it won’t “check the boxes” for work the Town was hoping to include. But the DPW chief hopes that opened lines of communication will lead to progress for future improvements.
DPW Superintendent Bill Cundiff reached out to ask me to alert readers about next week’s the construction and impacts. I followed up by watching his discussion with the Select Board this morning to get more details.
There will be detour signage directing drivers to use White Bagley Road and Route 9 to get around the closed off section. Police details will direct traffic and let drivers through to the downtown businesses.
Below are map images to give readers context on where crossing won’t be allowed and of the businesses that will still remain accessible:
Cundiff reminded Select Board members that the Town had been trying for years to get permission for improvements. That includes connecting the sidewalks across CSX’s the right of way and burying drainage pipes under the tracks to help tackle the stormwater issues in that area. He said despite his efforts, CSX wasn’t willing to incorporate that into next week’s work.
CSX’s focus next week will just focus on railroad safety. But Cundiff said that he had managed to get some concessions.
That included “widening the length of work that they’re doing within their right of way” to “minimize discomfort” for vehicles crossing the tracks. (See image right for a September 2023 image of the crossing condition.)
And in addition to ensuring that abutting parking lots would remain accessible, he also got promises that dust would be mitigated to minimize impacts to the businesses.
Select Board Chair Kathy Cook noted that work CSX did at crossings on Newton Street and Route 9 in Framingham were “okay” but not perfect. She advocated that Cundiff to try to control the quality of the downtown work.
Member Sam Stivers stated that the work “is not inconsistent” with drainage improvements to “finish the Main Street project”:
we will in fact be able to install the appropriate uh stormwater, water, etc lines, service lines under the tracks by essentially drilling under the tracks as opposed to having to tear this out at some future point
Cundiff said that the Municipal Client contact for CSX New England committed to meet with him and another CSX Engineer to talk about the work. He confirmed to Vice Chair Andrew Dennington that he’s trying to use the opportunity to build a better relationship and make progress.
Cundiff and members discussed that it had been difficult to get CSX to talk with them. Cook credited the progress to the persistence of Cundiff and Representative Kate Donaghue on the Town’s behalf.
Member Marguerite Landry asked if the railroad ties that are near the Reliant Medical Group’s parking lot are being used for the project. Cundiff said they were for future work. He noted that there are ties in areas from Boston Road to near New York Ave. He believes CSX plans to replace the ballast and railroad ties for the entire route.
