Get the Facts: Construction

Claim: Temporary construction easements mean MassDOT will use residents' back yards for staging for as long as four years. When the project is over, there is no plan to restore that land to tree cover.

Construction is expected to take two seasons (April - November). It is standard practice to add a time buffer to the easement purchase since the clock starts running well before construction even starts. Work will not happen outside of these easement areas, which are legally required to be larger than the actual project limits. A wooded buffer will remain undisturbed throughout construction along the former railroad corridor, and the Town has promised to install additional trees as requested after construction.

From November-April of the two construction seasons, the work will stop, which means noise, dust, and traffic won't be a concern during those months. Again, construction is temporary pain for long-term gain. And the Bedford Arbor Resources Committee will be gaining significant amounts of money in exchange for the trees that get removed, meaning that we will have the ability to replant plenty when construction is over.