Ayer Wants Parking Money
By Jack Minch, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.
Jun. 28–AYER — Town Administrator Shaun Suhoski planned to lobby Lt. Gov. Tim Murray at the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce legislative luncheon today for the release of nearly $4 million in federal and state money earmarked for expanding parking downtown.
Selectmen made a similar request to Gov. Deval Patrick in a letter dated June 19.
U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan steered $3.15 million of federal money toward the project with the intention of improving parking for commuters who use the MBTA, hikers and bikers who use the Rail Trail, as well as shoppers in the business district. The state has promised to match 20 percent of the federal funds.
The project has been in various stages of planning for three years, and town officials want the money released now so the Montachusett Area Regional Transit Authority can begin the design and engineering phase for the project, Suhoski said.
“We are poised. We are ready to move on to the design phase,” Suhoski said.
State Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen’s office paused
when selectmen asked him to make a bookkeeping move so MART can access the federal money in May.
“These are generally routine, and I don’t see why it wouldn’t be,” Suhoski said this week.
Instead, in a June 8 letter to Suhoski, Transportation Undersecretary Wendy Stern asked to meet with town officials to discuss several key points, including the endorsed parking improvements as they relate to the overall $250 million planned improvements to the entire Fitchburg rail line championed by U.S. Rep. John Olver; and locations, access and number of parking spaces in the plan.
Selectmen countered with their letter to Patrick, asking him to support the transfer of funds and to release state matching funds appropriated in 2006.
Cohen’s office wasn’t immediately available for comment yesterday.
It was originally believed that a large, 350-auto parking garage would be the final solution at the foot of the Rail Trail on Park Street, and would cost about $10 million, but selectmen endorsed a hybrid solution recommended by a parking task force.
The hybrid solution, developed by resident Rick Gilles, gained popular support quickly. It proposes low-level parking facilities at the Rail Trail and on Central Street that would blend with the landscapes.
That solution is also expected to cost a fraction of the estimated $10 million needed to complete a three-level parking facility for 350 autos.
Because MART is the transit authority that will own whatever is eventually built, it will act as the project manager. The project must be approved by the town, MART and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation because the latter gave the land for the project at the Rail Trail.
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