Billerica Completes Final Open Space Forum, Bike Access Tops Resident Priorities

BILLERICA -- March 20, 2024, Billerica wraps its third and final open space public forum with bike access and flood resilience emerging as top priorities. Select Board Chairman Michael Rosa and consultants from Dodson and Flinker presented seven draft goals and 28 objectives for the town's Open Space and Recreation Plan update Wednesday night, with residents breaking into small groups to rank priorities by sticker vote. Planner Eli Block reported that 50 percent of survey respondents, drawn from a pool of more than 500 Billerica residents, rated expanding biking trails as a high priority, the single highest figure recorded for any survey item. Specific projects highlighted include completing the Bay Circuit Trail through Billerica, filling pedestrian and bike network gaps, and pursuing a rails-with-trails route along the Billerica Branch corridor linking downtown to Lowell. The plan must be approved by the Planning Board, Select Board, regional planning agency, and state Department of Conservation Services before Billerica can access state grants for park and conservation projects.