MATTAPOISETT— Construction of the second phase of the Mattapoisett bike path will begin no earlier than 2027, said Pare Corporation representative Amy Archer.

Archer presented a pre-design for phase 2A of the bike path during a Mattapoisett Select Board meeting on Tuesday, June 27. 

The Pare Corporation is an engineering company hired by the town of Mattapoisett to complete a feasibility study for construction of phase 2A of the bike path.

Phase 1B, the most recent section of the bike path that connects Reservation Road with Goodspeed Island Road, was completed on April 28. 

Phase 2A will begin on the south side of Depot Street and will continue up Railroad Avenue to Route 6. It will then head north east from the corner of Acushnet Road and Cathaway Road behind Park Street to a crossing walk over North Street, connecting the section to Industrial Drive, said Archer.

Then, phase 2B of the plan will connect the bike path from Industrial Drive to Marion. 

Phase 2A will have crosswalks on Route 6, Park Street and North Street, said Archer. 

One resident raised safety concerns about the crosswalk on North Street.

“It is a posted 25 mile speed limit but I’ve never seen or done it myself less than 40 [miles per hour] and I’ve seen people going much much faster,” she said referring to the potential cross walk on North Street.

Archer said that there will be multiple strategies put in place to remind bicyclists to look both ways before crossing, including “S-curves” in the path to naturally alert bicyclists to slow down and “pedestrian hybrid beacons,” which are traffic signs with flashing lights. 

Construction for phase 2A is estimated to cost $2.85 million and begin no earlier than 2027, said Archer.

So far, said Archer, the project has completed its initial feasibility study, which included clearing overgrown vegetation in the area, screening surrounding wetlands and collecting data from traffic crossing assessments.

The next steps  for the project include securing funding for construction through Transportation Improvement Programs and Mass Trails grants.