Design firm presents study of Lavinia Street walkway in Milton

A Lewes-based design firm unveiled a proposal to build a new walking path along Lavinia Street in Milton Aug. 5, as part of a planning effort to improve pedestrian connectivity in that area.

Joe Jakubowski and Patrick McGay of design firm Verdantas presented two proposals for town council to consider. Both proposals would build a path from Wagamons West Shores to Mulberry Street. The path would be about 2,700 feet, roughly half a mile. 

Jakubowski said part of the path would comprise a boardwalk structure that could bridge across Wagamons Pond. Costs of the two options vary depending on the route and the type of foundation to be used, among other factors.

McGay said the first option would be $2.3 million and would follow along from Wagamons West Shore on the south side of Lavinia Street up to Mulberry Street. He said this alternative would have a shorter boardwalk length – about 400 linear feet – but would have a larger amount of environmental disturbance, with more grading involved, and would run along farmland between Wagamons West Shores and downtown Milton.

“This alternative does include more potential unknowns. There are more easements required to cross more private properties. And it requires multiple utility poles to be relocated for this to be possible,” McGay said.

The second alternative, estimated at $2.8 million, would run along the opposite side of the road, starting in front of Wagamons West Shores and running straight up to Mulberry Street. McGay said this option would necessitate a longer boardwalk, but would also require less grading and have fewer environmental disturbances.

“There are less unknowns,” he said. 

McGay said Verdantas is recommending the second option because of its easier construction path, quicker design turnaround and fewer unknowns.

The Verdantas report was paid for through a state planning grant. McGay said Verdantas was tasked with conducting a feasibility study of a multiuse path along Lavinia Street, which has turned into a rapidly developing corridor with the Wagamons West Shores development, the Rails to Trails and the Granary at Draper Farm development all either along or at the end of the road, which connects downtown Milton to Sand Hill Road.

McGay said the path would provide better bicycle and pedestrian connectivity along the west side of Milton, as well as tie in to the existing Rails to Trails, which runs between Federal and Lavinia streets. 

McGay said Verdantas did an analysis of the area’s natural resources, environmental impacts, a geotechnical investigation and a floodplain report. The pricing for the project factored in costs for construction, permitting, easements, land acquisition and utility impacts. 

At this point, council has made no decision on whether to move forward with the project. Mayor John Collier said the only thing that has been funded is the feasibility study; however, in order to move forward, there must first be a plan. And while the project is not in the fiscal year 2025 budget, resident Steve Crawford questioned the look of such a project given the proposed budget calls for a 30% property tax increase.

“The optics are not great,” Crawford said.