IWWC hears initial presentation for Lakeville to Hotchkiss sidewalk

SALISBURY — The final agenda item of the April 28 meeting of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission saw a preliminary proposal for a long-planned sidewalk to connect downtown Lakeville with the Hotchkiss School along Route 41.

“Now seems to be the right time,” said Salisbury Pathways Committee Chair Christian Williams.

David Battista, an engineer with Winsted and Glastonbury based outfit Haley Ward who has worked on sidewalks with both the town and the Hotchkiss School, presented the initial plans for the new footpath. The walkway is planned to sit five feet from the western edge of the roadway, be five feet wide, and be constructed of bituminous concrete. Battista identified four areas of wetland concerns for the project, also noting the extensive wetland that stretches for several thousand feet on the other side of the road from the proposed sidewalk.

Chair Garfein requested that the wetlands be thoroughly accounted for when developing the finalized plans, given the complex terrain and drainage areas to Lake Wononscopomuc. Battista assured that a wetlands expert would perform an official review to inform the plan.