BURLINGTON - Town officials are laying the groundwork for a long-term effort aimed at reshaping how people move through one of the town’s busiest commercial districts. The proposed Mobility Action Plan outlines strategies to make travel in the Middlesex Turnpike and Mall Road area safer, more efficient, and less dependent on cars.

Planning Director Elizabeth Bonventre emphasized that although the plan looks far into the future, many of its recommendations could be implemented in the near term. The focus is on upgrading existing pedestrian infrastructure, strengthening crosswalk connections, and introducing shared bicycle lanes and multi-use paths to allow people to leave their cars behind once they arrive.

The goal, Bonventre said, is to create a district that supports daily life at all hours - a place where residents and workers can easily walk between restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and nearby workplaces without needing to drive short distances.

Despite having sidewalks and trails in place, the area remains heavily dominated by vehicle traffic. Bonventre noted that while some pedestrian accommodations exist, they do not yet function as a cohesive network.

To identify gaps and opportunities, town staff partnered with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s transportation team to conduct on-the-ground assessments throughout the district. Their review included large parking areas, older trail corridors, and other underutilized spaces where new connections could be introduced.

Economic Development Director Melisa Tintocalis presented the plan to the Select Board during its October 20 meeting alongside a representative from MAPC. During that discussion, Select Board Vice Chair Jim Tigges and member Nick Priest suggested revisiting the concept of a local transit option to complement the plan’s goals, noting that Burlington’s former shuttle service had been discontinued years earlier.

Select Board member Sarah Cawley said improvements to this corridor could strengthen what she described as the town’s primary economic engine, adding that similar mobility efforts should eventually be considered in other neighborhoods. Tintocalis said MAPC continues to pursue grant funding to help support future implementation.

The proposal was later reviewed by the Planning Board at its November 6 meeting, where members raised questions about funding, project timelines, safety in less visible pathway areas, and how residents would benefit overall.

Planning Board Chair Brenda Rappaport recommended breaking the initiative into stages, allowing officials to advance immediate improvements while continuing to evaluate longer-term components. The board unanimously agreed to revisit the plan at a future joint session with the Select Board.

Bonventre said the feedback provided by the Planning Board will help refine priorities and identify which elements can move forward first. She described the initiative as a collaborative effort between the Planning and Economic Development departments, aimed at fostering a more connected, active district that supports both economic growth and quality of life for the community.