Westborough Advances I-495/Route 9 Gateway Initiative With Southborough

WESTBOROUGH, MA — Westborough and Southborough are taking another step toward shaping the future of one of the region’s busiest commercial corridors, with a new joint planning effort focused on Route 9 and I-495.

Town Manager Kristi Williams said the two towns are advancing the “495/Route 9 Gateway Initiative,” a collaborative project to develop zoning recommendations and a broader economic development strategy for the Route 9 corridor, in a report to the Select Board on Apr. 28.

As part of the next phase of the project, Westborough has begun sending outreach letters to property owners along the corridor and is organizing a stakeholder meeting scheduled for May 12 at 6 p.m. in town, Williams said in her report.

Westborough is also exploring how to fund the gateway initiative, with two possible paths under consideration: direct contributions from property owners along the corridor or applying for a state grant through the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, which has a June 3 application deadline, Williams said.

The planning effort builds on other recent investments and studies along Route 9 in Westborough, including a newly announced $115,000 state-funded traffic study and signage improvements intended to enhance safety and mobility along the corridor, according to a recent announcement from Sen. Michael Moore.

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