Medway's proposed municipal complex at 120 Main St., the site of the former Medway Block, continued through Planning and Economic Development Board (PEDB) review in September, with officials examining traffic safety, emergency vehicle access, stormwater management and construction logistics.

The approximately 41,000-square-foot complex would consolidate Town Hall operations, the Police Department and the Fire Department all in one location. Plans also include parking areas, access drives, landscaping, stormwater management facilities, and a shared police and fire training facility that would serve as an Emergency Operations Center.

At the Sept. 22 meeting of the PEDB, engineers presented revised plans addressing comments from the town's peer reviewer, Tetra Tech. The fire station would be located closest to Main Street, with Town Hall behind it and the police department connected to the complex with access from Pond Street. A loop road would connect Main Street and Pond Street, providing access to the site.

The revised landscaping plan adds trees, reduces groundcover, and preserves mature specimens. John Perry, a civil engineer with Langan, said there will now be a reduction of approximately 80,000 square feet of existing impervious surface, "basically adding about two acres of green space."

The site would also have 200 solar arrays.

During the traffic pattern discussion, Perry showed a graphic that demonstrated how a firetruck would be able to make a left-hand turn off Pond Street onto Main Street when another car is at the stop sign on Pond Street; and added "that other car might have to scooch."

Cory Wilde, senior project manager with Consigli (who grew up and lives in Medway), said the construction plans call for trucks to travel from Interstate 495 up Route 109, turn left into the site from Main Street using the center turning lane, and exit with a required left turn only onto Pond Street and a required right turn back onto 109 back to 495. There may be an exception for the concrete supplier who is local but to the east.

During specific phases of the project, they expect 20-30 concrete trucks per day, 2-3 steel deliveries a day, and soil export will also require numerous trucks.

Deliveries would begin no earlier than 7 a.m., with potential restrictions during school bus and peak commuting periods. A wheel-washing station and warning signals are planned for the Pond Street exit. Construction staffing could include 70 to 120 workers daily with the expected average being 75-90.

Traffic signal improvements were also discussed.

Chairperson Andy Rodenhiser said the PEDB, and the public, would be seeking assurance from the town's traffic engineer that the proposed traffic plan will work.

"In order to make this thing successful, the public has to have faith so that when they go to vote on funding this, they're assured that it's going to actually work and not have things get dramatically worse; I mean, some of those intersections are already failing."

The board granted waivers for (1) parking after the applicant demonstrated that additional parking is needed: and (2) Site Plan Regulations as set forth as being consistent with the purpose and intent of the Site Plan Rules and Regulations.

The public hearing was continued to Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.

Recordings of the Sept. 22 and Oct. 27 meetings can be found on Medway Cable at https://new.medwaycable.com/internetchannel/show/4335?site=3.