Smart Growth Plan May Change Route 9

Planners have lofty goals of replacing many of the street-front parking lots and small buildings along Rt. 9 with buildings, housing, public squares and walkways, according to the Boston Globe.

This idea stretches across several towns between Southborough and Wellesley and would need to be approved by planning boards and taxpayers. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has been leading the discussions with an eye on 5-20 years down the road.

The Wellesley to Southborough stretch of Route 9, the Globe reports, could see increases of 88 percent under current zoning regulations, and a 41 percent jump in traffic. 

According to the collaborative that put together statistics for the council, making these changes would ultimately cut down on the increased traffic over time dramatically.

The latest public meeting was held recently, but now the ideas and the basic premise of the smart growth philosophy are out there.