Dear Editor,
I have been a resident of Wayland for 35 years, living on Sherman’s Bridge Road near the historic bridge. We moved here to raise our family because of the semi-rural character of the town, a municipality with a charter that explicitly mandates the preservation of that character.
During our years here, we have seen the extensive loss of open meadowland, farmland, and deep woods – all given way to very permissive development, much in clear disregard of Wayland’s purported identity. We’re concerned that our wooden bridge might be the next item lost to “progress.”
While the historic preservation of Sherman’s Bridge is a fundamental concern regarding the proposed renovation, safety is also a significant issue. The wooden bridge tends to slow traffic that has been documented to vastly exceed speed limits on the narrow and winding Sherman’s Bridge Road. The last thing we need is a paved bridge that invites drivers to greater speeds that threaten the many pedestrians, cyclists, birders, and fishing enthusiasts that use the bridge.
Sherman’s Bridge is an iconic and beautiful landmark that stands as one remaining emblem of the character of Wayland and the region that residents and visitors have treasured for decades. Our neighbors and countless others were involved in the effort to preserve the bridge when similar proposals to modernize it were raised more than 25 years ago. The people, committees, and boards of both Wayland and Sudbury all coalesced to support a design that respected the heritage of the bridge. We need to do that again.
Paul Stern
Sherman Bridge Road
