WESTFORD — Town officials have launched Route 40 Corridor Study, with an advisory committee formed back in October 2025. It’s a planning effort aimed at shaping the long-term future of one of Westford’s most debated roadways.
Route 40, also known as Groton Road, runs east-west, a corridor that connects Groton and Chelmsford, including a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial uses. The study will look at zoning, land use, traffic, and infrastructure for the purposes of developing a shared vision for how the corridor should evolve.
“This is an opportunity to step back and look at the corridor as a whole, rather than reacting to individual projects,” said Town Planner Joseph Giniewicz at the study committee’s kickoff meeting.
Origins of the study
Town officials report that the study grew out of years of tension between neighborhoods and industrial uses along Route 40. Those concerns were highlighted by two citizen petitions that resulted in the need for a corridor study.
“This study grew directly from those conversations,” said Giniewicz. “We want to be proactive and decide what kind of corridor Westford wants in the long run.”
Consultants and scope
The committee is working with Innes Land Strategies Group, a planning consulting firm that meets regularly to review findings to help shape recommendations.
“We don’t want Route 40 to evolve piecemeal without a sense of direction or identity,” said one of the advisory committee members.
Traffic and safety concerns
Traffic flow and roadway safety are recurring themes during the meetings. The study will continue to evaluate traffic flow, safety, signage, and design improvement opportunities to better service all users of the corridor.
Opportunities to participate
Residents will have multiple opportunities to participate, including two public workshops, three townwide surveys, and a public presentation reviewing the final recommendations.
Detailed schedules are available on the town website here.
Next steps
Over the next few months, the project team will study the market conditions, infrastructure capacity, and zoning constraints. Draft vision scenarios will be shared with public for review before the final vision plan is completed. The committee hopes the study will wrap up this summer or early fall.
