Select Board Supports Federal Environmental Approval for Tewksbury Street Bridge Replacement, Adopts Zero Emission First Vehicle Policy, Reviews Town Meeting Warrant Articles

ANDOVER, MA - The Andover Select Board met on Monday, February 23. The meeting was held virtually via Zoom due to the significant winter storm that impacted Andover throughout the day on Monday. During the meeting, the Board considered and voted to support a de minimis impact determination requested by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in relation to the replacement of the Tewksbury Street bridge over the CSX Railroad, a step required to advance the federally funded project. The Board also completed a second reading of a proposed Zero Emission First Vehicle (ZEV) Policy and voted to adopt it, moving the Town closer to earning Climate Leader Status through the state's Green Communities program.

Much of the meeting was spent on the Board's ongoing review of articles that will appear on the Annual Town Meeting warrant. The Board reviewed and recommended approval of eight articles covering topics ranging from routine financial appropriations to the creation of a new electric bicycle registry. The Board also received an update on National Grid's progress in addressing power reliability concerns, and recognized Kari Belson of Troop 73 as Andover's first female Eagle Scout.

Tewksbury Street Bridge
The Select Board considered and voted to support a de minimis impact determination requested by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in connection with the Tewksbury Street CSX Railroad Bridge Replacement Project. According to MassDOT officials who presented the request, the Tewksbury Street Bridge was built in 1980 and has deteriorated significantly in recent years. The bridge's concrete beams are in poor condition, temporary shoring towers were added in 2018, and the structure is currently posted with load restrictions and limited to one-way alternating traffic controlled by signals. The project will replace the bridge with a new three-span continuous steel beam structure, restoring two-way traffic and widening the roadway to include shoulders that can accommodate bicycle traffic.

Because the project requires both temporary and permanent easements on a Town of Andover Conservation Commission parcel at 126 Tewksbury Street, a 7.42-acre property protected under Section 4(f) of the federal Department of Transportation Act, federal approval requires a determination of the project's impact on that protected property. Under Section 4(f), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) must find either that there is no feasible and prudent alternative that avoids impacts to a protected property, or that the project's impacts are de minimis, meaning that they will not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes of the protected resource.

The proposed easements on the conservation parcel total 2,308 square feet, representing less than one percent of the total parcel area. Temporary impacts consist of grading and erosion control work, while permanent impacts are limited to the upgrade of a utility pole and guy wire and bridge slope paving. MassDOT requested that the Board concur that the impacts meet the de minimis standard. The Board voted to support the determination. 

Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in 2027, with the overall construction phase expected to last approximately three years.

Zero Emission First Vehicle Policy
The Select Board held a second reading of a proposed Zero Emission First Vehicle Policy, having previously discussed the policy at their February 9 meeting. At that meeting, Director of Sustainability and Energy Melissa Eusden presented the policy. She explained that its adoption is one of the final conditions required for the Town to earn "Climate Leader Status" through the Department of Energy Resources' (DOER) Green Communities program, which would make the Town eligible for additional state grant opportunities to support sustainability initiatives. The policy aims to optimize the fuel efficiency of the Town's fleet while accelerating the Town's transition to electric vehicles by prioritizing battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hybrid-electric vehicles before considering traditional internal combustion engine vehicles when making future municipal vehicle procurement decisions.

At the meeting, Town Manager Andrew Flanagan introduced the policy for its second reading by providing background and responding to questions raised during the Board's previous discussion. Flanagan noted that approximately one in ten vehicles in the Town's fleet would be impacted by the policy, as many other vehicles, including emergency response vehicles and other specialized equipment, would be exempt. The vehicles to which the policy would most directly apply include inspector vehicles and those used for Meals on Wheels delivery.

Flanagan also noted that the Town already prioritizes electric and energy efficient vehicle alternatives in its procurement practices, meaning that the policy would not represent a substantial shift in current practice. Following discussion, the Board voted to adopt the policy.

Town Meeting Article Review 
The Select Board continued its review of articles that will appear on the Town Meeting warrant. Through this annual process, the Select Board reviews articles that will appear on the Town Meeting warrant and votes on whether to recommend approval or disapproval of the articles. These recommendations are ultimately published in the Finance Committee Report, which is printed and mailed to all residents before Town Meeting.

Dissolution of Revolving Funds 
This article seeks to close out and dissolve a number of revolving funds that are no longer in active use, among them the Fire Rescue and Professional Development Institute revolving funds. Where any balance remains in these accounts, the money would flow back into the Town's General Fund.

Minor Financial Articles 
This article bundles together a set of routine annual appropriations. These include funding for the FY2027 reassessment of real and personal property, support for Andover Day and other civic events, maintenance and a space planning study at Spring Grove Cemetery, funding for elections and Town Meeting expenses, and support for the Jerry Silverman Fireworks Program on the Fourth of July.

Water Treatment Plant Maintenance 
This article seeks $650,000 from the Water Enterprise Fund to support ongoing maintenance of the Town's water distribution system and Water Treatment Plant. The funds are drawn from the enterprise fund dedicated specifically to water infrastructure.

Sewer Collection System Maintenance 
This article seeks $300,000 from the Sewer Enterprise Fund to support maintenance of the 12 sewer stations across Andover that collect and pump wastewater to the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District.

Bylaw Amendments: Soliciting and No Solicitation Registry
These two companion articles together propose an overhaul of the Town's rules governing door-to-door solicitation. Town Counsel has advised that the existing bylaw is outdated and has become vulnerable to legal challenge, particularly given that its current permitted hours largely fall when most residents are at work. The first article would put in place a modernized solicitation bylaw with clearer standards for approving and denying permits, solicitation hours extended to 8 p.m., and stronger protections for residents. The second article would create a voluntary No Solicitation Registry maintained by the Town Clerk, giving residents a formal mechanism to opt out of door-to-door solicitation entirely. The two articles have been kept separate to account for the possibility that Town Meeting or the Attorney General's Office might act differently on each.

Home Rule Petition: Electric Bicycle Registry
This article would take two steps toward creating a mandatory registration program for electric bicycles in Andover. Because state law currently preempts municipalities from requiring e-bike registration, the article would first authorize the Select Board to file a Home Rule petition with the Legislature seeking that authority. It would also adopt the registry bylaw itself, to take effect if and when the petition is approved. The registry would require e-bike owners to register with the Andover Police Department within 30 days of purchase or establishing residency, and would issue a registration decal valid for three years. The program is intended to improve public safety, help recover stolen bikes, and promote responsible ownership and operation.

National Grid Service Reliability Improvement Update
Deputy Town Manager Michael Lindstrom provided the Select Board with an update on efforts by National Grid to reduce power outages and improve service reliability in Andover. National Grid representatives appeared before the Select Board in October and January to address concerns about service reliability, and committed to a series of targeted infrastructure improvements at the Board's request.

National Grid previously reported to the Select Board on "hot spots" where outages frequently occurred, concentrated along several roadways including Rocky Hill Road, Jenkins Road, Salem Street, Chestnut Street, Lowell Street, Woburn Street, and Chester Street. To address these areas, National Grid has initiated or committed to several specific improvements. These include targeted tree trimming and removal, with 124 trees flagged for removal and 20 already taken down as of mid-February; the installation of animal guards on electrical devices; the replacement of fuses with cutout mounted reclosers; the replacement of bare conductors with covered wires; and the sectionalization of single phase taps. Most of these improvements are expected to be completed by late March 2026.

Looking ahead, National Grid also reported plans to install Fault Location, Isolation, and Service Restoration (FLISR) schemes on most feeders in Andover, a technology that automatically detects and isolates faults to minimize the duration and scope of outages. When complete, this work is expected to cover approximately 89 percent of customers in Andover within the next two years.

Other Actions 

• The Select Board recognized Kari Belson, a member of Troop 73, as Andover's first female Eagle Scout. Eagle is the highest rank a scout can achieve. For her Eagle Service Project, Kari planned and led the construction of four new compost bins at the Andover Community Gardens. 
• The Select Board signed the warrant for the 2026 Annual Town Election, which will be held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Voters will elect candidates to five positions: Moderator (one-year term), Select Board (three-year term), School Committee (three-year term), Trustees of the Punchard Free School (three-year term, vote for up to two), and Andover Housing Authority (five-year term). A specimen ballot can be viewed online.
• The Select Board considered two utility application. The first, submitted by National Grid and Verizon, seeks the installation of poles, wires, and fixtures along Lowell Junction Road. This hearing was postponed to March 9^th due to the storm. The second application, submitted by Eversource Gas, was approved and authorizes trenching along Kathleen Drive, Marie Drive, and Highland Road from Summer Street to Kathleen Drive to install approximately 4,985 feet of new HDPE gas main.

 The full meeting can be viewed online through AndoverTV. The Board is scheduled to meet next on Monday, March 9.