Plans Presented for Cole Parkway Redevelopment
SCITUATE — Scituate residents heard updates this week on the Cole Parkway Resilient Design and Engineering Project, as consultants outlined three potential redesign options to address flooding and improve the downtown waterfront.
Project manager Allison Varanelli of Collins Engineers said the project’s main goal is coastal resilience. “The purpose of this project is first and foremost a coastal resilience project, so trying to address some of the flooding that we’ve seen at Cole Parkway,” Varanelli said. She added that the team also aims to enhance pedestrian access, increase green space, and maintain parking where possible.
Since the last presentation about a year ago, engineers have lowered the design flood elevation after determining that raising a wall alone would not prevent flooding. “No matter how high we were to construct a wall, it really would only provide a certain level of protection because water would flow into Cole Parkway from the north, the west, [and] the south,” Varanelli explained.
Varanelli said the revised plan “would accept a higher level of risk and only design to a lower storm scenario” in order to make the design more cost-effective. The change also allows the team to raise the parking lot slightly and improve drainage systems that currently allow water to bubble up through catch basins during high tides.
Among the proposed changes are new sidewalks, drainage swales that serve both as green space and stormwater treatment, and a flood wall to protect Front Street buildings from flooding. Solar canopies are included in one of the design options to support green energy goals.
Varanelli outlined three alternatives now under review:
Alternative 1 raises the parking lot and sidewalks, improves drainage, and adds a small number of parking spaces—the only option that increases parking.
Alternative 2A keeps those same flood protection measures but introduces a central pedestrian walkway that adds green space and connects Front Street shops directly to the harbor.
Alternative 2B includes a reconfigured entrance, expanded green space, a restored wetland, and a new boardwalk along the southern end. It also extends and resurfaces the boat ramp to improve recreational access.
Public feedback played a major role in shaping the designs. Varanelli said about 300 people completed an online survey and about 50 residents attended a July public meeting. “More green space and shade and the better connected Harbor Walk came out as kind of the key top priorities,” she said. The main concerns were flooding and limited parking.
All three options address flooding and drainage issues, though only the first increases parking. Varanelli said the team is now developing a ranking matrix to help the town evaluate the options. “We’re working currently with our sub consultants on developing a much more robust alternative ranking system that we’ll be providing to the town,” she said.
A future public engagement session is planned to share updated renderings and gather more feedback before a preferred design is selected.
Full presentation can be seen at Scituate Community TV.
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