How can we beautify the gateway to Grafton Common?

Drive into the Grafton Common Historic District from any direction and you will pass historic homes and churches along attractive residential streets.

Unless you’re driving east down Route 140 from Upton. Once past Silver Lake, the scenery consists of the decaying Department of Public Works building, graffitied railroad cars along the Grafton & Upton Railroad tracks, and the Cumberland Farms gas station.

It’s not necessarily pretty. But with the DPW moving to a now-under-construction barn on North Street and the Grafton Public Library extension now taking shape, the town has the opportunity to envision a more attractive approach to the center of town.

A survey is now available online for residents to contribute their thoughts about the DPW parcel, and Planning Department Staff will be inside One Grafton Common during Grafton Celebrates the Holidays Sunday.

Follow the project at www.graftoncommongateway.com

This project is funded through a MassDevelopment technical assistance grant.