Following up on abutters' complaints of a decrepit boat ramp and dangerous walking areas, an advisory committee has starting researching updates for the Russells Mills Landing.

The Pathways Committee has estimated that, for $194,565, the Russells Mills Landing could get a repaired boat ramp and parking area, a seawall, and a path that connects the two Parsons Reserve trailheads to the landing.

Although the figures are very preliminary, the advisory committee hopes to work with other town boards and committees to put a more concrete plan before Town Meeting voters within the next year.

"Does the Parks Board care about the seawall? Do they care about the landing?" asked Committee Chair Alan Heureux, noting that not all the updates may be considered essential. The Parks Department manages the 50 Horseneck Road property. Heureux also noted that grant funding will be crucial to move the projects forward.

"I need to find out who can fund what," he said. Heureux said he wasn't sure if Community Preservation Act funds — raised through a a 1½ percent property tax surcharge — could cover any of the costs. He also said Complete Streets funding — provided through the state Department of Transportation — could also be a potential go-to for installing sidewalks. All of those ideas require further research, however.

Resurfacing the 16,350 square feet boat ramp and parking area with compacted gravel would cost about $24,525, Heureux said. To add a bituminous concrete entrance and handicap parking space (totalling 2,500 square feet) would add another $20,000 to the cost, the committee said.

The committee also discussed replacing the retaining wall along the Slocum River.

“There’s this old seawall collapsing into the river and eroding at the seabank,” Heureux said. To install a 210-foot retaining wall that would stretch north of the boat ramp and follow the river toward Rock O'Dundee Road would cost an estimated $75,000, Heureux said.

To connect the Parsons Reserve to the landing, the committee considered 940 feet of basic, form-and-pour sidewalk, costing about $33,840. Heureux noted that aggregate concrete would cost more. Four handicap-accessible ramps would also be installed for sidewalk access, each costing about $1,900. This project would total $41,440, according to the committee’s estimates.

Noting the dangerous curves in the area of the park, the committee also looked into installing a 560-foot, wooden guardrail. It estimated this to cost $33,600.

The estimates do not consider prevailing wage labor costs, and it is unclear how this could be executed with conservation restrictions. The committee is still researching and refining the project, and will have to consult with various town boards to move forward.