Prior to the DRPT meeting, Hanover’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution calling on DRPT and the Commonwealth Transportation Board to adopt the 3-2-3 alternative and to keep looking for “opportunities to mitigate the traffic impacts of that option.”

“The 3-2-3 alternative is the only viable alternative that does not threaten the future viability and existence of homes, businesses and farms located in Hanover, and it poses less immediate threat to the homes and businesses in Ashland,” the resolution states.

Supervisor Faye Prichard of the Ashland District was the lone vote against the resolution. She said she understood where her colleagues were coming from but felt the 3-2-3 option — and increased rail traffic over the years — would devastate the town.

“There had to be an acknowledgement that the 3-2-3 is not a panacea,” Prichard said.

For its part, Ashland has launched something of a public relations campaign in opposition of the trench option and in support of a western bypass with a video and a website called savedowntown ashland.org. The website lets users craft messages to be sent to DRPT and the Commonwealth Transportation Board.