Barrington officials have ordered some additional testing and design work for South Lake Drive.

At the Dec. 6 town council meeting, councilors voted 5-0 to approve a contract with an engineering firm to complete a further investigation of the South Lake Drive roadbed. 

The one-way street, deemed too dangerous to drive by town officials, has been closed to vehicle traffic since June. Officials have since been discussing what to do with the now-closed road; the town’s Open Space Committee, Park and Recreation Commission and other groups have offered possible ideas for South Lake Drive’s future uses. 

In November, Pare Corp., a design and engineering firm based in Lincoln, submitted a proposal to the town to complete some engineering services to “determine potential options to improve the roadway surface to provide a handicap-accessible multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.”

As part of the agreement, the town will dig nine test pits along South Lake Drive — seven on the road and two in the parking area closest to North Lake Drive. Officials from Pare will use the test pits to get a better understanding of what rests below the road’s surface. 

Pare officials will then develop concepts, cross-sections and cost estimates for possible future improvements to South Lake Drive. 

According to a Dec. 1 memo from the town, Pare officials will use input from the Open Space Committee. 

The town agreed to pay Pare Corp. $13,600 for the work — that price would increase to $17,600 if Pare uses an outside contractor to dig the test pits instead of the town.