Rail Trail Newsletter 11-18-2017 #14
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Greetings!
In this issue we have the biggest news of the year. The Green Line Extension project in Somerville has chosen the contractor and the project includes the Community Path Extension too! [CPX is an important part of the MCRT] AND the MCRT's Wayside Section has begun construction in Wayland and WESTON. [I never thought in a million years that I'd see both of these stories in one day. Amazing.]
And then there is a great court decision in VT which determined that the local Friends group does in fact own the corridor known as the West River Rail Trail in southern VT. This is a little known story that is going to be more widely known now.
There is also a story from the city of Easthampton Mass where the Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail posed questions to various candidates running for office in the recent election. This is something your community should be doing. This sort of questionnaire will let the citizens know which candidate will be the most supportive of the trail. Take a look at this story.
And there is an article about Community Preservation Act monies being used to help move a trail project forward. If your Massachusetts community hasn't passed the CPA, you are going to have a harder time moving your trail project ahead. Contact me if you want to talk about this for your town.
And of course, the big conference next July is starting to take shape. More on that in the next issue.
Craig Della Penna
413 575 2277
Craig@GreenwaySolutions.org
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"In the News"
and Updates About the Longest Rail Trail Project in New England
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Communities on the
on the MCRT and their websites
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Did you know that many communities (or groups like land trusts) on the MCRT alignment are working on their section of the trail?
Here are links to websites where you can learn who the contact person is, when these groups meet, when hearings are being planned and how to sign up to get notices sent to you directly.
Belmont: Link
here to the town appointed committee.
Belmont:
Link
here
to the Belmont Citizens Forum.
Somerville: Friends of the Community Path's Facebook page is
here.
Sudbury: Link
here for the N-S corridor.
Berlin: Link
here goes to the town's Rail Trail Committee. Once on that page, you can sign up to get notices of meetings, agendas, minutes, etc. They also have a pretty nice website w pix of the future trail. Link
here.
Wachusett Greenways area: Link
here.
East Quabbin Land Trust service area: Link
here.
Ware: Check out the town's new Open Space Plan. Link
here.
Belchertown/Northampton area: Link
here.
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State is providing $1.7 million for Construction of the Wayland, Weston section of the MCRT
By
Brian Benson.
Daily News Staff 11-17
The state announced today that it is spending $1.7 million to complete a section of the
Mass Central Rail Trail
in Wayland and Weston.
The trail will include a 10-foot wide asphalt pathway and be 4 miles long. Construction is expected to be finished by the summer of 2018.
Read more.
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GLX constructors picked for Green Line design-build contract Wicked Local Somer-ville 11-17
Today the MBTA Green Line Extension project team held a “price opening” to select the design-build firm that will perform the design and construction for the Green Line Extension.
The bid features all six additive options, including;
community connection to the community path on Chester Street in Somerville and extension of the community path between East Somerville and Lechmere stations;
Read more
.
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Grassroots Effort Leads To Rebirth Of The Air Line Railroad In Portland
Nature's Path & Way To Go
Rosario “Riz” Rizzo and I are from two different generations of the Air Line Railroad. Rizzo and his friends would walk the rails in Portland as they stretched from the swing bridge across the Connecticut River into East Hampton stopping along the way to climb on boxcars or explore Hobo’s Inn, a cave near the tracks once used by hobos.
When I was growing up in town, the trains were gone. But my friends and I used our imagination while crossing over the rusting trestles and under the huge stone stream aqueducts as we explored the ghostly ruins of the old railroad bed.
Read more here
.
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Holliston OKs CPA funds to cover budget gap for 8 Arch Bridge repairs
HOLLISTON – A request for $200,000 to restore the 8 Arch Bridge will not go before fall Town Meeting, after officials approved the use of CPA funds for the project this week.
The highest bid priced the project’s work at over $1 million, with two more just under. The lowest bid, from Middleton’s NEL Corporation, was $644,000.
The aptly-named bridge can be seen from Holliston’s Woodland Street, crosses Bogastow Brook, and is a landmark in Holliston. The bridge is supposed to be part of the Upper Charles Rail Trail, but officials said it needs repair work and railings.
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Bellingham bike ride promotes rail trail
By
Mike Gleaso
n. For Dave Barber, a trip on Franklin and Bellingham section of the Southern New England Trunkline Trail isn’t just a chance to exercise your legs, it’s an opportunity to glimpse into the past. along the trail that others might miss.
Read more.
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2017 City Election Candidate Survey Responses
In mid-October, 2017, the Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail invited candidates in Easthampton’s upcoming elections to share their views on issues related to the Manhan Rail Trail and its role in the community.
Read more
.
(All places where trails are existing or where they are planned, should be doing this. CDP)
responses
.
Read more here
.
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Court Rules in Favor of the
West River Rail Trail.
11-10-17 By Brattleboro Reformer Staff,
NEWFANE — The public has rights, under a "prescriptive easement," to use a portion of the West River Trail in Dummerston, according to a ruling issued on Wed., Nov. 9 by Judge John W. Valente of the Windham County Superior Court.
The ruling also established that the non-profit group Friends of the West River Trail owns title to a two-acre disputed parcel of land including the trail itself, located at the Rice Farm Road end of the trail in Dummerston
.
Read more . Click
HERE to read the court decision.
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Ulster County lawmakers approve removal of tracks to create Ashokan trail
Ulster County NY lawmakers have taken a giant step forward toward creating a recreational trail along the Ashokan Reservoir, approving a series of resolutions authorizing removal of railroad tracks there.
The Legislature on Tuesday approved entering into a $943,000 contract with Taylor-Montgomery LLC for removal of roughly 11.5 miles of rail, hardware and railroad ties.
Lawmakers also authorized the county increasing its contract with the architectural firm Barton & Loguidice by $118,000 — to $668,000 — to design and oversee construction of a multiuse, recreational trail on an 11.6-mile segment of the former Ulster & Delaware Railroad corridor between Basin Road in West Hurley and state Route 28A in Boiceville.
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Parks Trails New York's New Report About The Economic Impact Of Investing In State Parks.
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As a park advocacy group, we, of course, intuitively recognize the importance of parks. But we also wanted some hard facts. So we commissioned a study to measure the impact our renewed park system is having on the state’s economy. Turns out the increased investment in parks is reaping big returns.
In short, every $1 invested by the state leads to $9 in economic activity. That’s a great investment anyway you look at it!.
Read the report here.
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TOURING THE RAIL TRAILS
AND THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY NEAR NORTHAMPTON
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In 2016, I commissioned Tom Adams of
Reelife Productions
to produce a series of short videos about each section of the burgeoning network of rail trails here in the CT River Valley. Turns out that there are 14 and you're gonna love them!
The one I'm featuring today is about more of the the Manhan Rail Trail in Easthampton. The video has some things that I'm sure you've never noticed before or some of the background info that you probably never knew.
SEE THE VIDEO #12
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Here's my calendar of upcoming in-person lectures, online webinars, bike tours, book-signings etc. Email me at:
Craig@GreenwaySolutions.org
for more information on any of these events or if your community OR trail group might like to host one.
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