Rail Trail Newsletter 2017 #13

Greetings! First of all, Tiffany and I have changed the layout of this missive to be two stories, side-by-side. This effectively makes the missive less 'tall'. The second big thing is that the ribbon-cutting hasn't taken place yet at the new tunnel in Northampton. Turns out that the contractors aren't 100% done and so the state didn't want to have an official ribbon-cutting until things are 100% done It'll be done soon, but not exactly sure. The other big thing is that we are now firmed up for a two-state conference at Northampton's Union Station Ballroom on Saturday July, 28 from 8:30 to 1:30. This is a prominent location for such a conference in that it is the junction of two of the most prominent rail trails in New England. The Mass Central Rail Trail and the n-s oriented Farmington Canal Heritage Trail from New Haven to Northampton. We'll have updates from each section and have an inspirational keynote speaker to be announced. In the afternoon there will numerous walking and biking tours from the station. Enjoy the fall! Craig Della Penna 413 575 2277 Craig@GreenwaySolutions.org

"In the News"  and Updates About the Longest Rail Trail Project in New England

Communities on the   on the MCRT and their websites 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 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. This is a periodical that has the best info about the MCRT in Belmont.  Somerville: Friends of the Community Path's Facebook page is here.  Waltham: Link here. Weston: Link here. Wayland:Link here.  Sudbury: Link here for the N-S corridor.  Hudson: Link here.   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. Clinton: 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.

SAVE THE DATE: GOLDEN SPIKE 2018 July 27 and 28 2018 Northampton's Union Station Plan on coming to this exciting conference! Located at the intersection of two of the most prominent trails in the northeast. -- 84 mile N-S oriented trail from New Haven to Northampton. AND the 100+ mile E-W trail from Boston to Northampton. A conference here will represent a joining together of the two trail efforts at Union Station. LINK HERE to the beginnings of a website about the conference. Our capacity will be 150 attendees and we'll be running both the conference attendance list and the walking/biking tours sign up lists on an Evite.com platform that is being fleshed out right now. Stay tuned for more. NEWS from the Community Path Ext aka CPX This reflects our vision to regionally connect all of these paths via the full Community Path extension (CPX) along the future Green Line extension (GLX): - Minuteman Bikeway - Charles River paths - Future Grand Junction Path - Northern Strand trail - Boston Freedom Trail [and of course the MCRT too--CDP] Now we just have to hope the State will design and build it as part of the GLX! MassDOT is slated to announce on 12/11 which team will get the GLX Design Build contract and whether or not that will include the full CPX. [From the Friends of the CPX FB page. LINK HERE

Rockland, Abington receive grant to pave Hanover Branch Rail (Enterprise file image) By  Ed Baker baker@wickedlocal.com  A walking path on the former Hanover Branch Rail in Rockland and Abington will get smoother for walkers, bicyclists and cross-country skiers when a 9,986-foot portion of the pathway is paved next month, weather permitting. Read more.

Chicopee bike path nearly ready for construction By  Jeanette Deforge CHICOPEE - The design of a bike path that is to run along the Connecticut River in the Willimansett area is nearly complete and construction could begin during the next fiscal year. Read more here.

Next step on East Side Greenway plan   BILL DE BLASI o EAST SIDE MANHATTAN WATERFRONT GREENWAY The formal design process for a new section of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway between East 61st Street and East 53rd Street will officially kick off next week. Read more.

Public Invited to Discuss Bike Path Routes In Plainville By Bill Leukhardt The latest proposals to extend a multi-state rails-to-trails path through town will be discussed Wednesday at a public meeting at the high school. The meeting will discuss closing the so-called “ Plainville  Gap,” the largest break in Connecticut’s portion of the 84-mile  Farmington  Canal Heritage Trail that will link  New Haven  with Northampton Mass., when it’s done. Read more.

Southington’s rail-trail is closing the gap with Plainville By SHERIDAN CYR STAFF WRITER It hasn’t been that long since Southington’s linear trail finally connected to Cheshire at the south end, and the Plainville-Southington gap is shrinking. It might not be long before rail-trail enthusiasts are able to travel the whole stretch from New Haven to Northampton, Mass. Read more .

In N.H.'s North Country, ATV Tourism Revs Up A Culture Clash By  CASEY MCDERMOTT   These days in Gorham and lots of other towns throughout the North Country, it’s not unusual to see caravans of ATVs (shorthand for  "all-terrain vehicles" and  "utility vehicles," which are often larger with multiple seats) all over. They're parked at the local gas station, in line at Dunkin’ Donuts, and zipping down local roads. This is the result of a years-long effort, by both state and local tourism officials, to make northern New Hampshire a destination for ATV riders. While some see promise in this growing group of tourists, others worry that the region might be losing something else along the way. Read more.

At 92, Carroll crosses the bike path off her bucket list By  SANDY SEOANE, Valley Breeze Staff Writer BLACKSTONE – For 27 years, Millville, Mass., resident Margaret Carroll served as a volunteer and advocate for the Blackstone River Greenway through her work with the Blackstone Valley Heritage Corridor, but she never thought she’d actually get the chance to ride the local segment of the path, a 3.7-mile dedicated trail that officially opened in September. Read more.

Support the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative at the Annual Greenway + Industry Event by  Susan De Vries Mingle with Brooklyn businesses and support the completion of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway at the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative’s annual networking event. The fundraising event on Monday, November 13 gathers supporters and business leaders from Brooklyn’s major economic hubs to raise funds to complete more of the pathway and also honors those who have helped advocate for the project. Read more.

‌ Rail trail connections coming to Salisbury By Jim Sullivan Staff Writer SALISBURY — It looks as if the rail trail may soon link the town to its neighbors to the north and west. Town Meeting voters unanimously approved a request Monday to allow selectmen to acquire trail easements on Rabbit Road and areas north of Route 110, which Planning Director Lisa Pearson said would connect Salisbury’s Ghost Trail with Amesbury’s Riverwalk Trail. “That runs from the end of the Ghost Trail, essentially to Stop & Shop,” Pearson said. “It doesn’t quite get that far but it is very close. We have been trying to figure out a way (to do this) for years and this is a way to finalize the plan, staying mostly on (Massachusetts Department of Transportation) property.” Read more .

Initiative to close trail gaps in MetroWest By  Alison Bosma  ASHLAND – If trail planner David Loutzenheiser had his way, an intrepid cyclist could jump on a bike in Milford and pedal safely to Boston on a network of greenways and rail trails. “I’ve been spending the last five years or more mapping the trails throughout the region,” Loutzenheiser told a crowd of MetroWest trail enthusiasts Friday morning. The ride to Boston will likely stay a dream a little longer, but, thanks to a new regional initiative, easy bicycle and foot travel through MetroWest is drawing closer to reality. Loutzenheiser and dozens of local trail experts gathered under a pavilion in Ashland State Park Friday to kick off the MetroWest Landline Project. Read more.

Benefits of Greenways in the Triangle Region of North Carolina The  East Coast Greenway in the Triangle connects communities in four counties, serving as a nearly 70-mile trail “spine” that links to many other trail systems throughout the region. This report contains an analysis of the estimated quantified benefits resulting from implementation of the East Coast Greenway in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina. In total, it is estimated that this section of the East Coast Greenway generates $90,323,000 in annual health, environmental, economic, and transportation benefits. Read more here.

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TOURING THE RAIL TRAILS AND THE NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY NEAR NORTHAMPTON

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 the Manhan Rail Trail in Easthampton, MA. 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 #11 .  SEE A LIST OF ALL 14 VIDEOS

MY CALENDAR

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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