Rail Trail Newsletter 1-2021 #52 |
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Greetings!
Sorry for the delay this month. In my real estate world, we are already in spring and things are busy. But this month got a bit busier beyond that. I was asked to put together a team of attorneys, advocates and NGOs to write an Amicus Brief in the case of Town of Sudbury v Energy Facilities Siting Board. This is an important court case coming before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that has all sorts of background issues or currents in play.
This is where the town and some neighbors to the former RR corridor in Sudbury, Mass (a future part of the MCRT) are fighting the Siting Board's decision to allow Eversource to put in an concrete underground trench that'll contain the high tension wires. After the construction is complete, the state park agency will come in and pave it, landscape it, and it will become a part of the developing 100 mile trail.
A loss here will delay the trail for several more years at the least. We think the Amicus Brief, included here will help the court understand all the issues at stake. Stay tuned for the decision this spring. I have all the other briefs on this issue in case you want to make a deep dive here. Let me know.
I've got more bridge stories here too. For those of you in Bondsville/Palmer, Clinton, Berlin and other places, where missing bridges are seen as a 'forever condition' rest assured that your missing bridge is going to be replaced one day.
I've also got a sweet story about the Rosy Goat Farm near the Mass Central Rail Trail in the Gilbertville section of Hardwick that has won a national award for being a fun camping experience.
Stay well and remember, Spring is right around the corner.
Craig Della Penna, Exec. Director
Norwottuck Network
62 Chestnut St. Northampton, MA 01062
413 575 2277 CraigDP413@gmail.com
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In the GREEN area, we have news about
the Mass Central Rail Trail
and its connecting paths
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There is the big court case delaying the MCRT buildout in Sudbury.
It is called, Sudbury v Energy Facilities Siting Board.
Let's hope the SJC comes down on the right side.
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This Mass. camping spot--near the MCRT-- is ranked among the best outdoor stays in the U.S. in 2021
Trisha Tinker opened up her small family farm to campers three years ago and has been delighted with the results.
It appears campers are delighted too, since they helped Rosy Goat Farm in Gilbertville land on a list of America’s best Hipcamps to visit in 2021. Read more.
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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 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.
Belmont: Link here to the Friends of the Community Path Facebook group.
Somerville: Link here to the Friends of the Community Path Facebook group.
Waltham: Link here to the Waltham Land Trust's site.
Walham: Link here to the Waltham Bike Committee.
Waltham: Link here to the City's page about the MCRT.
Weston: Link here to the town's page about the MCRT
Weston: Link here to the history of both the RR and the advocacy to create the trail. Over 25 years of advocacy. It is now open.
Sudbury: Link here for the N-S intersecting trail--Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
Hudson: Link here for the NE-SW intersecting trail--Assabet River Rail Trail.
Berlin-Hudson: Link here to the new FaceBook group.
Berlin: Link here goes to the town's Rail Trail Committee. They also have a pretty nice website with pictures of the existing dead RR corridor along other maps and images of a future trail. Link here.
Wayside segment of the MCRT: Link here to a history of DCR's efforts on this.
Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust: Link here.
Clinton Tunnel: Link here to a story on WBZ Boston TV about the tunnel.
Wachusett Greenways area: Link here.
East Quabbin Land Trust: Link here.
Palmer coming soon
Ware: Link here to the Facebook group about this segment of the MCRT'.
Belchertown: Link for the site for Friends of the Belchertown Greenway.
Amherst, Hadley on DCR's Norwottuck section of the MCRT: Link here.
Northampton area: Link here to the Friends of Northampton Trails website.
Northampton area: Link here to the Friends of Northampton Trails Facebook.
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AND IN THE WHITE AREA,
OTHER NEWS AROUND THE REGION
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Heritage Trail: How a group of neighbors in Manchester NH helped reclaim prime recreational real estate for all to enjoy
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Springfield seeks state funds to advance plans to convert abandoned railroad into a walking and bicycle trail. This is a project that is well over 20 years in the making--sor far. Does it really need to take a generation to do this stuff? Really? Read more
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RTC did a nice high altitude story about the growing network here in New England. Read the article.
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A tunnel connecting two rail trails in downtown Lebanon, NH
Since 1964, when a raging fire devastated much of its main street, restoring and reinvesting in Lebanon’s historically vibrant downtown area has been a key objective for the City. Since that time, the City has undergone a series of urban renewal efforts including the most recent Downtown Vision Plan and Tunnel Assessment, completed by VHB in 2016. Read more and another story too.
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Here's a few more BIKE-PED
bridge stories from New York
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Gov Cuomo is building another Ped Bridge in New York
New Bridge to Cross Iconic Erie Canal Connecting SUNY Brockport Campus to Empire State Trail
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the selection of SHoP Architects as the lead designer of the Brockport Loop Pedestrian Bridge over the Erie Canal. This new pedestrian bridge in the Village of Brockport represents the first large-scale infrastructure project to begin under the state's Reimagine the Canals initiative. Read more
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Historic bridges in NYC to have cycle paths
The scheme, called Bridges for the People, was unveiled on 29 January as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio's State of the City 2021 address.
"The Brooklyn Bridge (above) and the Queensboro Bridge are iconic and deeply intertwined in the daily lives of countless New Yorkers," said De Blasio.
"Now, it's time to bring them into the 21st century and embrace the future. Read more
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A follow up to the story about a series of historic bridges in the Hudson River Valley |
Last month, we had a story about 12 light-duty truss bridges over active RR tracks being looked at to see if they could be saved. Link here to that earlier story.
Here's a link to the new report on this. Read more.
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After virus delays, Southington, CT continues design work on final trail section
SOUTHINGTON — After delays caused by the pandemic, town officials said they’re continuing with plans to design the last portion of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail from Lazy Lane to the Plainville town line.
Jim Grappone, assistant town engineer, said the trail’s expected path takes it through wetlands at five different points, requiring both local approval and permission from the Army Corps of Engineers. Read more
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Bay Colony Rail Trail comes together in bits and pieces
Maureen Sullivan Wicked Local
DOVER – Depending on where you stand, the 7-mile path that once served as part of the Bay Colony Railroad is either active or waiting to be active.
In Needham and Newton, the rail bed has been converted into active recreation paths. In Medfield, the final steps toward conversion are about to be completed.
In Dover, the path – and the process – remains tangled. Read more.
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Progress made on Twin Cities Rail Trail project. (Yes. It involves yet another huge bike-ped bridge.)
By DANIELLE RAY | dray@sentinelandenterprise.com |
After 25 years of planning, construction of the Twins Cities Rail Trail finally began last year, with Phase 1 anticipated to be completed this fall. Whenever we have hosted presentations, hundreds of people have crowded into meeting rooms reserved at the DoubleTree in Leominster to show their support,” DiNardo said.
“Both mayors and both city councils have been hugely supportive, doing everything they could do to move this project along. State officials from Gov. Charlie Baker on down see this trail as a major priority, linking two gateway cities and providing healthy recreational and commuting opportunities.” Read more.
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Here's another great, iconic ex RR bridge to explore. Rosendale Trestle. 950 feet long. 150 feet high. In Rosendale, NY Read more.
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Peabody Mass Rotary Club celebrating their 100th anniversary by doing some betterments on their city's trail network. Read more
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One of the most memorable trails I toured while doing my first book was the Airline Trail in CT. Check out this great new Master Plan. Read more. |
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AND IN THE ORANGE AREA
Interesting and Pertinent Stories From Around the Country and Sometimes Beyond.
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Brooklyn's Ocean Parkway--Site of the first Bike Path in the U.S.
BY SENIOR EDITOR ON 20TH AUGUST 2016 Brooklyn Hopper
Ocean Parkway was designed by the same minds who gave us Manhattan’s Central Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. In the mid 1860s, Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted endeavored to create a series of pathways that would connect the crowded Brooklyn street grid with the borough’s open spaces. According to the NYC Parks Department, they envisioned street lined boulevards similar to the ones in Paris and Berlin.
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From steel city to bike city: Wollongong pins hopes on becoming world-class cycling destination
With 130km of bike paths that wind along the region’s beaches, Australia’s 10th-largest city is striving to make cycling the preferred mode of transport. But it’s an uphill battle
If Australians were asked what they most associated with Wollongong, most would probably nominate heavy industries such as coal and steel production. But now the city 90km south of Sydney has been recognised alongside diverse European destinations as it strives to make a new reputation as a centre for both professional and recreational cycling. Read more.
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The new Norwottuck Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation specifically set up to help get the longest rail trail in New England--the Mass Central Rail Trail --built-out, operational and notable.
We can help do that by making small, mini-grants available to local groups and communities that will bring restore/renovate/replace historic mile-markers on the corridor. Or help fund kiosks that will call out forgotten railroad or industrial history of that locale.
We will want to work with the state park agency Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) on standardized kiosk designs.
We will keep you all posted as to developments as we go. We have made it easy to DONATE through the Network for Good.
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Amazingly, Constant Contact alerted us that this newsletter is in the top 10% of all of Constant Contact's newsletters, worldwide, in terms of readership engagement.
Imagine that!
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