Rail Trail Newsletter 2017 #13
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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
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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 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.
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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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.
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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
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Rockland, Abington receive grant to pave Hanover Branch Rail
(Enterprise file image)
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.
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Chicopee bike path nearly ready for construction
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.
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Next step on East Side Greenway plan
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.
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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.
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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
.
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In N.H.'s North Country, ATV Tourism Revs Up A Culture Clash
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 .
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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.
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Benefits of Greenways in the Triangle Region of North Carolina
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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
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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 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
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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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