Rail Trail e-Newsletter May 2022 #66
Greetings!

Finally it is spring and we've got some greaaat stories for you. Under the heading of "The Ying and the Yang" we have an update in Sudbury where the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail-opposed for 18 years by a select group of antis is now moving forward to construction.

And I just couldn't resist putting-in a great bridge story from Albany. The active RR bridge for both passenger and freight traffic is going to be rebuilt and of course it will have a bike-ped path alongside. Of course it will.

And we have couple of interesting events in Clinton, Mass next week to check out. Don't forget to register for our summer Golden Spike conference. https://www.gs2022.org/. Saturday, July 30, 2022. We are looking forward to this and seeing many of you there. You will be re-energized.

Craig Della Penna, Exec. Director
Norwottuck Network
62 Chestnut St. Northampton, MA 01062
413 575 2277 CraigDP413@gmail.com
In the GREEN area, we have news about the
Mass Central Rail Trail
and/or its connecting paths
Legal Opinion to the Hudson Select Board about the continuing saga of the Eversource case.
You'll enjoy this. 13 pages, but very well done.CDP Read more.
By Vincent Stanton, Jr.
The Belmont Community Path is approaching
in important milestone—a potential construction funding decision by the Boston region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Although municipalities, including Belmont, are responsible for funding path design and for securing the path right of way, state and federal governments fully fund path construction via the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).
‌
Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust is hosting two events in the coming week
all about the Mass Central Rail Trail
Click on the image to the left to go to the Land Trust's website about these events.
IN CASE YOU'RE STILL WONDERING
Last month I mentioned my rembrance of National Grid's smiling Real Esate Dept at the bill signing ceremony in 2009 with then Governor Deval Patrick.

Well the blue file to the left is the actual worked-up legislation that National Grid was heavily involved-in the creation of.

The premise was make their vast holdings of dead RRs in Mass, more readily available to groups and communities--without any liability threats.

Those of you who are now getting insurance bills from NGrid need to remind them of their role in getting the legislation passed.

Here to the left is the finalized Rec-Use law. As perfected by both the utility and RR industries.

And below to the left is the directive from Mass DOT to permit and build more rail-w-trail projects.

btw, those of you in CT and VT need to emulate this if your states are serious about off road connections in communities. Rail-w-trail is a safe and perfect solution in many situations. And sharing utility corridors too.

below is National Grid working on their powerlines on the Manhan Rail Trail in Easthampton, MA
Attention CT and VT folks. NH is now getting their improved legislation done before you!
I've been telling you for years that this is important.
Closing the ‘big gap’: Senate to vote on rail trail connector bill. The NH State Senate is set to approve a bill that would make it easier to connect segments of the state’s rail trail by protecting railroad property owners from liability when outdoor recreation is allowed on the land. Read more.
REGISTER NOW FOR THE GS2022 CONFERENCE
Saturday July 30, 2022
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.
Wayland: Link here. 
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 regularly updated history of DCR's efforts on building out this complicated trail.
Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust: Link here. updated info.
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.
Here's DOT's Recent Feasibility study about how to piece together the middle sections of the MCRT.
AND IN THE WHITE AREA,
OTHER NEWS AROUND THE REGION
State, Local Officials Cut Ribbon for Pittsfield Rail Trail Extension
By Brittany Polito iBerkshires Staff
Saturday, May 07, 2022

Mayor Linda Tyer welcomes attendees at Saturday morning's opening of the Pittsfield extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. The bike path now runs from Crane Avenue in Pittsfield north to Lime Street in Adams. Read more
Massachusetts is the best state for bicyclists, getting ranked top ‘bicycle friendly’ state in 2022 report card by League of American Bicyclists
Massachusetts is the best state for bicycling in the U.S. this year, according to an annual ranking by the League of American Bicyclists, which placed the Bay State in the top spot for the first time. Read more.
The Ying and the Yang. This time in Sudbury, Mass with the N-S trail getting underway finally, while the E-W trail still conjuring up some hand-wringing and angst.
N-S oriented Bruce Freeman Rail Trail In Sudbury Gets Approvals For Construction
Neal McNamara, Patch Staff
May 9, 2022 Patch Newspaper

SUDBURY, MA — Town Meeting last week cleared the way for the start of construction on a 4.4-mile section of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail through Sudbury. Read more
Here's a video of a recent Sudbury Historic Commission meeting where they were grilling U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staffers about historic features on the future MCRT. Video here.
Two stories about the soon to open Twin Cities Rail Trail
Editorial: Twin Cities Rail Trail poised to join area’s pathway gems Lowell Sun. May 5, 2022 at 5:00 a.m.

The latest green jewel in our region’s assortment of scenic walkways recently received a generous gift of another kind of green that will assist in sustaining its natural beauty for years to come. Read more
First phase of Twin Cities Rail Trail slated to open in June
By DANIELLE RAY | dray@sentinelandenterprise.com
May 4, 2022 

The Twin Cities Rail Trail Association accepted a $50,000 gift from the Romolo Testarmata Fund in February that launched a fundraising campaign to support maintenance and enhancements along the soon-to-open Twin Cities Rail Trail. Read more.
Here's two stories about trail group using "Go Fund Me" to fund their projects
One final step to make Rail Trail a public asset May 2, 2022 
Bennington Banner
MANCHESTER, VT — Manchester voters approved the town’s purchase of the privately held Historic Manchester Rail Trail by an overwhelming margin of 700 to 200 votes in March. There is one final step Manchester rail trail users need to take now to secure the trail as a public asset. Read more
Here's a small fund-raiser to have an engineer look at this small, bent timber bridge on the MCRT in Belchertown. This is sponsored by Friends of the Belchertown Greenway.

Check out their Go Fund Me page. Read more.
OPINION: Swampscott Rail Trail will provide residents with an amazing amenity Wicked Local

I read with interest the letter from Andrew Samalis, an abutter to the rail trail. I first started riding the Marblehead trail with my children in bike seats, riding on streets here in Swampscott to reach the Marblehead border. Since that time, more than a quarter of a century ago, I have seen many rail trails built near us, including some such as the trail in Danvers where abutters fought the trail for years and, now that it's built, love it. Read more
Rail trail advocates outraged over switch from tunnel to ‘spaghetti plan’ at Derry’s new highway exit
DERRY, NH – Transportation officials changed the plans for a section of rail trail to be built through a new highway ramp in Derry, from a straightforward tunnel to a circuitous “spaghetti-shaped” detour, that rail trail advocates are calling unsafe and unnecessary. 

Town officials say it’s the tunnel that creates a safety issue for motorists. 
And I just couldn't resist a good bridge story. . .
Here's a great video story from a local TV news station in Albany about the state of NY going to rebuild a RR bridge over the Hudson. The rebuild will have a bike-ped path alongside. You say, sacré bleu! I'd point out that the original bridge had a walkway alongside the tracks--eons ago. It is coming back. Finally.
AND IN THE ORANGE AREA
Interesting, "High-Altitude" Stories From Around the Country and Sometimes Beyond.
NYC to fill gaps in Brooklyn, Queens bike and pedestrian greenways with $48M investment
New York City is putting the green in its greenways.

Mayor Eric Adams wants to earmark $47.6 million in the upcoming city budget for shared bike and pedestrian paths also known as greenways, a senior official from his administration announced Thursday.

The funding will add up to 20 miles to the city’s existing 150-mile greenway network, starting with two projects along Brooklyn’s southwest shoreline and in central Queens. Read more.
Lamoille Valley Rail Trail enters final phase of across-the-state construction
Construction has started on the three remaining segments of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, officials said this week, and the state anticipates the entire 93-mile recreation path spanning northern Vermont will be completed this fall. 

Segments of the trail that have been completed are paved with crushed stone and are open to all nonmotorized uses, and in the winter to snowmobiles. Read more. 
BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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.
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!