Rail Trail e-Newsletter August 2023 #80
Hello all,

Welcome to nearly Labor Day and we're getting closer to the GS2023 conference in mid-October. Still plenty of tickets available and here's a LINK to the Eventbrite registration system. Check out the site and pick a tour you'd like to do. https://www.gs2023.org/

Quite a bit of news going on even in the summer doldrums so to speak. And here's a quick bit of news. MassDOT scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Westfield, Mass for the central section. This is the long-awaited elevated section of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. It is an iconic stretch--elevated through downtown Westfield, much like the Highline is in NYC.

This will be on Thursday, Sept 7, 2023 starting at 3:30 p.m.  It will be held at the Main Street bridge where lots of available parking can be found for folks coming from afar. This is another one of those long time coming projects. Over 25 years. But who is counting really.

This is a part of longest interstate trail in New England--the New Haven & Northampton Canal Greenway. Check it out and come to the ribbon-cutting.

best,

Craig Della Penna, Board President
Norwottuck Network, Inc.
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
AN UPDATE ABOUT
GOLDEN SPIKE 2023
We are inviting all members of the Trails Caucus in the Mass State House. AND we are inviting all the State Reps and Senators representing communities along the MCRT, but are not yet members of the caucus. Here's a link to the invitation.
Can you ask your State Rep and State Senator to join the Trails Caucus? (If they haven't joined already.) And invite them come to the event? Here's a link on how to contact your State Legislator. https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

I have two lectures coming up in September--BEFORE GS2023-- that might be of interest to some of you.

9-20-23 @ 1:00 PM, a Zoom webinar for Walk Massachusetts, formerly WalkBoston.

9-27-23 @ 7:00 PM, in-person and on Zoom at Historic Northampton.
WALK MASSACHUSETTS has invited me to be the September speaker at their monthly webinar series. I'll be talking about just what it will mean to the communities if the rail trail network gets fully developed here. Register here.
Historic Northampton asked me to do a hybrid presentation. In-person and on Zoom. 9-27 at 7 pm. $10-$25 sliding scale fee. All proceeds go to HN. Click here or on the image to learn more.
SUDBURY MASS IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF TWO OF THE MOST NOTABLE RAIL TRAIL PROJECTS. THE Mass Central Rail Trail AND THE Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
Here's an easy way to stay on top of developments in Sudbury for both projects.
Kevin LaHaise of Sudbury publishes a free weekly e-newsletter about happenings in Sudbury. All the usual items about schools, and general items, but he also focuses on the developing rail trails, the Eversource project underway and how the old historic RR items are going to be called out. To sign up for it or to just see the archive, click on the landing page above.
Here's a quick one-pager, recent update on plans in Sudbury. Click here.
SAVE THE DATE and REGISTER now!! Our 9th GOLDEN SPIKE CONFERENCE will be held on Saturday 10-14-23 at the AMVETs facility at 79 Superior Dr. Natick. The location is right between the Cochituate Rail Trail and Cochituate Lake State Park. Website is now live at: GS2023.org Full info including speakers, tours, history of our Golden Spike awards and how to register is on the site.
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's a link to a two-page infographic about the history of the MCRT
Here's a link to the report that answers the main question. "What would a completed MCRT mean to the Commonwealth and the communities along the way."

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 directly to you.
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.
Waltham: 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. 
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: Link here.
Wachusett Greenways Facebook page with a link to their E-newsletter: 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
Here's a couple of stories about the 60+ mile Mountain Division Trail in western Maine finally getting the green light to be built out. Finally.
After almost 30 years of advocacy, rail trail will link Standish to Fryeburg, BY  Mikayla Patel THE FORECASTER

The Mountain Division Trail Alliance has approval to connect existing portions of the trail in Windham and Fryeburg, with the ultimate goal of a continuous off-road path from Portland to Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire.

Gov. Janet Mills last month signed into law LD 404, authorizing the Maine Department of Transportation to construct a multi-use trail along an unused rail corridor from Standish to Fryeburg. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Rick Bennett, R-Oxford. READ MORE
(One of the reasons this didn't get the OK earlier was that a reservoir/water resources authority along the corridor didn't like the idea of bikes going past the reservoir, but they were OK with freight trains going by. CDP)(on
Gov. Mills authorizes Fryeburg-to-Standish rail trail, The Conway Daily Sun, August 11, 2023
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Gov. Janet Mills recently signed a bill that will lead to the construction of a new biking/walking trail on a corridor of inactive railroad tracks that runs through Oxford and Cumberland counties.

The bill was introduced by Maine Sen. Richard A. Bennett (R-Oxford) and then passed by a large majority in the Maine Senate and House, demonstrating the Legislature’s belief in the value of investing in trails for recreation and transportation.

The Maine DOT is authorized to construct a multi-use recreational trail along the state-owned Mountain Division Rail line, from Standish to Fryeburg, Maine. READ MORE
Bruce Donald gets an award from the Governor of CT for all his work over the years getting trails and greenways built in CT.

Read this nice update about happenings in CT from the East Coast Greenway.
Here's a short video recap of their recent ride on the ECG from New Haven to Southwick Mass.
Here's something that you might not heard of before. The Emerald Network.

Through the efforts of urban park pioneers Frederick Law Olmsted and Charles Eliot, Boston has a rich legacy of linear parks and greenways, but they were never finished.

The Emerald Network builds on this portfolio of 100 miles of greenways to create a seamless 200+ mile network across the urban core, from the Mystic River in the north to the Neponset River in the south. READ MORE
Last month we had a story (left) about Tim Blagden that included a tidbit about the bench made from a railroad wheelset. On the right is a story about how an Eagle Scout created one in Danvers Mass, 10 years ago, that was later emulated in NH by Tim and his team.
Hometown Hero: The long and winding road in Concord, NH is off and running Tim Blagden and his wife, Kristen, on the Concord Lake Sunapee Rail trail off of Fisherville Road in Concord on June 23. GEOFF FORESTER / Concord Monitor staff

For several years, he’s been dreaming of a hiking, biking and walking trail 34-miles long that, with a landowner’s permission, would allow snowmobiling in certain spots. As Blagden saw it, a trail connecting Concord to Newbury Harbor on Lake Sunapee would reveal the region’s rich history, focusing on the railroad and various mills, and serve as a connective force that unites the towns through the up-and-coming access north.
Sound nutty? That’s what many in the area thought. Read more. 
Train wheel benches grace Danvers Rail Trail
SALEM EVENING NEWS BY ETHAN FORMAN STAFF WRITER Dec 19, 2013
DANVERS — You can thank Danvers High senior and Eagle Scout Tim Jordan for those three train wheel benches that appeared along the rail trail earlier this year.

It was Tim, 18, who came up with the idea of using old train wheels and axles as benches to capture the historical essence of the Danvers Rail Trail, which was completed earlier this year.

“These wheels came right off one of those old trains,” Tim said. Read more.
And here's another recent story about the Concord Lake Sunapee Rail trail. / Only in your State; NH

There is even a covered railroad bridge on this line. Read more. 
Looking for a fun fall excursion? Here's an infographic about 5 Covered RR bridges on rail trails in Northern New England. You are going to love this trip.
LYNN ARTIST INSPIRED BY BIKE PATH FOR NEW GALA EXHIBIT
Lynn Item Live by Anthony Cammalleri

LYNN MASS — When local graphic designer and painter Emmanuelle Le Gal sees the city’s recently updated Northern Strand Community Trail and Community Path, she doesn’t just see a green space, a park, or a place to ride a bike — Le Gal sees a work of art.

Le Gal’s new collection “Art Inspired by the New Lynn Bike Path” at Galleries at LynnArts will premiere Thursday, Aug. 31, with an opening reception on Friday, Sept. 1 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

“The Lynn bike project is very close to my heart. I live right by it and have watched the evolution from old railroad tracks to gravel to a beautiful, paved path lined by daisies. I’ve seen how the trail has become an integral part of the city as a corridor bubbling with life and beauty,” Le Gal said. Read more.
AND IN THE ORANGE AREA;
Interesting, "HIGH ALTITUDE" Stories From Around the Country and Sometimes Beyond.
Awe-inspiring bicycle infrastructure around the world
By Karen James--Momentum Mag

As cities worldwide strive to address the challenges of traffic congestion, air pollution, and sustainable transportation, a new paradigm is emerging – one where architectural innovation intersects seamlessly with bicycle infrastructure. From sky-high bike highways to underground or even underwater bicycle parking facilities, urban planners are reimagining cityscapes that prioritize cycling as a fundamental mode of transit. Read more
The best cities to fall in love with the bicycle all over again Momentum Mag Staff

In an era of rapid urbanization and environmental consciousness, the humble bicycle is experiencing a renaissance as a preferred mode of transport. Across the globe, several cities have embraced the bicycle as more than just a means of getting from point A to B; they have cultivated a thriving bicycle culture that encourages both locals and visitors to pedal their way to a healthier, greener, and more connected lifestyle. Read more
California Cities taking the initial steps to reign-in speeding e-bikes
(Wow! Who could've foreseen this? CDP)

How fast is too fast on a bike path? Sara Rubin Aug 23, 2023

The idea is that as the Rec Trail gets crowded with different users at different speeds, there could be relevant signage or speed limits coming in the future. Read more
PEOPLE FOR BIKES 2023 List of the Most Bike-Friendly Cities is Out. Topping the list this year is PROVINCETOWN, Mass.
BY MOLLY HURFORD Jun 27, 2023 Coming in with the #1 and #2 overall spots in our 2023 City Ratings, Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Crested Butte, Colorado, boast scores in the high 80s and stand as shining examples of great places for bicycling. 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.

Or if and when we need to, (or are asked to) we will commission major reports to answer the "elephant in the room" questions, never asked.

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.
Here's Podcasts I've been on.
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