Rail Trail e-Newsletter September 2025 #2.4 | | |
Hi ,
Here we are. Officially in fall right now--my favorite time of year. So many stories too about the Federal Government 'clawing back' funding that was supposed to go to bike ped projects. I have six stories about that trend here.
The great documentary, From Rails to Trails, will be launching on PBS in mid October and just today, Sunday, September 28th, an op-ed in the Washington Post about this documentary appeared this morning. I've included that too.
And I now have more and more episodes of my podcast, Roads Less Travelled in the queue as they. Just having too much fun along the way.
Enjoy this one.
Craig Della Penna, Principal
Northeast Greenway Solutions
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 perhaps some of the 18 other trails that connect to it.
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STARTING IN THE "CAMBERVILLE" SECTION OF THE MCRT
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A Legal battle has brought a Cambridge bike and pedestrian path renovation to a halt — for now. THAT WAS IN THE E-NEWSLETTER IN AUGUST, BUT THE COURT HAS RULED AGAINST THE PLAINTIFFS AND THE RENOVATION PROJECT IS GOING AHEAD NOW.
Read the decision by the court. Link in the image below too.
Here's the City's site about the project--moving ahead. And it looks like the plaintiffs are going to appeal that decision. Stay tuned on this.
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Here's the winner of Somerville's Cat Mayor of the Bike Path contest Read more.
| | | Another one of the "Gaps" has been filled in the MCRT | |
Bike path means smoother ride for Weston Cyclists.
Improvements have been made to the Mass Central Rail Trail in Weston. By Addison Antonoff ● Weston Observer ● September 23, 2025
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) finished renovations on the path over the Commuter Rail’s Fitchburg Line at the end of August. The path connects the Mass Central Rail Trail to Jones Road in Waltham, a path often used by cycling commuters, according to Glenn Pransky, the president of the Mass Central Rail Trail Alliance. Read more.
(Wow. This should be the start of a trend. To have DCR step up and become the lead in the remake, rebuild, or replacement of all the missing/needed bridges along the MCRT corridor. This is a no-brainer, people. DCR is coming back. CDP)
| | | Here's an update about Clinton. | |
Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust and the Town of Clinton have received multiple MassTrails grants and other grant awards to complete the Mass Central Rail Trail – Clinton section. The 2024 MassTrails grant award is funding Build Phase 1: construction of two trailheads. One is from Clamshell Road through Rauscher Farm, the other is from a new piece of land acquired by CGCT in 2023 with the support of a 2023 MassTrails grant. Both access points are designed to be completely accessible to all (circled in red on the map). Read more about CGCT.
| | | Taking trash trucks off the road | | Some of you probably know that in a past life, I used to market rail freight and planned the start-up and managed the operations of seven large-scale, transloading operations. I have literally, 'taken off the road' tens of thousands of trucks that used to come into New England. | | |
Today as a Realtor, I still take trucks off the road in a slightly different way.
You see, whenever I sell a house in the service territory of the Pedal People, I gift the buyer a subscription to the bike-borne trash and recycling service.
Read more about the Pedal People and learn how such a service, might be able to come to your community.
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6 RECENT STORIES OF THE GREAT NATIONAL 'CLAW-BACK' OF FUNDS THAT WOULD BUILD BETTER BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE | | |
Trump’s transportation department pulls trail and bike grants it deems ‘hostile’ to cars.
By JEFF McMURRAY. 9-26-25 CHICAGO (AP)
— President Donald Trump’s transportation department has been pulling back grants already announced for recreational trails and bicycle lanes, telling local officials their projects fail to promote road capacity or are “hostile to motor vehicles. Read more.
Duffy Tells Congress He’s Not Delaying DOT Projects —As He Delays DOT Projects
By David Meyer USA StreetBlog Thousands of federal transpor-tation grants remain in limbo as the Trump administration cuts staff and cracks down on DEI, bike lanes and environ-mental rules. Read more.
Trump Cancels Grants for Pedestrian Safety, Bike Lanes By Ted Mann, Bloomberg News in Governing Magazine. 9-23-25
The administration has eliminated funding for many local projects it deems "hostile" to motor vehicles. Read more.
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Make America Drive Again: Trump’s Campaign Against Bike Lanes is Bewildering
At long last, the U.S. DOT has said the quiet part out loud: safe streets are apparently “hostile” to cars.
Momentum Magazine 9-25-25 Written by: Ron Johnson Read more.
Trump cancels trail, bike-lane grants deemed ‘hostile’ to cars By The Straits Times.
The Trump administration is determined to promote the use of single-occupancy vehicles in cities and towns. Read more.
Advocates: Congress Must Stop Trump From Illegally Holding Back Sustainable Transportation Funds By Kea Wilson, Streetsblog 9-26-25
Congress has a chance to restore order, seize back their power of the purse, and stop Trump from "pocket rescinding" hundreds of millions for good transportation projects. Read more.
| | | And Peter Harnik sent me this timely link to a WaPo Op-Ed about how to bridge the partisan divide--just before I launch this newsletter. | | |
People are now booking-in to be on my podcast starting in October. Here's links to both the INTRO and the OUTRO.
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Welcome to the Roads Less Travelled Podcast!
Love rail trails, bike tourism, or greenway real estate? Have you ever dreamt of operating a bed & breakfast along a scenic trail? Or seen how trails can revive small towns?
Join host Craig Della Penna a Realtor, trail advocate, and storyteller, for quick, insightful conversations where real estate meets sustainability and adventure.
Have a story to share? Book your spot and be part of the Roads Less Travelled. LINK here to the booking, on-boarding site
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AND IN THE WHITE AREA,
OTHER NEWS AROUND THE REGION
| | A couple of stories about E-bikes | | |
Connecticut laws on e-bikes going into effect on Oct. 1
SIMSBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut officials discussed the updated e-bike laws Thursday morning at The Bicycle Cellar in Simsbury.
The new e-bike laws will go into effect on Oct. 1, which will improve road safety for everyone. At the press conference, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (D-Conn.) said they’ve seen a 350% increase in bike-related accidents, contributing to their emphasis on e-bike safety. Read more.
| | | Mayor Eric Adams announced the city’s new 15 mph speed limit for electric bikes and scooters will go into effect Oct. 24, the day before early voting begins for the mayoral election. Read more. | | |
AND IN THE ORANGE AREA;
Interesting, "HIGH ALTITUDE" Stories From Around the Country and Sometimes Beyond.
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Here is the 1-minute trailer for Peter Harnik's new documentary. Coming out in a few weeks on PBS. Don't miss it!
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10 Reasons Why Riding a Bike Makes People So Happy by Karen James, Momentum Magazine.
There’s something about riding a bike that never fails to put a smile on your face. Maybe it’s the wind in your hair, maybe it’s the fact that you’re moving under your own power, or maybe it’s just the little taste of freedom it gives you. Scientists have studied it, riders swear by it, and. . . Read more.
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One bicyclist’s DIY project brings some light to the darkened urban landscape
Alex Tsatsoulis grew frustrated with lack of lighting along the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis, so he ordered some lights and grabbed a
ladder. by Bill Lindeke, MinnPost
“I ride the Midtown Greenway pretty much every day. The lights have been out for well over a year, if not two,” Alex Tsatsoulis told me when I asked him about his little project in South Minneapolis. Read more. And here's another version of the story.
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Do you or a friend have a surplus house somewhere in Mass? I know that sounds implausible, but I do get a couple of listings a year in situations like this.
I will make these oddities more impactful. Bring me in as your listing agent and I will market the property. When it sells, I will turn over my share of the sale commission to the Mass Central Rail Trail project.
Contact me at: CraigDP413@gmail.com or 413-575-2277.
Craig Della Penna, CRS, GRI, Green, REALTOR, Associate Broker Trailside Team The Murphys Realtors. 7 Main Street Florence, MA 01062
NorthamptonRealtor.com/innovator
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If you are getting this e-newsletter, you or a friend are likely to be a member of a Friends group affiliated with a rail trail somewhere in the northeast.
Kathy and I would love to offer up a creative fundraiser. We'll make a two-night stay available for two couples at our award-wining bed & breakfast--Sugar Maple Trailside Inn. This will include a guided tour by me, or either a walking tour or a biking tour of the rail trail network here.
We touch-on not only all the RR and industrial history, of course, but also the political history of how each section got built. I'll curl your hair.
This tour will include lunch at a restaurant near the rail trail.
This donation should be a part of an overall fundraiser event for your local trail project. Link here to more info. Click on the image above for a more readable version.
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