Rail Trail e-Newsletter November, 2024 #89 | |
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Hi all,
Happy Halloween. It's been a busy time with 4 lectures in NY, CT and Mass in the past 3 weeks. There's some interesting stories below. Including an event on Saturday 11-9 in Clinton, Mass. You know Clinton, the place on the MCRT with the 1,000 foot tunnel needing a reno. Well, the Friends group associated with the project is hosting a Chili cook-off event as a fund raiser.
They are also having a Silent Auction that evening that we are donating a two night weekend stay for two couples at our bed & breakfast that sits next to the rail trail. That stay includes a guided walking or biking tour of the rail trail network here. Please do buy tickets to their event and consider making a bid on the stay at our bed & breakfast and the tour.
Also of note here is the beautiful, short video produced by the professional marketing team brought in by one of our foundational supporters--HubLuv. You are going to love it.
And finally, I have a story from Athol, Mass about their nascent project--the Rabbit Run Rail Trail. This is a former RR that went away when most its route was under where the Quabbin Reservoir was later built. They are beginning to develop the trail from downtown Athol to the edge of the reservoir property. This too will be eventually be connected to the MCRT at Belchertown.
Enjoy
Craig Della Penna, Board President
Norwottuck Network, Inc.
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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Did you see the great, short, 3.5 minute video put together by our marketing team? It tells the story very succinctly as to why it is so important to:
FinishTheRailTrail.org
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After 42+ years of service, one of the earliest municipally-built rail trails in the northeast gets repaved. | |
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Northampton Bike path between Bridge Rd., State St. closed starting Oct. 28 by Ryan Feyre The Reminder Oct 29, 2024
NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Bikeway segment of the Mass Central Rail Trail will be closed for reconstruction starting on Oct. 28 for at least 30 days.
According to the announcement from the city, a detour for this segment of the trail will be in place for the duration of construction and the trail will be completely closed while the construction is underway. Read more. And here.
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Here's the official press release from the Mayor. Read more.
The photo to the left was taken by me and shows the trail pavement being scarified right next to our house. In our 23+ years of living here, this is the largest vehicle we've ever seen on the trail. Certainly the noisiest too.
And yes, the scarifying process did shake and vibrate our house which sits 8 feet from the trail. The legions of bikes and peds going by have never shook the house though. CDP
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Mass DCR to start snowplowing the Norwottuck section of the MCRT
NORTHAMPTON — Biking year-round from his Northampton home to teach at Amherst College, Nicholas Horton can face major challenges in using a nearly 5-mile section of the Norwottuck Rail Trail following snowstorms, having to detour from the dedicated route for bicyclists and pedestrians to ride alongside vehicles on Route 9 in Hadley. Read more.
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A Chili Cook-off to benefit efforts to build out the MCRT in Clinton
Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust is having a Chili Cook-off on Saturday Nov. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. It will be at Turners Hall, 60 Branch St, Clinton, MA 01510. We welcome all trail advocates to join us. We have 11 entries so far with a few more expected to enter. At our first Chili Cook-off, we were amazed at the variety of flavors - green chili, vegetarian chili, meat chilis, all very different from each other! There will also be Trivia, a silent auction, and good conversations. Tickets and more info are available on our website. Read more
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We are donating an exciting item to the Chili Cook-off's Silent Auction!
> Two night, weekend stay for two couples at our award-winning Bed & Breakfast, Sugar Maple Trailside Inn
> Guided walking or biking tour of the rail trail network here. (see details below)
> Lunch during the tour.
> Value of the weekend--$1,400.
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Click on the image above to go to the Biking Tour Layout | |  |
Click on the image above to go to the Walking Tour Layout | | |
AND IN THE WHITE AREA,
OTHER NEWS AROUND THE REGION
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The 1st section of the BWALT Opens
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Westborough, MA opens part of BWALT trail By Maureen Sullivan, Community Advocate Newspaper-October 5, 2024
WESTBOROUGH – A new path along West Park Drive, off Flanders Road, marks the part of what will eventually be a 12-mile, multi-use trail.
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, local officials and sponsors gathered at a nearby office park to celebrate the completion of a portion of the Boston-Worcester Airline Trail (BWALT). More info here.
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And here's a link to the town's pretty comprehensive website about the BWALT Trail,
This is a trail being built on a former trolley right-of-way. Wow! A former trolley corridor! That is much harder to do, than a former steam railroad corridor. Kudos to Don Burn. Read more.
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The Rabbit Run Trail
ATHOL – Representatives of Howard Stein Hudson Engineering met with Athol’s Open Space and Recreation Commission last week to go over what will be in the designs of the Rabbit Run Rail Trail’s first phase.
This phase calls for about a mile of trail development between the Bidwell Farm and Route 2. Read more
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Click here to go to the presentation | |
AND IN THE ORANGE AREA;
Interesting, "HIGH ALTITUDE" Stories From Around the Country and Sometimes Beyond.
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Here are 10 amazing examples of cycling solutions from cities around the world Momentum Magazine Ron Johnson October 29, 2024
Cycling infrastructure around the world is undergoing a renaissance, blending art, design, and sustainability into some of the most innovative solutions ever created. As cities race to reduce carbon emissions, ease traffic congestion, and encourage healthier lifestyles, they’ve turned to cycling as a practical and eco-friendly answer. These urban areas aren’t just building bike lanes—they’re […] 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.
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.
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Here's some of the Podcasts
I've been on.
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