Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Expansion Discussed at Forum
 The five-person panel consisted of state Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, Douglas Plachcinski of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Town Administrator Jonathan Butler, Mayor Richard Alcombright and Lauren Stevens of the Hoosic River Watershed Association. |
ADAMS, Mass. — A five-person panel discussed the successes so far and the challenges on extending the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail to Hodges Cross Road in North Adams at the Adams Visitors Center on Thursday evening.
The plans are still moving forward, with the approximately $1.9 million extension to Lime Street expected to be completed by mid-2014. North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright is already looking beyond that and the Hodges Cross Road extension, a project to cost about $2.3 million.
"If we really think we can have a bike trail to Hodges Cross Road in three years, I don't know why we couldn't have completion of a bike trail to Heritage State Park within five," Alcombright said.
Lauren Stevens of the Hoosic River Watershed Association explained that extending the trail is a much more difficult project than the initial installment of the Lanesborough-Adams section because it was built on a former railroad with barely any crossings, a circumstance that is incredibly difficult to achieve now.
"Where else could we bike off-road for 11 miles and only cross two other roads? Hard to think," Stevens said.
The challenges include permitting, land acquisition and funding.
Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said the "sometimes painstakingly slow ... but important" permitting process requires the "same evaluation process that a six-lane highway in Boston would receive."
Butler hopes the biking community can rally support for the project to help expedite the process.
"So I think working together to bring awareness to that, and maybe expedite that process in the future is a challenge we can possibly make some headway with," Butler said.
He also stressed the importance of residents rallying behind the cause to convince property owners that the project is better for the community.
"Every time we had to discuss the issue, every time we had a public debate, we knew 90 percent of the community was behind the project," Butler said. "It's important that in order to overcome the challenges in the future, those of you that are so passionate about these trails to continue to be vocal."
Butler said in order to extend the trail behind the Adams Corporate Park and following the flood chute, nine easements for property were needed.
The timeline also changed as the Berkshire Scenic Railway project's incorporation delayed the extension to Lime Street a year so the state can re-engineer the project, which will include six-tenths of a mile of the train and bike path running side-by-side, separated by a fence. The railway will run from North Adams to the Adams Visitors Center.
State Rep. Gailanne Cariddi, D-North Adams, who has long been involved in bike path efforts, had confidence in funding bike trail projects, despite worries about the transportation budget.
"One thing to take into consideration is that Secretary [Richard] Davey, who's heading all the efforts on the transportation, really does want to see more bikable paths around the commonwealth," Cariddi said. "In Berkshire County, he knows we don't have enough here. I have hope and think that we will have some of that funding here."
Douglas Plachcinski, senior transportation planner at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, explained that federal transportation money is set aside for regions, with an expected $14 million over the next four years. A board of elected officials then assigns the money to projects.
Alcombright also said Gov. Deval Patrick included the bike path in his budget request for transportation projects in the next 10 years.
"There's a pretty strong commitment from the state that the construction funding is going to be available," Alcombright said.
The eventual goal is to run the bike trail all the way into Williamstown. Plachcinski said the scope for design farther into North Adams and into Williamstown has been approved, and designing will start in October.
The BRPC is also working with agencies from Connecticut and Vermont on establishing U.S. Bicycle Route 7, which will connect the three states.
Mass In Motion, a state program that promotes healthy living, hosted the event.
Tags: Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, bike path, scenic rail,
