House Bill Earmarks Half-Million for Bike Path
PITTSFIELD — The $500,000 earmarked for a southern extension of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail may be just enough to kick start the long-awaited project."It's a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work left to do," said Marjorie Cohan, president of the Berkshire Bike Path Council, on Friday. "Development issues such as swamps and wetlands go through that area and the earmark will help pay for appraisals and feasibility studies that are difficult to secure specific types of funding for."
The money for the extension from the Berkshire Mall to Crane Avenue is in the $1.5 billion transportation bill that just passed the House of Representatives. It still has to get by the Senate and the governor.
That part of the trail lies in the district of state Rep. Denis E. Guyer who described it as "an excellent opportunity to help extend a very popular and heavily used recreational asset."
"By finally extending the trail into Pittsfield we will allow easier access to a wider community and also enhance the existing trail with an extension," said the Dalton Democrat in a press release announcing the passage.
Situated between Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Mountains, the rail trail takes its name from an American Indian word meaning "the pleasant river between the hills" and is aptly known by locals and visitors to the Berkshires for its scenic views.
Beginning in Lanesborough, the popular 11.2-mile trail parallels Route 8 through Cheshire into Adams following the railroad corridor developed by the Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad in 1845. Another extension for the trail is planned to begin at its terminus at the Discover the Berkshires Visitor Center north to Lime Street, with a possible spur toward Mount Greylock. Planning for a leg in Lenox is complete.
Path advocates envision a trail system that will eventually span most of the length of the county, north to south. Last year, the project received a grant for technical assistance from the National Park Service.
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The city expects to build the trail in three phases. The funding in the transportation bill only covers the first phase of the southern leg along the rail line from the Lanesborough town line to Crane Avenue, behind the Allendale Shopping Center.
In order for any development to begin, negotiations must be completed with the Housatonic Railroad to purchase the additional 1.5 miles of land the rail trail would run over.
Nevertheless, rail trail supporters say the funding is a step along the right path.
"This $500,000 will be a great help in the expansion of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail and is wholly supported by the city of Pittsfield," said James McGrath, program manager for the Pittsfield Department of Park, Open Space, and Natural Resources.
