Rail Trail News August 1 2011
Tom Connors
METHUEN — Joyce Godsey has a vision of riding her bike into southern New Hampshire to go shopping, doing some bird watching along the way and not having to worry about cars spoiling her trip.
It's a vision that Godsey expects to experience for real in early October, with the anticipated completion of the Methuen Rail Trail — a project she's been spearheading for several years.
"We're providing a conduit for people from Lawrence and around the Merrimack Valley to go shopping in New Hampshire and also enjoy the (Nevins) bird sanctuary," Godsey said in an interview last week. More
It has been just two years since selectmen appointed a Rail Trail Advisory Committee, Day said, and today Danvers has a functioning trail.
"This was really an achievement that was accomplished with no money from the town," she said.
For more than a year, a Nevada nonprofit called the Iron Horse Preservation Society has been building the rail trail on an abandoned MBTA right of way, in return for the money Iron Horse got salvaging the scrap rails. Iron Horse has removed all the rails and ties and graded the trail, Day said. More HERE
This summer, the city’s innovative bike-sharing program has been crippled by its own success when it comes to commuting during rush hour, with bike racks completely empty — or just as often, completely full, making it impossible to drop off a bike.Construction on the second phase of the Upper Charles River Trail in Milford is almost complete, much to the delight of cyclists such as Kim Costa.
"It's really wonderful," said Costa, 36, of Milford, who biked on the newest part of the rail trail for the first time yesterday. "I love it because I don't like to ride on the street."
Paving is mostly done and signs and road crossing lights have been installed, said Reno DeLuzio, chairman of the Upper Charles River Trail Committee. Also, brush has been cleared and a parking lot has been built off Rte. 85.
Workers still have to paint some pavement markings, add stone dust to the sides of the trail and perform other minor tasks before a Sept. 24 ribbon cutting, DeLuzio said.
"Construction on this phase has run pretty smooth," DeLuzio said. "Now we're talking about finish work."
New Hampshire's longest rail trail taking shape
