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| By Natasha Clark Reminder Assistant Editor EAST LONGMEADOW The Department of Public Works (DPW) hopes that construction on the Rail Trail will begin by next summer. The Rail Trail will be a paved, 10- foot-wide trail running between Denslow Road and Maple Street in East Longmeadow. Last week the DPW participated in a public hearing with the Conservation Commission to file a Notice of Intent, a written notice filed by anyone attempting to alter a protected area, or move within a protected buffer zone (of conservation land). "The town does have conservation land," explained DPW's Senior Project Manager Sean Kelley, a week before the hearing. "Anytime anybody does any work or alterations within 200 feet of riverfront or wetland, they have to appear before the Conservation Commission." Since the hearing, Reminder Publications checked in with Kelley to see the outcome of the hearing. "The Conservation Commission voted to issue an order of conditions [which is a] go ahead to do what we want to do," Kelley said. He explained that the order will be submitted to the Mass Highway Department and they will do a final review of the plan. It is also up to the Highway Department when the project will go out to bid. "Chances are the project will go out to bid in the spring," Kelley added. "And we hope to have construction [begin] next summer." Along the Rail Trail will be a couple of small parking areas for 10 cars each. There will also be 10 foot-wide shoulders of grass, and certain areas will have fencing or wooden guardrails. "I think the final product we're going to be receiving, we're all going to see that it's been worth the wait that we've endured," Kelley said. Other recent East Longmeadow stories can be read online at www.reminderpublications.com |