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Date: 6/19/2015
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) presented its plans for a bikeway and pedestrian trail on June 16 at a public hearing. Members of the community came out to hear the details of the proposal, ask questions and give input into the design.
The project is a 1.5-mile paved trail designed for bikes and pedestrian use. It runs along the dike behind the Riverdale Shops from Tom’s Launch, a canoe and kayak launch point along the Connecticut River, to Wayside and Ashley avenues, near the Rivers Edge Sports Park. The path will be 10 feet wide and unlit.
Residents raised concerns about the surface material, location and length. Because the path runs along the dike, Carrie Lavallee, the project manager, said it is vulnerable to flooding, making a paved trail the most effective surface.
Other questions regarding the length of the path and how quickly it can be travelled on a bike brought up the regional plan to connect the Connecticut Riverwalk and Bikeways in the area.
Though no official plans have been set, this bike path is being constructed with the goal of eventually connecting it to similar paths in Agawam, Holyoke and Springfield, according to Assistant Town Engineer Jim Czach.
“The vision is to connect them all. It’s a matter of funding and being able to do it,” Czach said. “If we can expand upon it and make it a better facility in the future, we’re all for it.”
Concerns were also raised about how many people would actively use the trail, and though no study could be done beforehand regarding use and activity, engineer Dan Dulaney said the location already drives a large amount of people every day. If it is there, people will use it, he asserted.
He gave a personal example, saying when his daughter is playing soccer, his younger son needs something to do.
“I’ve got to keep my little son busy. If I had a mile and a half to run him up and down, he might actually go to sleep at night,” he said. “I think the other amenities in the area really help reinforce the design.”
Police Chief Ronald Campurciani also raised questions about whose responsibility it would be to maintain public safety on the trail. He said it should be up to MassDOT to put call boxes in place in case of emergencies. Lavallee said they would take it into consideration when completing the design and find a spot on the trail for such a measure.
The project will cost $1.3 million, mostly paid for by federal aid. MassDOT will cover the rest of the initial cost. The design is expected to be complete by the fall of 2015. Construction will take about 20 months, Lavallee said.
To make a comment or suggestion or ask a question, submit it to dot.feedback.highway@state.ma.us.