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Date: 1/10/2023
SOUTHAMPTON – After working on the purchase process for well over a year, Southampton has officially acquired the 3.5-mile defunct railbed from the Pioneer Valley Railroad Co. (PVRC).
The acquisition, which cost $340,000, will now allow the town to design and construct the Southampton Greenway on the property, thereby improving the regional trail network linking Easthampton’s Manhan Rail Trail and Westfield’s Columbia Greenway.
Background
Southampton has pursued this greenway trail project for well over a decade and has completed various studies, property research and public outreach, including a feasibility study in 2011, public outreach meetings at various stages, a review of bridges and culverts along the proposed trail in 2017, and a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment in 2018.
The rail line itself was completed in 1863, connecting New Haven to Northampton and other cities in New England. The PVRC has not used the line since the early 1990s.
Residents voiced their support for an ADA-compliant trail to accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists and wheelchair users during the Open Space and Recreation Plan update process that began in 2019. This support was further solidified when the results of a Master Plan Community Engagement Survey conducted with town residents in the summer of 2020 found that completing the bike path ranked highest among eight development strategies for the town. Of those responding, 74 percent indicated either support or strong support for the bike path.
The purchase
According to Southampton Town Administrator Ed Gibson, the railbed was purchased through a “negotiated railbank agreement.”
Under this process, PVRC retains the right to re-energize the 3.5-mile portion at any time, but Gibson said this is unlikely because constructing even a mile of railroad is considered pricey.
“We have what they call an ‘interim right of trail use,’” said Gibson. “Our interim right of trail use will be to design and construct a bicycle/pedestrian path from the Easthampton line on Coleman Road to Route 10 which comes out by Sheldon’s Ice Cream.”
When the unused railroad line is converted to a shared-use, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant trail, it will provide recreational opportunities for surrounding communities and will be a critical piece in Southampton’s network of open spaces and natural resources.
Back in the summer, Aaron Tauscher – the chair of the town’s Greenway Committee – told Reminder Publishing that there has been an increase in interest for more recreational assets, partly exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, and partly due to the expansion of trail networks in Easthampton, Northampton and Westfield.
“It’s kind of an interesting gap in the system here,” Tauscher said, in reference to the 3.5-mile railbed. “There’s a lot of interest for users along the coast, but ultimately the users in the immediate area want to see the gap filled and the connections made.”
During that time in July, the town received $300,000 through the Massachusetts Trails Program, which will be used for the design, engineering, and permitting of the shared-use bike/pedestrian path.
According to Gibson, the town received $100,000 as partial funds from MassTrails to be used for the acquisition.
Southampton’s next steps involve entering into a proposal with an engineering firm to complete the design process.
“Part of the design involves us reaching out to abutters and residents and Southampton,” said Gibson.
Once the town completes the design and engineering process, Southampton can then use $6 million allocated by the state through its Transportation Improvement Plan process.
These funds are held until those processes are completed, and construction may not occur for another four years.