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Date: 8/4/2020
EASTHAMPTON – The city of Easthampton announced on July 30 that it had received a $160,000 grant to fund projects aimed at increasing pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and safety.
The funding, made possible through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Shared Street program, will be used for three projects.
As part of its announcement, the Planning Department said it “represents a rapid, comprehensive, and cooperative effort between the Mayor’s office, Department of Public Works, Parks and Recreation and Planning Department.”
Addressing the grant and the projects during her weekly virtual Town Hall, Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said, “Other communities went for outdoor dining and whatnot, but we really wanted to improve the safety of navigating our city with a bike and walking, no matter how you mobilize. We’re looking for equity as far as how people get around the city other than using a car.”
The city intends to construct a new sidewalk on Williston Avenue from the existing boardwalk of the entrance to Brookside Cemetery as well as an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant crosswalk and rapid flashing safety lights. Currently, the sidewalk abruptly ends near the boardwalk. The Planning Department in materials released to the media indicated the project would connect the Nashawannuck Pond Promenade to existing public parking across the street and enhance pedestrian safety.
“Cars go flying down and up Williston Ave., especially when schools are back open or to get to the park and we wanted to really open a little more safely to that recreation area and encourage folks to use 50 Payson [Ave.] as parking with a safe option,” LaChapelle said.
Additionally, a temporary separated bicycle lane on the east side of Willison Avenue from Brookside Cemetery and Easthampton High School and a new crosswalk on Williston Avenue at the entrance to the high school is planned.
Another crosswalk, as well as two new pedestrian bump-outs and flashing safety lights, are planned for Pleasant Street and Berkley Avenue, enhancing safety for those accessing the nearby PVTA bus stop and the Manhan Rail Trail. LaChapelle indicated that the project was “just the beginning of a lot of study and work” that will be conducted in the area.
“The most important and exciting part of this crosswalk is it is in an area with a lot of families and children [and] folks who are older where it is a little tricky to get from Berkley Street and the area of Pleasant Green over Pleasant Street to Millside Park or to the bike path itself, to electric bike stations or just to cast a pole and do some fishing off the fishing platform at Millside Park,” she said.
A paved pedestrian and bike path connecting Easthampton High School to Nonotuck Park is also proposed. LaChapelle said the path was “a nice little beginning” to the city’s plans to connect the city’s schools with bike and walking paths. The Planning Department also noted a connection for bicyclists from Union Street and the downtown corridor to Nonotuck Park has long been a consideration of the city, included in its 2008 Master Plan and 2012 Open Space and Recreation Plan.
“It encourages bikes and pedestrians to stay out of the road and access Nontuck Park and get to the high school a little more safely,” she said.
LaChapelle said work on the projects would begin soon and would be completed by November. The Planning Department stated a more accelerated timeframe in its media release, estimating projects would be done by the beginning of October.
The complete grant application is available for viewing at https://easthamptonma.gov/government/forms-documents/planning/current-projects/1648-massdot-shared-streets-project/file.html.