Juliane E. Casey, who organized the day’s events as an intern in the Northampton planning department, said she was glad that hundreds of people showed up for the occasion.
View full sizeThe Grand Opening Rolling Party marks the completion of the new bridge over Route 10 linking Easthampton and Northampton via the Manhan Rail Trail during the ribbon cutting ceremony Sunday.EASTHAMPTON – Seventeen years of work came to a symbolic end Sunday when the ribbon was cut on the Rt. 10 bridge extension linking the city to Northampton via the Manhan and Norwottuck Rail Trails.
In 1994, work began to connect the two cities to a system of trails that will, when the work is truly complete, stretch all the way to Florida. The $5 million extension was funded entirely with federal stimulus money.
“This was a pretty long project ... and this is a great opportunity to say thank you to those people who were involved right along,” said Easthampton mayor Michael A. Tautznik.
“They’ve been here for the construction side of it and they’ve been here for the maintenance side of it,” he said, referring to two groups, Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail and Friends of Northampton Trails and Greenways. “Politically, these projects are often mine fields and I think that all of the credit goes to the groups.”
The day kicked off at 11 a.m. with a celebration at Millside Park and moved down the trail for a noontime ribbon-cutting ceremony with local, state and federal officials offering their thanks and encouragement for the future.
U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Mass., state Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, state Sen. Michael R. Knapik, D-Westfield, state Rep. John W. Scibak, D-South Hadley, and state Rep. Peter V. Kocot, D-Northampton, and others made brief speeches.
View full sizeThe Grand Opening Rolling Party marks the completion of the new bridge over Route 10 linking Easthampton and Northampton via the Manhan Rail Trail. Left to right are Liz Sturgen from Easthampton, Barbara L. LaBombard, Easthampton City Clerk and a member of The Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail, and U.S. Congressman John Olver, D-Mass.Most, including Tautznik, openly credited Olver with securing the funding, money that was originally meant to go to a paving project on the MassPike. Rosenberg called Olver “the grandfather of bike paths.”
“Easthampton has its Manhan Trail, we have a robust series of trails,” said Northampton mayor Mary Clare Higgins. “Now you can get almost connected all the way to Belchertown.”
“This is not just about our little piece here,” said Northampton city planner Wayne Feiden. “We don’t want a rail trail. We want a rail trail network.”
Feiden said the city will benefit from increased bicycle and pedestrian commuting. No new parking lots were added along the way to discourage people from driving to the trail, but he said the city does not advocate giving up cars altogether.
Juliane E. Casey, who organized the day’s events along with the two friends groups as an intern in the Northampton planning department, said she was glad that hundreds of people showed up for the occasion.
“I personally want to see more bike infrastructure through downtown Northampton,” said Casey. “I think it’s possible.”
Feiden said the next extension will bring the trail to Ryan Road in Northampton and another will connect it to Belchertown.
The bridge extension project was fraught with challenges, he said, including the fact that power lines hang precariously close to the work site. They cannot be turned off, so all the construction had to be done with that danger in mind.
He said the land is owned by the utility National Grid and the city had to obtain an easement to build. The Massachusetts Audubon Society also donated land it owned along the way, he said.
"We have one more short link to do, I think it's about three-quarters of a mile from South Street to Coleman Road," said Tautznik. "And that's funded, designed and bid, so that project will be moving forward this year. The very last piece in Easthampton will be completed."
He said former Holyoke mayor Michael Sullivan worked with Higgins to help get the funding redirected from the turnpike project, even though Holyoke would see no direct benefit.
"I want to thank our City Council who, a couple of times, have had to come to the rescue in order to be able to provide some extra money to do some design work that wasn't allowed for in the original project," he said.
Higgins thanked Feiden and Easthampton city planner Stuart Beckley for their efforts.
"Thanks to everyone who did the work and let's cut the ribbon!" she said, before taking the ceremonial scissors and officially linking the two cities.
This map represents the approximate location of the bridge extension.