Plainville Greenway Alliance

We had three flats today!

2011-09-07T11:16:00.003-04:00

What a great painting! It portrays a group of cyclists who meet on Wednesday mornings for a regular ride. The cursive writing is a little hard to read, but it says: "... at Messerschmidt Pond. The Wednesday Group has the best people for support and camaraderie. We had three flats today!" It was painted by Madeline Favre in 2008, and a copy presented to one of our longtime and faithful members, Judy Chatfield, who rides with this group as often as she can. It's no wonder she enjoys this group. Thanks, Judy.

Where's this wonder??

2011-08-11T15:28:00.003-04:00

This may look like a photo of trail work in one of the more progressive states somewhere west of Connecticut, but it is actually of the new tunnel being built on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail/East Coast Greenway under Skiff St. in Hamden. If you have never ridden this section, the trail currently goes up a short, steep incline to the street, then crosses busy Skiff St. at grade via a button activated traffic signal. It was never pleasant, or easy, or all that safe, but this tunnel will correct all that.

How could something like this happen in a place like Hamden, and why not something akin to it here, like bridges over Northwest Drive or, even bigger, over Route 6 in Farmington? It can happen here, if there is the will for it amongst the citizens of Plainville and Farmington that will get the politicians and the DOT moving in this direction. I have been told, by those with more experience with local trail building than I have, that to include a bridge in the trail design guarantees considerable additional cost for construction and delays in obtaining approvals, both the result of DOT involvement in the process. I know that such was the case at the Salmon Brook bridge in Granby, CT. By the time that project was finally into construction, the cost was $140,000 over the amount the Town had received in funding. This difference was funded from generous contributions of several trail organizations (made possible by members like you) and by some creativity of the Town itself.

Let's hope that when our turn comes to close the gaps in Plainville and Farmington, the will will be there.

One "cut" the Governor found it easy to make!

2011-08-10T18:35:00.004-04:00

It was a beautiful day for a ribbon cutting and the Governor was relishing this opportunity to not wear a tie. He absolutely refused to dress like a cyclist. But, he had high praise for Canton's efforts to continue the trail from Collinsville to this point near the intersection of Routes 177 and 44, just around the corner from the "Shoppes at Farmington Valley" (or, what I like to call, "the Rape of Canton"). While he did not exactly promise funding would continue to be available in the future, he certainly gets the principle that "if we build it, they will come". He also acknowledged the tremendous opportunity the trails offer to our sedentary society for physical activity and the resulting healthy living benefits. A good time was had by all. Give this section a try, if you haven't already.

Merrill Gay's Velomobile

2011-07-18T15:27:00.003-04:00

Here's our fearless PGA member (and blog creator), Merrill Gay in his shiny new velomobile, at rest. Take a good look, because he will not be at rest for much longer, as he is about to leave on a trip across the USA with other velomobilists from here and abroad. It's not all by pedal power, however; there is a small electric motor on board to help power the velomobile uphill or on level ground if one is feeling tired one day. I imagine there will be many tiring days, as they are doing this trip averaging 130 miles per day. Please keep Merrill and his fellow riders in your thoughts and prayers for a fabulous and safe journey. Maybe we can expect a personal report (with photos) upon his return. In the meantime, you can follow his progress here.

Smiles and old bicycles

2011-07-13T13:06:00.005-04:00

This is what the smart woman rode back in the day when the bicycle was new. It was known as the "safety bicycle".

The guys liked a little more of a risk, so they rode the "high wheeler", alternatively known as the"bone shaker", or the "penny farthing (the larger wheel in front being the "penny", compared to the smaller wheel in back being the "farthing", both coins of the realm in the UK at the time of the introduction of the bicycle).

These photos are of cyclists today who still like to ride these things. They were taken at a recent event in Southington. Whatever sort of bike you prefer doesn't matter, so long as you ride. If you ride on the trail, watch out for that gap in Plainville (known as the "hole in the donut"). If you ride on the road, ride safely and be: PREDICTABLE, ALERT, VISIBLE and ASSERTIVE (PAVA)!

Colin McEnroe article in Bicycling magazine

2011-05-17T10:57:00.002-04:00

OK, so maybe he doesn't look exactly like this, but you get the idea. Local radio host and newspaper pundit, Colin McEnroe, has started a new column in Bicycling Magazine, titled "Fits and Starts". In the first of this series, he writes about buying his bike from our own Steve Cole at Renaissance Cyclery here in Plainville, and how he took Steve's advice about using the multiple gears that were a mystery to Colin. Click here for the full article.

Take a bike trail tour with a group

2011-04-01T11:50:00.003-04:00

Enjoy a six day, fully supported tour of trails in Pennsylvania. This is a great chance to find out what rails-to-trails are all about and to share the experience with cyclists of different ages and experience. Click here to find out more. There are rumors that the 2012 Sojourn may be right here in Connecticut. Keep checking here for details.

2011-03-26T13:29:00.003-04:00

Check out Ken Byron's story in the FRI, 25 MAR 2011 edition of the Hartford Courant about how the Legislature used the meager funds generated by the Greenways license plate program to reduce the budget deficit and what is being done to restore those funds.

2011-03-09T16:28:00.001-05:00

Farmington River Trail nears completion

2011-02-17T17:12:00.002-05:00

2011-02-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

National Bike Summit
March 8-10, 2011
Grand Hyatt|Metro Center|D.C.

ACTING ON A SIMPLE SOLUTION - NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT

There are more people riding bikes than ever. Yet half of all U.S. trips are three miles or less, and more than 90 percent are made by car. The National Bike Summit has improved bicycle-friendliness and livability in many communities, but the need and opportunity to improve physical activity, safety and livability in the U.S., while reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on oil – remains greater today than a decade ago.

These issues seem difficult to solve but the answer is simple.The answer is the bicycle. Now is the time to ask Congress to make strategic transportation investments that foster healthy people and healthy communities. Join us March 8-10 in Washington, D.C. to act on a simple solution – the bicycle.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCED

Janette Sadik-Khan, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, is the keynote speaker at the National Bike Summit's opening plenary, Wednesday March 9. Since her appointment in 2007, the New York City has completed more than 250 miles of bike lanes and 20 miles of cycle track; passed innovative bicycle parking legislation and delivered extensive education and safety programs. Bicycle use has doubled since 2006, while fatalities have fallen to their lowest level in decades.

Holiday Meeting on the Winter Solstice

2010-12-09T13:11:00.000-05:00

Come join us for an evening of remembering what we accomplished last year, and of dreaming about what we hope to accomplish next year. Food and drink is available, at our own expense (Steve says the beer is great, and the pasta is made fresh daily). It is meant to be an informal gathering of friends with cycling on their minds.

Hope to see you on the longest night of the year.

Route Ride Vote a huge success

2010-06-14T09:42:00.006-04:00

It was a cloudy, cool day, but the showers stayed away until the 100 riders, walkers and Segway users had a good time enjoying the 0n-road portion of the proposed trail. It was thrilling to see people on bikes riding through the center of town and to the end points at Norton Park or Cronk Rd.. Some were seen to relax afterwards on the new benches in the center (and perhaps dream of the day when there will be bike racks there). Two of our police officers were patrolling the route on bikes for the duration of the ride and did a great job of setting out traffic cones at key intersections to make the route safer for cyclists and motorists. We got some great feedback on the ballots about what folks liked or did not like about the route, and we will make that information available to the designers during the next phase of the planning.

We had lots of volunteers and several donors to make this success possible. Our donors were AMP Radio, Walgreens, Tim Horton's and TD Bank. Our volunteers were too numerous to mention, but included a great bunch of students from the High School DECA program. Thanks to all of you!

Route Vote Ride Poster

2010-04-30T21:24:00.003-04:00

Time to Let Go

2010-04-18T12:51:00.006-04:00

Remember when you were here (either as the child or the parent)? This brings so many memories to mind: the sense of freedom that comes with that first successful solo journey as a child, or the satisfaction as a parent at seeing your child begin to master the joy of cycling. This wonderful sculpture is located on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, MI, one of my favorite places on earth. I biked here a few years ago on a trip around the upper part of Lake Michigan, and then visited a few years later while staying on the Leelenau Peninsula, home of wineries, cherry orchards and a big time bike race (Tour de Leelenau). The city is home to Horizon Books, a well established, traditional bookstore that is also a gathering space for people and groups functioning as a "great good place" for this community. The main street has loaner bicycles scattered about so that if you drove to Horizon Books, but wanted to pay a visit to the Cherry Republic store, you could grab a bike and go, leaving your car where you parked it and taking one of those short trips (under 2 miles) that account for 40% of all trips that we Americans make every day. The reality of all these people on bikes clearly explains why Traverse City is designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community. And did I tell you about the nearby trail? It is called the Traverse Area Rail Trail (TART, just like the cherries that are grown there). It looks like this (notice that railroad alongside? It is active and carries about 6 to 12 freights per day):

National Bike Summit draws 700!

2010-03-13T17:13:00.001-05:00

By any measure, this event was a great success. 700 participants from bike shops to bike trails and to bike friendly communities sharing their accomplishments and their disappointments. We were agog over Google's neat new map application that allows a cyclist to choose routes best for cycling. Try it at the link included below.

We were treated to some great presentations, and some not so great. We met with our Congressional Delegation from CT (well, with one face to face; the other meetings were with aides), but Congressman Chris Murphy (D, CT 5th) said he had never received such a large group of constituents to advocate for one issue. For me a great highlight was seeing all these folks walking between and through the Capitol and the various Senate and House office buildings wearing these lapel pins. Various staff members admired them and recognized them as being part of the Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) effort to make the entire country more bike friendly, starting with Congress, and we would readily give them away. It will be an uphill battle to get various funding bills passed that will include the small fractional amount that passes for funding for trails and other bicycling initiatives. But, the culture is changing and Congress is listening, even if grudgingly. Now they need to hear it even louder from us in the cycling an walking community. Write 'em now.

Here's the link: http://googlemapsbikethere.org/

A short winter's ride to New Britain!

2010-03-03T12:22:00.003-05:00

It did not look like this as we biked the short distance (4.5 mi from Renaissance Cyclery) to New Britain Museum of American Art. We had a leisurely snack and chatted in the cafe before viewing this Maxfield Parrish painting among the other treasures on display at this jewel of a museum. There is a great exhibition about the Shakers, and a must see painting in memory of the events at the WTC of 11 SEP 2001. We wish you could have joined us, but keep looking for other rides and events as we post them here on the blog. And, please, feel free to add your own posts.

Trail Design Study Complete

2010-01-28T09:52:00.006-05:00

PLAINVILLE, CT MULTI-USE TRAIL DESIGN STUDY - REPORT SUMMARY - JANUARY 2010

In November 2009, a Preliminary Design Study for the Multi Use trail through Plainville was completed by the trail design/engineering firm of Milone & MacBroom. Initially they explored various routes suggested by local bicycle advocates and the Regional Planning Agency, including the ideal of the trail alongside active rail for almost the entire length of the town (3 miles). The conclusion from this exploration was that the existing railroad right-of-way was unsuitable for a rail-with-trail from the town Center south due to many encroachment and drainage problems. They examined other proposed routes, suggesting a few of their own after soliciting input from town residents at several public forums. What emerged as the most likely route has some very interesting components.

The North and South Sections are envisioned as a combination of off-road trails and on-road routes utilizing low-volume, low-speed neighborhood streets. The Center Section will be completely on-road but utilize higher-volume, higher-speed local and state roads. A more detailed description follows:

• North Section (1 mile): a mostly bucolic route on the (hopefully) soon-to-be-abandoned railroad right-of-way and alongside the Town’s regional airport and nature park to the existing railroad bridge over a small river. From there the trail passes the local water treatment facility on a wide and little used road from which a trail could easily be separated. This section is considered fairly easy to accomplish and has been designated Phase 1.

• Center Section (about 2.5 miles): this portion traverses both residential neighborhoods and the commercial center of the town and utilizes state and local roads through several intersections busy with mostly local motorists. It passes the Historic Center and utilizes a wide thoroughfare aptly named Broad St. and other streets leading to the major town park. This section is considered to be the most difficult to accomplish and has been designated Phase 3.

• South Section (1 mile) : the trail through Norton Park could be adjacent to the restored section of the old Farmington Canal that preceded the railroad as a major north-south transportation corridor from New Haven to Northampton. Upon exiting the park, the trail could wind along open space across undeveloped farmland and through a local light industrial park, depending upon the route finally chosen. This section has been designated Phase 2.

The total length of the trail is about 4.5 miles, depending upon the final route chosen, about half of which is proposed to be along major state and town arterial roads. This will present a unique challenge for our route that the other 15 towns along the New Haven to Northampton trail (known officially as the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail) did not face. These roads must be designated as “bicycle friendly” as a result of improvements such as: traffic calming; installation of signs and pavement markings; education of all road users, both motorists and cyclists, about the proper use of “bicycle friendly” roads; and intersection modifications. The effort required to bring about such a designation for these roads will be significant and must involve initiative from Plainville as well as strong support from every town along the route. Basically, as this effort goes, so goes the successful completion of the continuous 82 mile Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Coincidentally, this is also true for the 200 mile Connecticut section of the East Coast Greenway, an ambitious 3,000 mile long, mostly off-road route from Maine to Florida.

Utilizing cost data provided by the Master Plan Report, the costs for Phase 1 can be interpolated to be about $2 million, including $150K for design and engineering. The cost for a bridge over Northwest Drive to connect with the trail atop an historic stone arch bridge just over the town line is not included in the report, but can be conservatively estimated at about $500,000. The costs for future phases are too difficult to predict at this time. In fact, there is the likelihood that if funding for final design and engineering for Phase 1 can be found quickly, this phase could be competitively bid during a period when construction companies are eagerly seeking work and bid results can be quite favorable to the Town, as was the case recently with the next phase of another portion of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. There, the designer’s estimate of construction cost was $2.6 million, with all bids beneath that estimate with the lowest bid at $1.4 million.

Our next steps will be to meet with State and Federal legislators and funding agencies to seek the $150,000 needed for final design and engineering for Phase 1, and to begin building the support necessary for the designation as “bicycle friendly” for the on-road portions of the trail. We have far to go, but the journey has begun and we will not rest until we arrive at completion of this jewel of a trail.

For a look at the full report, go to: http://www.plainvillect.com/Downloads/2009-11-24-MasterPlanReport-12-02-2009.pdf

PGA goes Prime Time (almost)

2009-07-07T21:02:00.004-04:00

Steve, Kathy and Jim have just completed six half-hour shows about cycling to be broadcast on Nutmeg TV (see the poster above). Watch them and give us your feedback. Our biggest concern is that they were all shot in the studio and we would really like to include some live on-trail and on-road footage. So, one of our members is completing training at Nutmeg as a Producer and we will soon be planning the next batch of shows. In the meantime, let us know what you think by adding a post here. The shows may be seen weekly on Nutmeg TV (Comcast Channel 5 in Avon, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, New Britain and Plainville, and via AT&T Uverse in the rest of the state beginning WED 15 JUL at 7PM, and then repeat for six more weeks after that at the same day and time.

Enjoy the summer weather and be smart about your fun cycling.

Happy trails.

Active rail with active trail!

2009-02-28T18:37:00.004-05:00

Rail-with-Trail? Do these really exist? Yes they do and here are photos of two of them. The first is in Cumberland, MD and the other is in Maine. Both of these "rails" are occasional and moderate speed tourist trains and neither has any barrier to separate the trail from the rail. We have members who have ridden alongside rails with frequent, fast-moving freight traffic, and even faster passenger trains, all safely separated from the rails. There are more than 150 such rails-with- trails nationwide.

So, what's the secret for getting them built? Actually there are two: first, effective barriers that make both cyclist and rail employees feel safer and, second, there exists legislation limiting liability for accidents along the shared right-of-way. Maybe a third one would be a railroad with strong community-oriented goals willing to work with a trail building organization like ours. We will need all these secrets in our bag as we get busy creating our rail-with-trail here in Plainville.

Salmon Brook bridge nears completion

2009-01-31T11:26:00.003-05:00

Check out the photos of the new bridge over Salmon Brook in East Granby. This is the one that went through several iterations of design and bid, each time rising in cost, and for which funding was finally approved following generous support from trail supporters and the Farmington Valley Trail Council. Hope to see you there when the weather clears. We are getting closer to completing this vital trail from New Haven, CT to Northampton, MA.

Planiville Awarded Trail Design Grant

2009-01-31T10:49:00.001-05:00

Some good news! Word reached the Plainville Town Manager this week that the town has been awarded a $45,000 grant for a design study of the proposed trail. This was accomplished with the strong support of the Town Council, and the hard work of the Town Manager and State Representative Betty Boukus. Just to be certain he wasn't dreaming, Robert Lee called the State Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to confirm that the money was really there, and it is.

The Town will need to review the requirements of the grant to be certain that all its terms are acceptable. The next step after that will likely be preparation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) and a list of potential design firms with experience in trail design. We are not sure of any more details yet, but this is truly good news.

PGA Trail Map is complete. What do you think?

2009-01-17T17:24:00.003-05:00

Closer to home, we have finished our 9 month long effort to complete a map of the proposed trail through town. It is big. Really big. 15 feet in length and the first time we have been able to show our vision of the route the trail could follow. It is based on our primary assumption that the railroad (PanAm/Southern) will keep freight traffic moving on the north-south line, currently serving 3 local businesses. To view this PDF file, go to this link, click on "Public" and open the PGAFinalRouteMap and view it in Adobe Reader. Tell us what you think by leaving a comment.

New bridges on the trail in Northampton

2009-01-17T16:59:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to some photos of the installation of two bridges in Northampton, MA. We will put up another link for a new bridge in Hamden, CT when we get the latest video from there. These bridges are hugely important to the trail building efforts as they provide the most effective way to separate trail traffic from vehicular traffic on the streets they cross. Here in Plainville, our plans include a major bridge at the north end of the trail over Northwest Drive, an increasingly busier vehicular artery in town. Another bridge will be needed to cross the Pequabuck River about one half mile south of Northwest Drive, that is, unless the Pan Am/Southern Railway abandons the bridge they currently don't use over the River. Again, based on continued rail service on the north-south rail right-of-way, we have proposed another bridge over the "throat" of the rail yard at the east end that will carry trail traffic over the rails as well as provide a terrific vantage point for viewing existing train operations. Lots of work ahead for us, but, for now, we are encouraged by the progress shown here.

Rails to Trails launches petition drive

2008-12-04T20:40:00.003-05:00

The National Rails to Trails Conservancy has launched a petition drive to the incoming Obama administration urging them to include trail construction in any economic stimulus infrastructure package. Click the link to sign the petition.
http://support.railstotrails.org/recovery

Tale of a very early rail trail

2008-08-06T19:55:00.004-04:00

For all of us who are waiting patiently for our portion of the East Coast Greenway/New Haven to Northampton Trail to be complete here in Plainville, take heart in the fact that vision and hope do pay off. At the bottom of this post, there is a link to a website that tells the story of the Illinois Prairie Path, which I have ridden many times. As you will read, it was the vision of one woman, but is now enjoyed by 800,000 people every year. Imagine that happening here, although it has already begun with 100,000 documented users annually on the completed section through Avon and Simsbury, CT. I have ridden the Prairie Path from the central access point in Wheaton west to Geneva past the huge Fermi Lab cyclotron. I have ridden it east to the outskirts of Chicago on my way to several rides along Lake Michigan. It is mostly built of stone dust, so it is not suitable for roller bladers. But for that one drawback it is a great resource for the region and I heartily recommend it to anyone cycling in the Chicagoland area.

So, we need your continued and appreciate your past support helping us to make our Central Connecticut version of the Illinois Prairie Path a reality. When we build it, they will come.

Jim Cassidy.

Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride

2008-04-06T23:12:00.002-04:00

Fix Connecticut DOT!

2008-03-02T14:40:00.007-05:00

You may have read recent press about the recommendation from Governor Rell to fix the CT DOT by creating not one, but two separate departments, one for roads, the other for everything else. Cyclists and pedestrians would likely fall under roads, which already gets the lion's share of the available funding, but for new roads, not trails or bike lanes, so you can imagine how well we would fare. I have been arguing, with any and all who would listen, that the start of any "fix" should begin with changing the "culture" of the DOT that has grown over the years to see it's primary mission as building wider, straighter and faster roads to serve cars and trucks. Well, New York City has begun to explore a different approach, and it all began at the top, when Mayor Bloomberg selected a new head for the DOT there. The accompanying article has further details (just click on it to enlarge for easier reading), but if you agree that the culture change must happen from the top down and are so inclined, please let Governor Rell know. At the very least, express your opinion to her that cyclists and pedestrians matter and deserve their rights under a balanced transportation system.

Keep walkin' and ridin'.

Jim.

A New Year's Wish

2007-12-27T13:15:00.000-05:00

Here is an idea for the Revitalization Project now underway in downtown Plainville. Let's find someone to fund the purchase of 3 of these bike racks for location at strategic points at the intersection of Main and Whiting Streets, right in front of the Municipal Center. The cost is $750 each, without installation, but the value as a symbol about Plainville getting serious about becoming a bicycle friendly community is priceless. Any suggestions about donors? Call Jim at 860-324-8416 or Steve or Kathy in the Bike Shop at 860-747-2909.

Holiday Meeting results

2007-12-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

Holiday Greetings:
The meeting was small and short. Steve, Kathy and I met with State Representative Betty Boukus who listened carefully to our plans for the immediate future and made several key suggestions:
*Send her our comparison of Maine and CT "recreational use statutes" that Pan Am Rail has not agreed to discuss with us.
*Meet with Plainville Town Manager to decide on details of a 3 year plan to present to Town Council at "work session".
*Conduct Town Council work session. Clearly request allocation of Town funds for "design study".
*Meet with Congressman Chris Murphy.
*Write to Senator Joe Lieberman to request a meeting with him to request support for federal funding for creation of the Plainville Greeenway.
Betty also suggested we continue holding presentations to community groups such as Senior Citizens, PTOs, and service organizations such as Lions Club to explain the goals of the Alliance.
We missed seeing you and wish you all the best this season.
Jim.

Harlem Valley Rail Trail ride

2007-10-18T21:11:00.000-04:00

Four of us had a great ride last SUN on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail from Millerton, NY to Wassaic Station. It was a beautiful fall day with cool temps and, at times, a little too much headwind. The trail passes through some impressive rock cuts and tree lined corridors, then opens into farm fields. We passed one field with sheep grazing and, alongside the trail, a dog keeping watch over the flock.
At the very end, it runs parrallel to Metro North (Hudson River Division) to a point just past the passenger platform at Wassaic Station and ends at the drive into the commuter parking lot for the station. There were bike racks and bike lockers for the fortunate commuters who choose to use the train to get to work. The trail is well separated from the rail by a high steel picket fence. It was a real thrill for me to be photographed with two things I most enjoy: bikes and trains.
The trail was busy with cyclists, walkers and a few roller bladers. One pair of cyclists was riding road bikes fitted with a framework connecting the handlebars and front forks so that they rode side by side in synchronized fashion. Interesting to see, but a little hard to manuever around at tight spots on the trail. It crosses one fairly busy rode (I think NY Route 22, a major north-south highway), but the crossing is well located for good visibility in both directions and is well marked, including a 12 - 15 foot wide painted chevron area. It was a bit of a struggle for two of us getting back to Millerton; the grade was an incline and the wind had shifted so that it was in our faces. But when we arrived back in Millerton, we did another photo op and stopped for some coffee at the Irving Farms Coffee Cafe for the car ride home.
Anyone up for a winter ride closer to home? Let me know.
Jim Cassidy

Trail Bridge

2007-08-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

Some of you may remember this bridge from photos I circulated last year. It is located along the Cuyahoga Valley Towpath Trail outside Cleveland, OH, where I have biked many times with my now 88 year old father-in-law. We rode this section of the trail several years ago and took our lives in our hands crossing two very busy and dangerous intersections now spanned by two of these bridges. To see them appear on the horizon is a real thrill, but to bike over them is even a bigger thrill. We encountered a young woman headed up the incline on rollerblades and she was having a ball. Can you visualize this style bridge crossing Northwest Drive or spanning the railyard just north of Plainville Municipal Center? I can and it gets my juices flowing. One of the interesting details not visible here is that there are signs before entering the bridge deck to indicate access to services along the roads leading to the intersection, or an alternate route for someone in a wheelchair who doesn't want to deal with the incline. Someone really thought this through. Local news reports that there was some resistance to such a beautiful bridge on the grounds that it was too expensive, but as a cyclist, it said to me as I used it, that "cyclists matter" and so does creation of something more than a cookie cutter, off-the-shelf version.
Happy trails.
Jim Cassidy

East Coast Greenway southern terminus

2007-07-18T19:53:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of photos of the southern terminus of the East Coast Greenway at Key West, FL. If you can read the fine print on the plaque, it is set into a stone quarried from construction of the trail at the northern terminus in Calais, ME. The other photo is of ECG member Mike Kiley and his family biking the trail in Key West several years ago. So, imagine this: you can bike into Plainville center and turn left to bike toward this destination! Pretty neat. Any takers?

East Coast Greenway interim route

2007-07-13T13:14:00.000-04:00

We've been at work advocating to "connect the dots" here in Plainville, CT betweeen existing trails north and south. It is a slow process given the issue of active rail alongside and crossing the proposed route. But, we thought it was important to show some progress, so we've decided to identify an interrim route on-road connecting trails in Farmington and Southington. Attached is an image of the interim route sign we hope to begin installing once we have approval from local authroities. We will add to this , a map of the route as it is currently envisioned and a "cue sheet" for this route showing all the twists and turns and distances between them for even better route navigation than may be possible with the map. Hope to see you out on the interim route sometime soon.