Plainville Greenway Alliance

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 ...

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 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 sea...

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 fit...

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...

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?