| Title: | Bicycling |
| Notice: | Bicycling for Fun |
| Moderator: | JAMIN::WASSER |
| Created: | Mon Apr 14 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 3214 |
| Total number of notes: | 31946 |
While reading the paper one day last week, I cam across an article
about a proposed Lowell --> Sudbury bike path. This path would
be similar to the Cape Cod Bike Trail or the Minutman Bikeway, though
longer in length. If built, it would be the longest bikeway in
Massachusetts.
The proposed bikeway would start at the Lowell/Chelmsford line (@
the Wang towers parking lot under Rt. 3) and hit the following towns:
Lowell
Chelmsford
Westford
Acton
Concord
Sudbury
The route is supposed to travel along the abandoned railroad beds,
with the proposal calling to pave an 8' wide path.
Scheduled completion would take 5-6 years.
I don't recall all the details in the article. Supposedly the project
has already gotten the "ok", and I guess funding has been allocated,
but apparently the timing of the project is in question. I recall
reading about all the approvals, but then wondering what the hold
up was.
The article said to voice your support of such a project, that people
who really want this to happen should call and write the DPW, etc.
If anybody wants a copy of this article, send me mail. I'll dig
it out and make xerox copies. The article is a tad too long for
me to type in.
Sounds like an interesting project though - nice place to go for
a ride during lunch. . .
-Nancy
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 966.1 | BABC working on this | AKOV11::COHEN | Mon Jan 16 1989 16:19 | 7 | |
The Boston Area Bike Coalition (BABC) has been involved with this
project for quite some time. I grew up in Sudbury and remember
hearing about the original idea some 8 years ago. Anyway, the BABC
has a fair amount of political clout (it's all relative you know)
and they are always looking for people to help out on these advocacy
projects.
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| 966.2 | NVP is active here | ENGINE::PAULHUS | Chris @ MLO6B-2/T13 dtn 223-6871 | Tue Jan 17 1989 10:33 | 13 |
The local club, the Nashoba Valley Pedalers is active in this
too. We have walked every foot of the railbed from Lowell to Sudbury
in a series of walks. Members in the various towns are urged to
be active in local meetings (where most of the objections come from).
We are concerned that the towns will make all cyclists use the
path, not just cyclists willing to go slow. With a path like this,
users will include joggers, walkers, roller skaters, children, etc
NOT the place to ride if a) you want to get somewhere at usual bike
speeds, b) if you want to get a workout. So, we are trying to make
sure that riding on parallel roads is still specifically allowed.
Some of us are advocating a loose stone surface, rather than paving.
Maintenance is also a sore topic, and the use of barriers at
intersections is also a probable injury source. - Chris
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| 966.3 | FYI | MEMORY::GOODWIN | in a spasm of lucidity... | Tue Jan 17 1989 12:02 | 15 |
There is a similar bike path in the Washington DC area. that was
also an old Railroad bed. When I left there in 1985 it was paved
from downtown DC to Herndon, VA.(fairfax, county). In all about
35 miles. There was talk of paving it all the way to Leesburg which
is another 25 miles or so. The Path was open to any non-moterized
use. It had exercise stations every 1/4 mile or so and had gentle
slope over/underpasses at major roads. I used it a lot for running
and X-C Skiing.
The path is maintained by the Fairfax County Parks and Recreation
department. I would imagine that they could give you some info on the
trail.
Paul
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