“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” has taken on new meaning for residents in the North End of the city. The Clipper City Rail Trial has been stretching it’s path quite literally through the North End’s neck of the woods. Back in August, Newburyport Today photographed (with the help of Paul Kelly) the installation of the bridge over Low Street, since then the project has really gotten underway. While much of the trail is still under construction, Newburyporter’s don’t seem to be able to contain their excitement.
Geordie Vinning who is the senior project manager describes it like this “It’s pretty neat how more and more people are using it now and how there are families out there biking right behind the contractors as they finish the paving.”
Vining reports to us that most of the paving will be completed this week with only minor top coating still in progress. There a few spots where old railroad debris needs to be removed, and the subcontractor will be working this week to install some security fencing as well as some cedar visual screening and split rail fencing in a few spots. He adds that most of the landscaping will also be completed this week and next, as they want to get the trees and shrubs into the ground prior to a hard frost. Whatever doesn’t survive the winter will be attended to again in the Spring.
At the Parker Street crossing (shown above) there will be the installation of a blinking light to signal motorists when the road is being crossed. It is the one area of the trail that is confronted with the possibility of significant motorized traffic. The only other time the 1.1 mile rail trail directly crosses a road (rather than going over or under) is at Washington Street, and here it is within a quiet residential neighborhood, so signals were not deemed necessary. Curb cuts (see below) were just installed here to make the transition from trail to road a fluid one.
The city will still be working on installing, benches, waste receptacles, sculpture, and signage, but these are all minor compared to the scale of the work that has already been completed.
The Rail Trail will be open to non-motorized uses such as bicycling, jogging, and walking and runs between the Merrimack River and the MBTA Commuter Rail Station. While most of the work will actually be completed at the end of this month, the project will receive an official Grand Opening in the Spring. Currently it is scheduled for Sunday May 23rd.
We asked Vining in closing what his favorite part of the trail was and he wavered a bit only saying, “It’s a really interesting mile long corridor, I think maybe the waterfront is my favorite, just because of the views, but there is really something different about ¼ mile and so there is really something for everyone.”
Needless to say, we agree.
