Northampton receives grant for MassCentral Rail Trail connection design
The $157,000 MassTrails grant will fund design of a universally accessible path to the Norwottuck section of the trail at Northern Avenue.
NORTHAMPTON — The city received a $157,000 grant to design and engineer a universally accessible connection to the Norwottuck section of the MassCentral Rail Trail at Northern Avenue, according to an announcement from the Office of Planning and Sustainability. The project will be matched with $45,000 in local Community Preservation Act funding and will result in construction-ready plans.
Residents have long used an informal path at the location to reach the bike trail, but the route is passable only in good weather and only for people with unhindered mobility. The new connection will provide direct access for hundreds of residents in the surrounding neighborhood and make the trail accessible to all users, according to the city.
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra said the project removes "a barrier that has existed for years" while bringing the city closer to a safe, accessible connection for the area. Carolyn Misch, director of Planning and Sustainability, told the publication that the city has explored ways to connect the end of Northern Avenue to the bike path for years, and the grant will finally enable the work to move forward.
Misch noted that the informal access currently serves able-bodied people but excludes others. "The connector designed through this grant will resolve this issue," she said. She added that the timing aligns with new residential development planned for the neighborhood, which will increase demand for the connection.
The grant allows the city to preserve Community Preservation Committee funds that were earmarked for the design project, which can now serve as the required match to meet grant requirements. Misch said the project continues Northampton's effort to connect neighborhoods with multi-use paths and wooded trails that serve people of all ages and abilities.
Expanding safe, accessible access creates opportunities for environmental justice populations, older adults, school-aged residents, and people with disabilities, according to Misch. She explained that safe connections that do not require automobiles support equity, climate goals, and individual choice in how people move around their community.