HomeMy Public PortalAboutWatertown_to_Fresh_Pond_Trail_4 Watertown to Fresh Pond Trail
A proposed connection
ir
"10
The Watertown Bicycle Committee
AWN
Vision Statement
■ To provide Watertown and area residents
with ways to enjoy the natural beauty of
the area and safe means of pedestrian &
bicycle travel by connecting the Charles
River pathways to the Alewife T Stop.
■ This path, the Watertown Branch Path,
would connect residents of the towns of
Watertown, Cambridge, and Belmont to the
network of trails connecting at the T-stop.
4/24/2009 2
Background
■ The Paul Dudley White Path along the Charles
River, and the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway
are both established and well used paths,
maintained by the Department of Conservation
and Recreation (DCR).
■ DCR is in the process of extending the set of
paths which will continue the River Path out to
Waltham and beyond, allowing bicyclists to ride
most of the Charles River.
4/24/2009 3
ft-
Map of Paul Dudley Wh
path
Science
2 � u
rtow01. °
1 Cambridge_
GhOI 2A 9•
� uu;i,y �yQ'
aN ton a Ft� F ston
20 a Ghaftes
Boston 24 s
1 30 �°
Brookline 90 Lmh
TmW
4/24/2009 4
VW m _ .
Path Network
■ The Metro Boston area has a number of multi-use
paths, most of them on old rail beds, most
heading east-west (in to/out of Boston).
■ It is more difficult, and frustrating, to travel
north-south, or to connect from one path to
another.
■ Several paths are in process/vision which could
remedy this problem, including the Somerville
Community Path and the Watertown Branch
Trail.
4/24/2009 5
Mar-1pi o current possible
paths
Existing path
------ - Path project
....... ,... potential path
Minute an META Station
ommu of � DF J D MALDE .�*....
+ r + as + Bikeway ��.
M Fstic Way To- e
LINGTON `' '*+'*■.
IeW "]Brook OVRETT
Ravi
yyyyy y41111ii1i i i ii
art D�
Path
Mass err yy MU n 4%
14.PwI.-iL CAMBRIDGE #
1
TF T � ~i+ {
Watertown Branch Lechmere _
Grand
JunqUon
NEWTON
Cha s River Paths
r 20 Minute bike r1de 010 mmhBOSTON
4/24/2009 6
Watertown Branch Trail :
current & possible
The Alewife T stop is a multi-modal transportation
hub that connects to:
■ The Minuteman path leading northwest.
■ The future Central Mass trail leading to the west.
■ The future Watertown branch trail, which would
link to the River paths thereby connecting to the
Charles River, Boston and the Harbor, and out to
Waltham.
4/24/2009 7
Watertown Branch Trail History
■ 1996: Study to link Charles River & Alewife
suggests using the rail Right of Way (ROW)
through Watertown
■ 1998 : Town of Watertown rezones unused RR
property as Open Space.
■ 1999: State purchases ROW from School St to
Grove St. to develop a multi-use path.
■ 2003 : State selects VHB as Path designer.
■ 2004: State gives VHB notice to proceed with
design contract.
4/24/2009 8
Current Watertown Branch trail
From:
:- ` Grove St.
Cr to
School St.
4
p 1946 US tao
Bemis Branch RR
4/24/2009 9
I
Watertown Branch : possible
connections to the River Pathmw
-
Arsenal
Street . , , ... _
f W Mall
4.
Arsenal
�.. � � -.?-_fir ,� �I.• YNc
Existing New
How can we connect these paths?
4/24/2009 10
b.y7� �{r.e `er 'Re ,� ! i ` , �j• .t'y+'. r iv +..�1`.j_
fr_• +� x s ;�c,
"
-�"y -:Si.• _ ..brit" •� �..'4`�,:.. .,..� _ -
R •k k
--• .,.,
Watertown Branch :
Connecting it all together
Goal: to connect the new section of the Watertown
Branch Path with the Cambridge Path at Fresh
Pond which leads to the Minuteman Path at
Alewife by:
1 : State purchase or easement on the RR Right Of
Way (ROW).
2: Reconstruction of the rails (if required) and
accommodation of the Path (divided/dual use).
4/24/2009 12
GG Dua Use" Trails
■ Might be called "divided use" : separating
train tracks and multi-use paths by fences,
grade differentials or screening
■ 50 such trails exist in the United States
Copyright 1999. RTC
Green Bay Trail, Illinois
The Green Bay Trail
connects commuters to this
*: train station in suburban
Chicago. (Photo: Steve
Emmett-Mattox)
4/24/2009 13
Map of potential Path :
from Grove St. Watertown
to Fresh Pond, Cambridge
r �
r i A v
I
GAO
_
4/24/2009 - -r ry �t
14
Arlington St. a7 .rr
r
O&Zlp"f 0 co rn 1
7 --�-
sl
you s t
eon St
Welfs A
KIM
av% St
raygord St
� c
<cDclf�1401 R-d
4/24/2009 5
Grove St. West
0?
f
you s
eon St
welfs AV
Merrifield Av c
cd 4+1
� c
o Crawford St
< clfiQge 1401 Rd
4/24/2009 16
f , )
Mn
k
Grove St. `
. '�• \ \
, 2 _
\ �
y$ �.
7
¥an 5
2
m6G AV
$ . -
�
eEm6dAv g
-
.
-
�
ƒ § CmylordSt
« a06142 R@ Rd
4 24 2OD9 17
' u
}
77
Pi
4:. ,}...,. .
r 1
, r
iv
s
4.1
i.
7` 1
`.. :• €_
-_-
_ K.. - 4
b5 ~_�'1. ��` .�` s .�., �f•dIL�� Vsh �r � � rr�l _ �
� q
1 r
4i
•�� i'L '1R�' .'^fir' KS-�- �'�'�
. a -
W.
Holworthy St.7,
l
m
�* r 7
SIL
you s t
eon St ;
elfs AV
errifield A ,►
.r4LD
7
iFt ''4
o Crawford St
k
t1Qq �-fial R-d
4/24/2009 20
A
. '.}
I I "9 21
J' ff
w£ t
t
' ,
`�'i,, a• �.� as ¢, r ".. .I:l � '`��` f
,y
6
���•IC C Yl� a •.n .•1•�I ,� c 3 ,
l s��x ice., •.�� '.t�� r, ,.+tA;.h� �a���.r�'}� . .
r. 1 i r 1' E Y�l. f"'•f .
i } �. .-�'�'�_ 'yw. � '° -���},: '.!,"' ' ;�,� .p- �•f `�ry �� ��e',Fy,}ate: :�,.Yar �.
Making connections :
the bike at Fresh Pond, crossinpath g
the tracks in Cambridge
4/24/2009 25
Today ' s Situation
■ Newlywed Foods, at end of active rail line,
was receiving 1 train of 5 bulk carrier cars of
flour per week.
■ Guilford Industries (RR operator and
property owner) has filed its intention to
abandon the RR & discontinue service.
■ The RR tracks are in such poor condition,
trains would regularly derail at 3 mph.
■ RR ROW is wide enough to accommodate
dual use for infrequent freight at walking
speeds.
4/24/2009 26
The current condition of the tracks . . . .
r .
r•ire ;.sv�.:--., s!..
-
ri_f_ -
4/24/2009 27
Available Options
■ Rail with Trail (RWT) : would include
purchase or easement of a Right Of
Way along the train tracks
■ The State purchases the ROW for
continuation of the Watertown Branch
Trail.
4/24/2009 28
Current Status
■ The State has included funds for a dual-use
feasibility study in the 2004 Transportation Bond
Bill.
■ Newlywed Foods supports a dual-use plan if it
will provide increased rail support and liability
issues are clarified.
■ The Watertown Branch Trail is in design as a
Multi-Use Path by the Watertown firm of VHB,
Transportation Planners & Engineers.
4/24/2009 30
_ 1
Our thanks to the following for
helping make the Watertown Branch
Trail possible :
■ Representative Rachel Kaprielian
■ Senator Steven Tolman
■ Former Senator Warren Tolman
■ Representative Anne Paulsen
4/24/2009 31