Major reconstruction efforts are underway or planned on Route 9 in Northampton and Hadley. The projects include construction of a roundabout at Interstate 91’s Exit 19 and widening of Route 9 in Hadley.
At a recent 25 percent design meeting, representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation described some of the ways that they are planning to mitigate the traffic congestion that is likely to ensue. Efforts that facilitate non-motorized users (pedestrians, bike-riders, and bus passengers) are critically important to prioritize in this planning.
I would hope that the planners at DOT can work creatively with their counterparts at the Department of Conservation and Recreation to explore ways to plow the Norwottuck Rail Trail. This pathway provides a safe alternative to Route 9 for many users for most of the year. Unfortunately, once iced over, the trail is impassible for many months of the year.
It’s worthwhile noting that the Northampton sections of rail trails are plowed with many users over the same period of the winter and early spring. Establishing a pilot project to plow the trail between the Swift Way and the end of the trail in Northampton would help take cars off the road for many months and reduce the impact of these road projects.
I encourage others to chime with comments to DOT.
Nicholas Horton
Northampton