Reformatory Branch Trail

[DebW]

I spent the last 2 evening (til 11 pm) at the Bedford Town Meeting. After 2 hours of debate, the town voted to spend $210,000 on a design study to pave the Reformatory Branch rail trail. The design study will enable the town to apply for state or federal funds to do the construction and paving. To meet specs and be eligible for funding, the path will need to be wider than it currently is (I think it needs to be 12 feet and the current dirt path is only 8 feet) and have 4 foot high guardrails where the embankment drops away. There was a contingent in town that wanted an improved dirt surface to maintain the rural character, but in the end, the paved surface got about a 2/3 majority. The original proposal called for paving the path only from the Depot (where the Minuteman Trail ends) to Rt. 62, but town meeting voted to do the design all the way to the Bedford/Concord line, another 0.3 miles. This would assure a safe crossing of Rt. 62 and a paved path all the way to Concord center if and when Concord improves their part of the rail trail.

[Crankin]

Yay! I have mountain biked this a few times, but it is wet and muddy most of the year.
What are they doing about that hill that comes up right to where you have to cross Rt. 62? As a novice mountain biker, it's scary, since I have to stop at the top of a rise, right where there are cars speeding by.

My son will be happy... although Concord will never pave it. They seem to think that bike trail= scary people who will pee in your backyard.

[DebW]

Yay! I have mountain biked this a few times, but it is wet and muddy most of the year.
What are they doing about that hill that comes up right to where you have to cross Rt. 62? As a novice mountain biker, it's scary, since I have to stop at the top of a rise, right where there are cars speeding by.

My son will be happy... although Concord will never pave it. They seem to think that bike trail= scary people who will pee in your backyard.

The selectmen's proposal omitted the part west of Rt. 62, but people felt that it was more dangerous and therefore added it to the appropriation article. We'll have to wait for a professional design and see how it can be handled. I guess a push-button stop light would deal with the road crossing. There's still no guarantee that it will be paved, only that there will be a design detailing how to pave it. But you need a design before applying for funds.