I read today some fantastic news for those of us who enjoy riding our bikes on bike paths. Someone is finally doing something about the ridiculously bumpy Northampton to Amherst Norwottuck Rail Trail. Today’s Gazette had the story by Nick Grabbe.
Originally, the path was built using recycled glass….sounds like a good idea, and as my cousin Steve joked, “it must have come from some guy with a ponytail.” Craig Della Penna, local bike path guru, said that the current trail has seen fewer than half of the original users because of the annoying bumps. That recycled glass is visible on sunny days and the shards come up and puncture bike tires. No, that wasn’t a good idea at all, thought the guy in the ponytail after so many people complained about their tires. Now crews use blowers to blow away the shards every week.
Crews will level out the bumps and in 2009, bids will go out to resurface the whole 8.5 mile long trail. One thing for certain, says the Mass Highway Dept, they’ll never try to mix glass in again.
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