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A bridge to somewhere

By adamg on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 10:26am

Joel Brown is on hand, camera at the ready, when a pre-built bridge is put in place as part of a new bicycling/walking path in Newburyport.

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Bicycling
Newburyport


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Comments

By issacg on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 11:16am.

While I generally like rail trails, I have mixed feelings about this one. I like it because I am a cyclist and because it preserves the right of way (against, for instance, encroachment by abutters). However, it will make it extremely difficult to ever extend the Newburyport Commuter Rail line to Portsmouth, which is something I think should eventually take place (NH, of course, paying for at least the NH stretch). The current Downeaster run comes close, but Portsmouth should really have a direct rail link to Boston (particularly with all the higher density housing that has been built downtown). You would also be able to take this train to Salisbury Beach and Hampton Beach (If you were so inclined - I am not), and it would also get you closer to Pease than the Downeaster (this last feature being important when the inevitable happens and air travel demand exceeds the capacity at BOS, PVD, ORH and MHT - note that Pease is particuarly well suited for international traffic because of its famously long runway).

I realize that all of this is probably at least 20 years out, but hey, I'm young and I have vision.

By Neal on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 11:47am.

There is an alternative. There is an active spur from Rockingham Junction on the Downeaster line that joins this lne just south of Downtown Portsmouth. So should it not be feasable to rebuild between Newburyport, Portsmouth and Kittery, upgrading that spur might do the trick, even though it would be a less direct route..

By anon on Fri, 08/14/2009 - 12:48pm.

Now if only the state would place one of those at the edge of the Evans Way entrance to the Back Bay Fens. The bridge towards, the currently being renovated, Clemente Field has been missing since 1962 and a large swath of the park is dangerously isolated without it.