Entire Norwottuck Narrative
Narrative
The Norwottuck Rail Trail will extend from the existing bicycle trail at Bridge Street in Northampton to the Northampton/Williamsburg Town Line, approximately 3,900 meters. The proposed
rail trail extension begins at Look Memorial Park then runs along a former railroad corridor heading northward to Florence Street in Leeds. At the Florence Street crossing, the trail
runs along a former railroad corridor heading northward, terminating in the vicinity of the Northampton/Williamsburg Town Line. The entire right-of-way is under the control of the City
of Northampton.
This project involves a bike path extension along an existing abandoned railroad bed (formerly Mass Electric Right-of-Way) starting from its link with Look Park (Sta. 8+00) to the Northampton/William
sburg Town Line (Station 38+80). The bike trail includes one (1) new bicycle/pedestrian bridge superstructure (#N-19-073) at an entranceway to Look Memorial Park and minor maintenance
of existing masonry arch bridges at Arch Street and at Beaver Brook. The rehabilitation of the Arch Street Bridge is limited to repointing (repairing the joints) of the existing masonry
of the parapet walls, abutments and wing walls, and installing timber bicycle railing. The Beaver Brook Bridge is a single span bridge with masonry abutments that will be repointed
and the superstructure will be constructed using a timber deck and timber pedestrian safety rails.
The bike path will be 3.0 meters wide with 0.6 meter graded grass shoulders on each side with 0.3 meter to 0.6 meter offsets to bike rails at select locations where slopes warrant the
bicycle railing for safety purposes. In other select areas the graded shoulder is eliminated on one side at a time to reduce impacts on adjacent wetlands and a certified vernal pool.
From Look Memorial Park to Florence Street, the project will include excavation, trail construction and paving with hot mix asphalt, bridge work, installation of safety railings, traffic
signs and markings, installation of steel bollards, seeding unpaved graded areas,
installation of erosion controls, and other appurtenances and incidental items as set forth in the proposal and required to complete the work.
The trail will cross at-grade at Florence Street as well as within Look Memorial Park in Northampton.
From Florence Street to the Northampton/Williamsburg town line, the project will include excavation, trail construction and a covering of trap rock gravel, bridge work, installation
of safety railings, traffic signs and markings, installation of steel bollards, seeding unpaved graded areas, installation of erosion controls, and other appurtenances and incidental
items as set forth in the proposal and required to complete the work.
The work in the 100’ Buffer Zone includes the construction of the 3.0 Meter wide bicycle trail and the associated clearing and grubbing, site grading, paving and loam and seeding. In
order to mitigate any silt and erosion, straw bales and silt fence are being placed along the down slope side of the fill slopes. The detail for the construction of the straw bales
and silt fence erosion protection is shown on the plan. All disturbed areas adjacent to the trail will receive a 100mm layer of loam and be seeded.