June 2000

An Upper Valley Loop Trail?

That is one shared use trail the Upper Valley Trails Alliance is pursuing! The initial "Loop Trail will connect the towns of Hartford and Norwich, Vermont, with Hanover and Lebanon, New Hampshire. Eventually, "spokes could come off from this loop to connect with other trails throughout the Upper Valley region.

The Loop Trail connects many planned bike and pedestrian paths; including the Hanover path planned from Ledyard bridge to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon's planned sidewalk and curb projects near the high school and over 1-89, a possible rail with trail section from Lebanon to the White River Junction train station, Hartford sidewalk enhancement projects and bike path construction to Dothan Brook Elementary on VT RT 5, and the Main Street Norwich Corridor project.

The Alliance has received funding to begin investigating one of the two missing links in the Loop Trail. The first missing link is between Dothan Brook Elementary School on VT RT 5 in Hartford and Main Street / RT 10A in Norwich. This missing link would provide safe bike and pedestrian access to the newly agreed upon Dresden Playing Fields and the Norwich Farmers' Market. In the fall of 2000 the Alliance will begin investigations into possible trail routes.

The second missing link is between the downtowns of Lebanon and White River Junction. This link also involves crossing the Connecticut River. The railroad corridor and bridge between these two downtowns would make for ideal trail location, already in public ownership with a volunteer trail group ready and able to maintain the trail. Currently, the Claremont Concord Railroad Company is investigating operating trains on a portion of this 3 mile railroad section. The Alliance supports alternative means of transportation, including rail service, and hopes to work with the state and railroad to create a "rail with trail.

The city of Lebanon is holding a Public Hearing on Wednesday June 14~ at 7 PM at the Mt. Lebanon Elementary School to discuss the future of the railroad and the Westborough Yard, a switching station located near West Lebanon Supply, Inc. and the RT 12A - RT 4 intersection in West Lebanon. The Alliance encourages those interested in the creation of an Upper valley Loop Trail and the future uses of the railroad to attend this Public Hearing.

The following are a few examples of "Rails with Trails that are operating safely and effectively across the northeast and the nation.

1. In Nashua, NH, there is a rail-with-trail bridge across the Nashua River downtown. See the attached map.

2. In Gorham, NH, the RR bridge over the Androscoggin River has a foot bridge attached for hikers. This is maintained by Appalachian Mountain Club.

3. In Illinois there is a RR bridge with a trail bridge suspended underneath. This is on the Illinois Prairie Path and a web link can be seen at www.ipp.org/

4. In Brunswick, ME, there is a RR bridge with a highway bridge underneath along with a sidewalk. (But, perhaps its not quite what you are looking for.)

5. In Harpers Ferry, WV, there is a mainline (high speed and frequency) CSX bridge which has a pedestrian walkway on one side. This is part of the Appalachian Trail and Appalachian Trail Conference headquarters is nearby.

6. In Portland, OR, the Union Pacific RR bridge over the Willamette River is going to be accommodating a bike-ped pathway very soon. Call Rob Barnard from the City of Portland, 503-823-7071.

Copied using scanner & OCR software by Kenyon F. Karl <[email protected]> on July 22, 2000 from a fact sheet issued by UVLT. Unintentional errors are likely!

Maps and pictures of the following rail-with-trail bridges can be seen this Rail-trail Web Site:

• rail-with-trail bridge in Nashua.

• Androscoggin River bridge are at the bottom of the Gorham Page of the Whitefield-Gorham Rail-trail.

Go to:

• Rail Trails in NH, VT, & ME

• Rail-Trails of New Hampshire

• Northern Line Rail-Trail

• Westboro & White River Jct.