WESTFIELD – City residents will have the opportunity to shape the future of the city’s plan to address a broad range of issues related to increasing bicycle and pedestrian access and safety in the city tonight at an informational session to be held following a formal public hearing on the north phase of the Columbia Greenway construction.
That information hearing will be held after the formal public hearing slated by the state Department of Transportation on the rehabilitation of the railroad bridge over the Westfield River.
The DOT will conduct a public hearing on the Columbia Greenway North rail trail and bridge project to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Columbia Greenway – North project, which spans from Cowles Court across the Westfield River to the area of Women’s Temperance Park on the north bank.
The DOT hearing is slated for 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the City Council Chambers of City Hall at 59 Court Street. The total project length is approximately 853 ft. or .16 miles. Elements of the project include installing a new cement concrete bridge deck measuring 10 feet in width and rehabilitating the bridge abutments and center pier.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Advisory Committee will then conduct an informational hearing on the proposed construction of the Columbia Greenway from East Silver Street to Main Street. That informational session will begin after the DOT hearing concludes.
The city has been awarded a $2 million grant from the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs to extend the Columbia Greenway to the area of Main Street. The scope of work includes installation of a new bridge over East Silver Street and an underpass linking the Hedges Avenue/St. Dennis Street neighborhood with the Taylor Avenue/Ashley Street neighborhood.
“After the DOT has closed its hearing, we will open an information hearing to talk about what’s left for the Columbia Greenway construction, The Westfield River Levee multi-use trail and the Planning Board’s master plan for pedestrian and bicyclist accommodations citywide,” City Engineer Mark Cressotti said recently.
The advisory committee is also seeking to both provide information and receive input from a broad spectrum of local residents to help with creating a plan intended to improve mobility options and increase bicyclist and pedestrian safety across the city.
Residents will have the opportunity to identify strategic goals and define a vision to enhance mobility choices in the city. The advisory committee will incorporate that input into its strategic planning and vision statement.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Advisory Committee was established by the Planning Board to help with creating a framework for future planning purposes as the Greenway and other multiuse paths are constructed. City officials anticipate that the multiuse paths will dramatically increase bicycle and pedestrian traffic in the city, especially the downtown area.
