Don Podolski of New Horizon Bikes gave a short presentation to the City Council on Rail Trail benefits Thursday.
WESTFIELD – City engineer Mark Cressotti was summoned before the City Council on Thursday to answer questions about the Railroad Bridge portion of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail (CGRT), which is scheduled to begin construction this spring, and is slated to cost in excess of $3 million.
Before Cressotti could begin, At-large Councilor Dave Flaherty asked that he limit his remarks to the Railroad Bridge project. This comment followed 30 minutes of public participation, with the majority of speakers in favor of the project.
“All of us have voted in favor of the CGRT. This has to do with a news report that we heard $3 million would be used to fix the brown bridge when there’s an alternative,” Flaherty said.
Council president Brent Bean interrupted to say that he didn’t want to be unfair to Cressotti, and asked him if he was prepared to answer questions specifically about the Railroad Bridge Project.
City Councilor David Flaherty
“Thank you for allowing me to present the project. It does involve bigger issues about what we are doing,”
MARK CRESSOTTI
Cressotti responded. He then asked for permission to allow Don Podolski of New Horizons Bikes to give a short presentation on the Rail Trail.
Podolski said that 200,000 users of a Rail Trail crossed the Massachusetts border from CT last year, on what is typically a social ride. Last September 17, the Friends of the CGRT took a manual count of its users. On that day they counted 220 users crossing over from CT, and 701 trail users in Westfield, he said.
“The Greenway is more than a recreational path. Studies have shown that bicycle riders using trails and lanes spend more than drivers,” Podolski added. He also gave examples of rail trail successes in Poughkeepsie, NY, where a railroad bridge “to nowhere” became an economic driver for the revitalization of the area, and another, similar example in Greenville, SC.
Cressotti said that this was part of the answer.
Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr. said the Councilors wanted to know whether there were options to this portion of the trail that could be done faster.
Cressotti explained that the city started the Great River Bridge in 1994, and the Columbia Greenway in 1998. He said the Railroad Bridge was designed to complement the Great River Bridge.
ROBERT PAUL
“It creates a destination spot. Once you have an improved trail, it’s not just expediency on how to get across the river,” Cressotti said. He added that the CGRT is more than a multi-use trail, it is also an emergency access byway, and important to keep elevated and accessible.
“Yes, $3 million is being spent on a bridge over the river. They’ll be mobilizing to work on it at the beginning of the construction season. The funding for it was by a vote by this body in 2011,” Cressotti added.
At-large Councilor Matthew T. VanHeynigen asked whether other options exist for this funding, to which Cressotti replied, not to his knowledge.
VanHeynigen also asked why the Railroad Bridge is being done and not the central section.
Cressotti said the current estimates for the central section are $6.25 million, and some funds for that are already scheduled for 2019, two years out. He said there are five bridges in that section, and the monies have already been identified.
Cressotti also said the reason why this portion of the Rail Trail is being done is a question for the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission.
Ward 3 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise asked what portion of the bridge will be Chapter 90 money, to which Cressotti replied, none.
Surprise also asked if the city could request the state to divert the funding.
“As long as it’s been earmarked, if the city wants to ask the state to defund the contract, it would be difficult,” Cressotti said.
Paul asked how much of the $3 million has already been committed. “All of it,” responded Cressotti.
Flaherty asked when the $3 million was committed, whether it was committed to the Rail Trail in general. Cressotti said it was.
When Flaherty asked why then was it committed to this bridge, Cressotti said that had been done years ago.
“We could have chosen to use it in the Stop & Shop area,” Flaherty commented.
“This will be the first time the state and federal government funds a portion of the CGRT, after years of design, approval and vetting,” Cressotti replied.
“We think there might be a better route. Seems to me we could cross the Great River Bridge,” Flaherty said.
“The green bridges are now both one direction. Our own local ordinances make it illegal to ride bridges. It’s also a state bridge,” Cressotti replied. He said on the north side the Railroad Bridge will bring the trail up from the Women’s Temperance Park in a short segment up to Montgomery Road.
“There’s really nothing that we can do to change what’s in place,” said At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III.
John J. Beltrandi III
“That would be my thoughts as well. There will certainly be opportunities for input. We just did a public hearing two years ago on the north section,” Cressotti said.
“I think what we’re living with is what councilors did six years ago, when this money was awarded. There are 165 miles of road in Westfield. It’s fair to say we’re not spending $5 to $6 million on our roads,” said At-large Councilor Dan Allie.
Allie added that he spent 10 months fighting passage of the Complete Streets, which was trying to take control away from the towns.
“How can we justify the state spending $3.3 million on this trail, when there are two bridges a few feet away,” Allie commented.
“You had indicated that this $3 million was pre-programmed already. If I’m understanding this, there’s another $6.25 million, just so we’re not surprised by it,” said Ward 6 Councilor William Onyski.
“I attempt to let the Council know every year what is coming in and going out. The $6.25 should complete the Rail Trail. That’s expected in a couple of years. Then when we’re done, we’re not done. I don’t think we’ll ever be done improving the city,” Cressotti said.
BRENT BEAN II
Bean stepped down from the podium to share his thoughts. “I sit in front of Congress on behalf of Westfield State University. This is the process. That $3.2 million is designated to that particular bridge project. If we don’t accept this, we don’t get the money, and it goes somewhere else,” he said.
“We do have to connect the rest of this. It’s not the bridge to nowhere, it’s to the north side,” Bean added. He said he agreed that it’s a “ridiculous” amount of money to spend, but that’s what it cost. He also said it’s disingenuous to turn this project into a Chapter 90 discussion.
“It’s going to cost us (the city) a hell of a lot more to knock it down,” Bean added, referring to the Railroad Bridge.
“Those earmarked monies are getting stale, if we don’t use them as quickly as possible,” Cressotti said, implying the city might lose access to the funding.
Flaherty asked what will be the cost to the city of the central phase.
Cressotti said the state had programmed $6.75 million, but the scope of that project had changed, because the city did some work to the southern element. “The monies they had are committed – we’ve come back to $6.25 million. We’re going to need money from the city for design, and right of ways,” Cressotti said.
“It sounds like we spent a lot of time working on this – 20 years. Public meetings that people have come to, and work by the FOCGRT. I am in total support of the ‘Bridge to Somewhere.’ We on the north side in Ward 1 and Ward 5 are very proud of our somewhere,” said Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski.
“I was one of the three people that voted for Complete Streets. I hope it comes around again. Complete Streets, Rail Trail, Bridge to Somewhere – I’m all for it,” she added.
Surprise said the roads are the reason. He asked Cressotti where the money comes from to maintain the Rail Trail. Cressotti said it could be a Chapter 90 funded project, but the city hasn’t used it for that, and maintenance of the trail is in the DPW budget.
City Councilor Steve Dondley
Cressotti agreed that the roads have not been kept up. He said this is not a local problem, but caused by the federal and state governments not funding infrastructure adequately.
“We’re building a whole other road network that we have to maintain, when we’re not maintaining the roads we have,” Surprise commented.
“We’re not maintaining, we’re improving, and bringing business,” Cressotti responded.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy said a couple of sections of the Rail Trail were funded through Gateway City funds. “This is another example that we all need to get involved in the beginning, not at the end,” Figy said.
At-large Council Stephen Dondley agreed. “This conversation has gone on for way too long. You‘ve got to look at it as an investment, not an expense. Construction workers will be coming into town. We’ve got to believe in Westfield. Thank you Mark, and thank you to all the volunteers,” Dondley said.
Ward 4 Councilor Mary O’Connell also thanked Cressotti, adding, “Thank you, Mark for coming in on your birthday to present to us.” In response, Cressotti received a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday to you” from Rail Trail volunteers.
