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Danvers Bi-Peds was formed by Ingrid Barry out of frustration with years
of lack of progress on rail-trails and deteriorating walking and biking conditions
in Danvers. In 1997, she and her husband bought a lot on a new street that
paralleled the unused railroad right of way. The seller told them of the Danvers
Bicycle Planning Committee which was working on a Master Bicycle Plan and
money had been received for a study which included the conversion of the rails
to a recreational pathway. Having lived elsewhere in Danvers for many years,
their new home was going see them through their retirement years. They looked
forward to being able to walk or bike safely to town on the trail.
After several years of no action by the town, Ingrid decided a citizens bicycle
and pedestrian advocacy group may be able to reactivate the idea of rails
to trails and in general promote changes throughout Danvers for safer biking
and walking.
The first meeting was called on March 28, 2002. By October, the group had a name, by-laws, logo, brochure, and bank accou nt. The Rotary Club of Danvers expressed an interest in working with the group on the rail-trail project.
In January, 2003, 690 brochures and cover letters were mailed to favorable respondents to a town survey done by the Bicycle Planning Committee in 1998. This produced the base of the membership, the Danvers Rotary gave a $500 contribution to help cover costs of the mailing and an upcoming ride planned in conjunction with the Danvers Historical Society.
In an effort to get out the message of working together for safer biking and walking in Danvers, the Bi-Peds have been active in the community. The group, along with the Danvers Historical Society, held a community ride or walk called a Trek Thru time. The Bi-Peds also participate in the Danvers Family Festival. They held a contest to encourage people to bike or walk and leave the car at home. In April, 2004, a presentation on topics such as bike safety, sidewalk conditions, and rail trails was given at the Danvers Senior Center.
To gather information on the best ways to achieve the goals of the Danvers Bi-Peds, members of the group have met with the Town Manager, Wayne Marquis, and others at town hall, the Recreation Committee, the Disabilities Committee, and the Open Space Committee. They have also attended co nferences and meeting such as the annual Move Massachusetts Conference sponsored by the Mass. Highway Department, the regional East Coast Greenway meeting, and seminars presented by Rails to Trails Conservancy.
In fall of 2003, work was started on getting town approval of a proposed 2.40 miles recreational pathway on abandoned rail beds. Abutters were contacted by mail with information and return postcards. The response, though limited, was highly in favor of the idea. Several civic organizations gave their support to the project and again the Rotary gave funds for the cost of printing and mailing.
It was later learned from the MBTA that not all of the proposed 2.40 mile area was actually abandoned and emphasis has shifted to the 4.35 miles of track running from Route 114 near McDonald's through town to Route 97. This area, known as the Newburyport Branch line, is abandoned and could be leased to the town for 99 years at no cost for use as a trail. All that is required to move is for the Selectmen to send a letter concerning the lease to the MBTA.
Through a petition, letters, and phone calls to the Operations Director at the DPW, there is money in the 2005 Pavement Warrant Article to study the dangerous Wenham/Locust Streets intersection - the first step in making it more pedestrian friendly.
Members received the first newsletter, which now goes out quarterly, in spring of 2003. Members now also receive a discount at the 2 local bicycle shops, Landry’s Bicycles and Western Cycle.
Many voices speaking in unison should bring results and begin to make Danvers a town that is proud of its biking and walking facilities.
Rail Trail Costs
Property Values and Economic Impact
Quality of Life on the Rail Trail
The Physical Properties of the Rail Trail
The Use of the Trail
The Rail Trail & the Environment
Other Questions
Who currently owns the rail bed?
The MBTA owns the rail bed.
What are the land acquisition costs for the railroad right of way?
There are no costs for the land.
How much does the design and construction of a rail trail cost?
Rail trail costs can vary, based on the ease of construction or if there are special needs such as building bridges, highway crossings or other special structures. The estimate for the Danvers Trail is $755,000 per mile.
How can we even conceive of spending money on a rail trail with the budget crunch?
The process of establishing a rail trail is a long one so the expenses will be spread over a long period of time. The near-term cost is the required engineering studies that will cost around $25,000.
What fraction of the costs will be borne by Danvers?
If proper procedures are followed and the rail trail is constructed under the federal transportation enhancements program, each town will pay between 10% and 20% of the total of the costs of the engineering studies, design and construction. All of the upfront costs up to the "25% Design" level will be the responsibility of the towns. These costs could be covered through fund raising and in kind donations if necessary. The state will pay up to 10% of the cost and the remaining 80% will be paid through federal transportation funds. These are transportation funds dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian enhancements.
How can the Commonwealth of Massachusetts consider spending money on a rail trail when the state budget is in under pressure and the cost of the big dig needs to be paid off?
A rail trail is part of the total transportation package. The Commonwealth is promoting alternative transportation methods to help ease traffic congestion and promote the health and welfare of it citizens. The rail trail process is a long one so there will be little draw on the state at this point. The only short-term cost to the state will be the assignment of staff to further the rail-trail approval and design process.
With all of the backlog of needed road and bridge repairs, how can the state consider spending state and federal transportation funds on a rail trail?
The Federal transportation act sets aside a certain fraction of the total transportation funds to be used only for transportation “enhancements” that do not involve motorized transportation. A large fraction of the funds for rail trails have come out of the enhancement set-asides. These funds cannot be used for roads and motorized-vehicle bridges. For more information go to President Bush Signs Transportation Bill at http://www.bikeleague.org/index.cfm
Who will pay for trail maintenance?
Danvers will pay the costs for maintenance. A typical lease agreement includes the assumption of maintenance costs by the local communities. These maintenance costs have proven to be minimal for most rail trails. There is often a large volunteer effort to cover all or part of the maintenance.
Who will pay for the costs of a future major trail improvement, especially resurfacing?
The state has often picked up the costs for such things. In some towns, utilities have leased the rail bed and installed things such as fiber optics. The leases have helped pay for major improvements. Perhaps, as in the town of East Hampton, MA, a Trail Friends group could set aside money for future needs.
Who will pay for policing of the rail trail?
The local communities will continue to be responsible for policing the rail bed as they have in the past. Typical lease agreements will obligate the town to take care of policing. The typical experience is that policing costs for a rail trail are quite small and are usually incorporated in the normal budgets for police departments with little overall change. Some towns have put policemen on bicycles as part of normal patrolling of streets and public areas. These bicycle officers patrol trails as part of their normal duties. Trail users will provide a high degree of self-policing of the trail. The rail bed has long sight lines so that anyone up to mischief on the trail will be very visible.
Will the communities be liable for accidents on the rail trail?
The communities will face the same liability as they currently have for accidents on the roads, sidewalks, recreation areas and conservation areas. These liability costs are usually minimal and are capped by statute.
Do rail trails reduce property values?
On average, no. Studies have been done for other trails, showing slight increases in the average value of neighboring and nearby properties.
Will the town lower evaluations and property taxes for homes neighboring the rail trail?
The assessment process will be the same as always. It is unlikely that your assessment will go down because of the rail trail just as it is not lower if the property is next to any other park in town. The experience on most existing rail trails is that property values along a rail trail either hold steady or go up after the trail is constructed. If a significant decrease in property value can be documented, the homeowner can appeal to the Board of Assessors. Many Realtors promote house sales by noting the proximity to a rail trail.
What is the economic impact of the trail?
Retail businesses near the rail trail should benefit slightly because of increased traffic. Property values are anticipated to go up because of the existence of the trail. Note that according to a 2000 National Association of Home Builders Survey of what active adults and older seniors want in their communities, walking and jogging trails ranked #1. See http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=6145
Do rail trails violate the privacy of neighbors?
This is a common fear before a trail is built, but after a trail is built most neighbors are happy to live near it. A number of studies have sought the reactions of trail neighbors. If desired by the abutter, a fence can be erected. As an alternative to a fence, shrubbery can be planted to provide screening. With other trails, the experience has been that many neighbors who have had fencing installed later remove the fencing because it is unnecessary and blocks their own access to the trail! Several large studies of rail trails have revealed that neighbors become the most frequent users of the trails.
Will motorized vehicles, especially motorcycles and snowmobiles be allowed on the trail?
The only motorized vehicles allowed on the trail would be emergency vehicles, maintenance vehicles and motorized wheel chairs. Other motorized vehicles definitely will not be allowed. Anyone caught could be subject to a fine. The experience on other rail trails has been that trail users and trail neighbors have a keen interest in keeping motorized vehicles off the trails. The few incidents that have occurred have been immediately reported and dealt with. Bollards at the intersection of the trail with roads will also provide a physical deterrent to motorized vehicles on the trail.
How about noise from trail users?
About the only noise from the trail will be the voices of those using the trail. Screening shrubbery may help suppress this noise.
Will trail users cut through my property?
This is unlikely. The trail will have several access points so that it is easy for trail users to get on and off the trail without going through private property. Trespassing on adjacent private property has not been a problem on the heavily used Minuteman Trail. If you have specific concerns, please contact us at www.danversbi-peds.org so we can help make sure that those concerns are considered in the planning and design phases of the project.
Will equestrians be allowed to use the trail?
Many rail trails have accommodated both equestrians and other users such as walkers and cyclists. Such mixed use is best accommodated where there is a separate unpaved path alongside the prepared (paved or stone dust) trail. Horses can cause considerable deterioration to a stone dust path so riding on such a path may be discouraged. Riding on a paved path is less desirable for equestrians, but may well be accommodated. Equestrians would likely want to avoid using the path when it is heavily used by walkers and cyclists.
Who is going to pick up the litter?
Not much litter is expected along the trail. The kinds of people who use the trail are generally people who appreciate the outdoors and respect it. Litter has not been a problem along the trails we are most familiar with in this area: e.g. the Minuteman and the Powow Trail in Amesbury. A Friends of the Rail Trail group will undoubtedly be formed to organize cleanups.
Do rail trails attract crime?
No, the experience from other trails is that crime is less frequent on a rail trail than it was on the abandoned railway before the trail was built. The self-policing nature of a rail trail helps suppress crime. The most frequent crime along rail trails is an occasional bicycle theft.
How will the trail be policed?
The local police departments will be responsible, just as they are now for the unused railway.
What kind of surface will be on the trail?
The standard width for a rail trail is 10 to 12 feet of firm surface with appropriate shoulders on each side. About half of existing rail trails have paved surfaces. Such a surface accommodates the widest range of users and is the lowest cost to maintain. However, other surfaces may be considered such as stone dust. These surfaces may have higher maintenance costs.
Will there be restroom facilities on the trail?
Maybe not; the towns’ sidewalks and foot trails do not need restrooms. If found to be desirable, portable facilities can be provided at some parking areas as in done along the Nashua River Rail Trail.
Will the trail be plowed in the winter?
Probably not unless it is constructed as part of a Safe Route to School. An unplowed trail would be available for snow shoeing and cross-country skiing.
What will be done to assure safe road crossings where the trail intersects a road?
Standard trail designs usually use bollards along with such things as striping and signs to warn trail users of an upcoming intersection. The road crossing itself is usually striped much like a standard pedestrian crossing. There will be signs on the road to warn drivers. For particularly dangerous and heavily used intersections, a button-activated crossing light may be considered.
Won’t the rail bed become a bicycling super highway?
Cyclists will certainly be one of the largest groups of users. However, a rail trail is meant as a community path that accommodates all kinds of users. In many communities, walkers are the largest users of rail trails. In the winter, cross-country skiers use the trails. Well-trained cyclists who log lots of miles at high speeds are unlikely to use the rail trail. Such cyclists generally prefer to use the roads. The cycling users of the rail trails are more likely to be families with children, recreational users and commuters.
Will the Danvers Rail Trail become heavily used like the Minuteman Bikeway in Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington and Bedford?
The Minuteman Bikeway has become a very popular and heavily used rail trail. It runs through a heavily populated area and provides a direct route in and out of Alewife Station, a terminus of the Red Line. The usage of the Danvers Rail Trail likely will be a lot less because it does not run through a dense urban areas. The trail likely will have some use as a commuting route, but the destinations along the trail are far fewer than for the Minuteman Trail. We do anticipate that the Danvers Trail will provide a wonderful route to bicycle or walk from many homes to the shopping and recreational areas in town.
Will many users come from out of town and create overuse problems?
We don’t know how many people will drive to the trail from out of town, but because of its length, it is expected that many people would start from points other than the trail ends points. Appropriate parking areas and access points will be part of the planning process.
Where will users park?
Parking will be addressed by the engineering studies and again in the design phases. It may be possible to work out agreements for parking with facilities close to the rail trail such as the high school parking lot and the lot near Town Hall. These lots see little use on weekends.
What happens if contamination is found on the old rail bed?
The general procedures for identifying and mitigating contamination along rail trails have been worked out. As part of the negotiated lease between the town and the MBTA, contamination liabilities will be addressed. The legislature is currently working on a bill to limit town liability for possible contamination.
If the rail bed goes through wetlands, how will environmental damage be avoided?
Like any construction project, the construction of the rail trail will have to pass the approval of the town boards, especially the Conservation Commissions and State and Federal Agencies. Construction techniques and mitigation will be done with the boards’ guidance and approval. In most cases, filling of wetlands can be avoided. Where the flat surface on the top of a rail bed through wetlands needs to be widened for a rail trail, soil can be removed to obtain adequate width.
What will happen to the old rails and ties?
The rails have a salvage value. Because ties were treated with creosote, they will have to be disposed of through special arrangements. Any residual contamination of the rail bed due to the creosote will be dealt with as part of the approval, design and construction process.
Where can I find more information on what has been experienced on existing rail trails?
There are a number of reports available from various city and state agencies summarizing the impact of rail trails on property values, crime, privacy, quality of life, etc. Visit Bruce Freeman Rail Trail for a partial list.
Will I have the opportunity to provide input to the approval and design of the trail?
Yes. One way is by joining the efforts of the Danvers Bi-Peds. Leasing of the rail bed, funding of the preliminary design and funding of the construction will all have to go through town boards and town meeting. During the various design phases, there will be hearings to review and iterate designs. We encourage you to participate in the process.
