Final Environmental Impact Report - Whittier Bridge/I-95 ...

Coastal Trails
Coalition
December 20, 2011
Coastallf=ails Coalition
www.coastaltrails.org
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Pamela S. Stephenson, Division Administrator
Federal Highway Administration
55 Broadway, 10 th FIoor
Cambridge, MA 02142
Attn. Damaris Santiago
Richard K Sullivan, Jr., Secretary
Mass Environmental Policy Act
(MEPA) Office
100 Cambridge Street, 9 th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Attn. Purvi Patel
Dear Madam and Sir,
Coastal Trails Coalition (CTC) appreciates the opportunity to submit comments on the 1
Environmental AssessmentlDraft Environmental Impact Report for the Whittier Bridge 1­
95 Improvement Project. CTC is a non-profit charitable corporation composed of
citizens and communities in the lower Merrimack Valley whose mission is to advocate
for and support development ofthe Coastal Trails Network The Coastal Trails Network
is a 30 + mile system ofinterconnected bicycle and pedestrian rail trails and bicycle
routes that is enhancing regional recreation, conservation, nature education, and tourism
opportunities in Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury.
CTC strongly supports development ofa shared use path on the new Whittier Bridge.
The new path will provide safe way for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross the Merrimack
River and will give direct access to the Route 113 Park & Ride facility from large parts of
Newburyport as well as from Amesbury and Salisbury. By connecting to other parts of
the Coastal Trails Network it will facilitate safe pedestrian and bicycle transportation
throughout the area and provide safe and convenient access to Maudslay State Park from
Amesbury and Salisbury.
The shared use path will be an outstanding addition to the alternative transportation
network in the lower Merrimack Valley. However, the current design leaves out two
vital connections that are needed to make the shared use path complete and fully
functional. First, there is no connection between the shared use path and Main
Street/Evans Place in Amesbury and the Amesbury Visitors Center right next to 1-95.
Second, there is no connection between Salisbury's Ghost Trail and Amesbury.
The connection to Main Street/Evans Place is needed to permit pedestrians and bicyclists
to get to the shared use path from Amesbury's riverside neighborhoods, from downtown
and from towns west ofAmesbury. It would facilitate commuting to the Route 113 Park
& Ride and would also permit users to park at the Amesbury Visitors Center next to 1-95
and walk or bike a short distance to the river crossing. The connection could easily be
made on municipally-owned property that lies adjacent to the shared use path and to 1-95
by using a spiral pedestrian/bicycle ramp similar to that used on 1-394 in Minnesota (see
picture enclosed) or an equivalent pedestrian/bicycle facility.
P. O. Box 1016, Newburyport, MA 01950