Email Newsletter March 12, 2002
Issue 39

CONTENTS:

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 3/13
* N'ton Planning Board (King St. rezoning) Tue 3/12
* UMass Bicycle Transportation Planning review Fri 3/15
* N'ton Transp. Comm. Tue 3/19
* Norwottuck Rail-Trail completion: public hearing 3/26
* Valley Climate Protection Coalition (several groups meeting)
* BikeWeek 2002 (several groups meeting)

NEWS:
* MB/PV officers elected

OTHER EVENTS:
* Critical Mass 3/19
* Springfield: "The Bicycle Takes Off" Sun 4/14
* BikeFest Aug 2-4

============================================

Dear Pioneer Valley Bicyclist,

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 3/13

MassBike/Pioneer Valley meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at
7:00 pm. (Next meetings: April 10, May 8...)

Place: Room 304, Seelye Hall, Smith College, Northampton
Date: Wed. Mar 13
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm

Agenda:
-- Intros/visions
-- MB/PV Budget
-- MassBike Chapter agreement
-- Bike Week 2002
-- Rail-Trail updates and strategic planning
-- BikeFest 2002 at UMass
-- MB/PV at Springfield Museum's "The Bicycle Takes Off"

Additional agenda items? Email to james@velo.astro.umass.edu.

As usual, pot-luck refreshments provided and consumed by you and us.
Join us!

* N'ton Planning Board (King St. rezoning) Tue 3/12
---------------------------------------------------

A continuation of the hearing on 2/28, at which a standing room-only
audience voiced loud support for a bike- and pedestrian-friendly,
human-scale, attractive, environmentally and economically sound King
Street. Not all of these important Smart Growth rezoning ordinances
were discussed then; the rest will be taken up at this meeting.

* N'ton Transp. Comm. Tue 3/19
------------------------------

Open to the public.

* Valley Climate Protection Coalition (several groups meeting)
--------------------------------------------------------------

Contact Tina Clarke (tclarke@crocker.com) for more info or to join the
efforts in Amherst and Northampton.

Northampton Citizens for Climate Protection
7-9 pm Sunday 3/24
Contact: Paige Bridgens (paigeleh@yahoo.com)
Transportation Task Force: Contact James Lowenthal
(pvweb$NO$SPAM$@massbike.org)

Amherst Trans. Task Force of CCP: meets 2nd Tuesday each
month. Contact Van Kaynor (Vankaynor@aol.com) or Karen Jones
(pveaa@hotmail.com)

* UMass Bicycle Transporation Planning review Fri 3/15
------------------------------------------------------

Come see what ideas students at UMass' Regional Planning program have
come up with for bike transportation on the UMass campus. Their
efforts will feed directly into the new UMass Transportation Plan
currently being developed.

9 am - 12 noon, Friday 3/15
Procopio Room, Hills North
UMass

* BikeWeek 2002 (several groups meeting)
----------------------------------------

BikeWeek, the national celebration of bicycles and one of MassBike's
busiest and most productive and high-profile times of the year, is
fast approaching. Bike commuter breakfasts and other events will take
place in the following towns:

Mon 5/13: S. Hadley + Holyoke
Tue 5/14: Montague + Turner's Falls
Wed 5/15: Northampton (+ Easthampton?)
Thu 5/16: Amherst
Fri 5/17: Springfield + Greenfield

Please help out! To volunteer, contact Sabine Dietrich
(Sdietrich@PVPC.ORG; 781-6045). Several meetings currently planned:

Tue 3/26: Hampden County Volunteer Recruitment
Wed 4/3: Community Coordinators meeting

* Norwottuck Rail-Trail completion: public hearing 3/26
-------------------------------------------------------

Tired of battling for space with cars on Route 9 or Damon Rd. between
downtown Northampton and the Damon Rd. end of the Norwottuck RT?
After years of delay, plans to complete the trail to Woodmont Rd. --
just blocks from downtown -- are virtually finished. MassHighway is
making noises about delaying it yet again (the latest issue: tunnel
access under the live RR line along King St.) Come to this
important public hearing to voice your support for the project!

From Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning:

OFFICIAL MEETING NOTICE

Proposed Norwottuck Rail Trail Extension From Damon Road to Woodmont Road

DATE: Tuesday March 26, 2002
TIME: 7:00 P.M.

PLACE: City Council Chambers, Wallace J.
Puchalski
Municipal Building, 212 Main Street, Northampton

The City of Northampton, with MassHighway support, wants to eventually extend the Norwottuck Rail Trail from Damon Road to King Street, the Northampton Bike Path and the Manhan Rail Trail. This eventual connection is dependent on obtaining an easement to build a tunnel under the railroad lines.

The City has requested that MassHighway extend the Norwottuck Rail
Trail to Woodmont Road as an intermediate measure. MassHighway has requested that the City determine the feasibility of this option given the lack of parking and convenient access to Route 5 and 9.

This meeting is designed to provide abutters and others an opportunity to express concerns and provide input into the design process.

Agenda

Presentation and Public Discussion of options of extending the
Norwottuck Rail Trail

1. Keep at Damon Road until eventual connection to King
Street (route 5); or

2. Extend to Bates/Industrial Drive; or

3. Extend to Woodmont Road

NEWS:

* MB/PV officers elected
------------------------

At the February meeting, our very first election was held. Welcome to
the new MB/PV officers:

President: James Lowenthal (yours truly)
Treasurer: Jim Desmond
Secretary: (MP)

OTHER EVENTS:

* Critical Mass 3/19
--------------------

Date: Friday, 3/19 (next ride Friday 4/26/02)
Place: Amherst Common ***AND*** Northampton's Pulaski Park
Time: 5:15 (meet)/5:30 (ride)
Route: You decide!

* Springfield: "The Bicycle Takes Off" Sun 4/14
-----------------------------------------------

A wonderful bike exhibit is coming to town: "The Bicycle Takes Off: From Boneshaker to Boom," will show at the Science Museum on April 3 to June 30, 2002. MassBike will help welcome the exhibit at its celebration on Sunday, April 14th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Called Riding High, the Sunday Family Program is intended to draw public attention to the exhibit, as well as offering information about the benefits of bicycling for physical fitness, the economy and the environment. Contact Robert Shycon (rshycon@kuhnriddle.com) if you'd like to help staff our info table, and see www.quadrangle.org for more info.

* BikeFest Aug 2-4
------------------

The League of American Bicyclists, recognizing how superb a locale the Pioneer Valley is for cycling, is organizing a bike festival this August to be held at UMass Amherst. Volunteer help from MassBike/Pioneer Valley is needed, including a volunteer coordinator. Contact pvweb$NO$SPAM$@massbike.org if you're able and willing.