==
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH ==
Salem Bike-Pedestrian Transportation Corridor Project
..
Salem NH plans for bike-ped transportation corridor along old B&M M&L
line
Introduction:
The old B&M Railroad corridor through Salem is planned to be a lot more than a recreational trail. It is to be the backbone of a bicyclist and pedestrian transportation pathway to business and residential areas on both sides of Route 28. As such, locally it is not being called a "rail trail" although the main corridor follows the rail bed. When connected to the existing Windham Rail Trail, it will provide commuter cyclists access to Windham and Derry which expects to have their section completed in 2008. The new Park-N-Ride location at Route 93 Exit 2 is only a short distance from the corridor. In addition, bus stops are planned along Route 28 / rail trail corridor in Salem for a transit system going to Derry. A rest stop and small visitor center are expected in the restored Salem Depot building on Main Street. This Bike-Ped Corridor project will really put Salem "on the map" as the southern and one of the most important points along the rail trail going through Windham, Derry, Londonderry, and into Manchester. It will happen -- it is just a matter of when!
Project updates:
May 7, 2012: The Salem Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 to approve the Use and Occupancy Agreement with NH-DOT. Next comes the Salvage Agreement which will allow Iron Horse to remove the existing rail and actually start work. "When" is the big question, but that is better than "If". Hopes are still high that contruction will take place this season. Once the Salem agreements are approved, the Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor will be the advocate, volunteer coordinator, fundraiser, and publicity agent to move the project forward. Stay tuned over the next few months as Salem "gets on track" to have Iron Horse come to town!
April 26, 2012: Negotiations between Salem, NH-DOT, and Iron Horse Preservation Society are underway with hopes to have Iron Horse start work in Salem either late spring or early summer. Good news relates to their nearly complete work in Methuen MA along the same M&L corridor. Iron Horse is anxious to start work in Salem while their crews and equipment are in the area.
March 18, 2012: The Town of Salem is completing paperwork with NH-DOT to allow Iron Horse Preservation Society to move north along the M&L corridor from Methuen to build sections of the bike-ped corridor where practical in exchange for old rail and track components. For approximately 2.5 miles of track left on the five-mile Salem corridor, we hope to have IHPS build roughly the same distance of trail with a hardpack or "T-Base" surface. Some private funding via the Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (affiliated with BWA-NH) is expected to provide amenities. An expensive section of trail parallel to Route 28 connecting to Windham is dependent upon funding from the TE grant awarded in 2010. No date has been set for this construction, so trail users would have to travel on Old Rockingham Road as a connection until that one mile of off-road corridor can be built.
March 15, 2010: After months of preparation, Salem, Windham, and Derry working together as the Southern NH Rail Trail Alliance formally presented a Transportation Enhancement grant application to the statewide advisory committee for nearly $1.3M dollars. The grant is of regional significance and in compliance with NH-DOT's plan going back to 2003. It would complete the Derry section of the M&L corridor to the Windham town line, complete the remaining 0.6 mile Windham section which goes over the $578,000 bridge built by NH-DOT for the rail trail, and build the first (and most expensive) section in Salem just south of the Windham town line. A decision on the application is expected in late April.
July 22, 2009: Salem was the starting point for the "Tri-Town Tour of the M&L corridor as arranged by BWA-NH. Representatives from the NH-DOT Bike-Ped Office, the towns of Salem, Windha, and Derry, plus the related rail trail groups walked, biked, and caravaned their way to Londonderry. A more complete description with photos and an article which appeared in the NH Union Leader may be viewed here.
June 2009: The towns of Salem, Windham, and Derry are working together on a Transportation Enhancement grant application valued at $1.3 million. Representatives from the three rail trail groups formed the Southern NH Rail Trail Alliance with Bill Scott, Salem's Community Development Director, taking the lead. Preliminary reviews held with the rail trail groups, town officials and NH DOT were very positive. The "Letter of Intent" was formally submitted on June 30; if approved by the NH DOT TE Advisory Committee, the complete application will be filed in September.
April 2009: The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (SBPC) has been under review and preliminary design for nearly three years. A recent decision to construct the northerly segment connecting to the Windham Rail Trail is now in the funding stage with Transportation Enhancement funds being requested. See the town-managed SBPC web site at www.bwanh.org/SBPC. The "Friends of SBPC" was formed in March and received their first grant of $1,000 from the Granite State Wheelmen. A new web site was created for the "Friends" at www.FSBPC.org. Now to see when construction will start!
October 6, 2008: The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (SBPC) committee announced their new web site, complete with scalable map, FAQ page, photos, on-line and downloadable residential survey, email list serve option, email "contact us" link, and details about the SBPC committee members. Those people completing the survey by October 20 will be entered in a drawing for a $400.00 credit toward a bicycle from Buchika's Ski and Sport Shop, Salem -- conveniently located right on the to-be-developed bike-ped corridor. For those who do not have Internet access, paper surveys are available at five pick-up / drop-off locations along the corridor and in town buildings. Check out the web site (hosted by BWA-NH) at www.bwanh.org/sbpc.
September 8, 2008: Dr. Henry LeBranche, speaking for the Salem Depot Restoration committee, addressed the Salem Board of Selectmen (BOS) concerning funding arrangements for the Depot building project. Everything is in order and work is proceeding. His presentation was followed by one from the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (SBPC) committee. Dave Topham updated the BOS on the new SBPC web site which was designed by Derek Schultz, a Sophomore in Salem High School. A residential survey created by Salem's Community Development Director Bill Scott was also presented for review. Once finalized, the web site and on-line survey should be released in late September. Meanwhile, three SBPC committee members will work with the Salem Depot Restoration committee since the depot and bike-ped corridor projects are so closely related.
September 2, 2008: A new web site for the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor project is to be presented at the September 8 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. The site plus a survey for residents living along the corridor will lead into two public hearings in October. Be sure to check out the new web site and post comments if desired!
August 17, 2008: A new Google map with the bike-ped corridor highlighted from the Methuen, Mass. Depot to the Derry Depot (now the Derry Depot Steakhouse) was provided to BWA-NH by the Methuen Rail Trail group. Check it out, and be sure to scroll and reduce/enlarge the basic map to see the desired level of details. View the map -- click here.
August 13, 2008: The Salem BPCC has been meeting every second and fourth Wednesdays of the month during the summer. A web site, surveys for commercial interests and residents along the corridor, and ideas for seeking publicity will be presented at the August 25 Board of Selectmens meeting.
April 15, 2008: The fourth Salem BPCC meeting, chaired by Vice Chairman Dave Topham and basically conducted by CDD Bill Scott, included VHB Engineering representatives Greg Bakos and Mike Hansen. Other committee members present were Everett McBride (Selectman), Bill Carter (Conservation Commission), Linda Harvey (Planning Board), and Pat McDougall (Salem resident). The review with VHB included the cross-section design of the trail along each of the four major sections. Based on the proximity to so many businesses and residential areas plus one likely "near road" section, no horses or snowmobiles will be allowed. Some sections would be cleared of snow when heavy commuter or business access dictates. Various sections of existing sidewalks along Route 28 must be connected. At the southern end near the NH/Mass. state line, some improvements concerning sidewalks are likely to be funded by the new Lowes complex in the current Staples plaza. The next meeting was scheduled for April 29.
March
31, 2008:
The third Salem BPCC meeting was chaired by Community Development Director Bill
Scott. Committee members present were Linda Harvey (Planning Board), Everett
McBride (Selectmen), Pat Hargreaves (Selectman), Bill Carter (Conservation Commission),
John Maurice (Manager, Buchika's Ski & Bike Shop), and Dave Topham (BWA-NH).
An aerial map of the entire corridor as divided into four sections at the March
10 meeting was used to define local and regional connections to the old M&L
line, the backbone of the proposed bike-ped transportation system. An overlay
on the map was marked-up by the committee to indicate possible connections to
business areas, residential neighborhoods, Route 28 crossing points, recreational
areas, and schools. This information will be documented by Bill Scott then sent
to VHB for their engineering review prior to the next meeting scheduled for
Tuesday, April 15.
The next action item will be for the committee members to continue talking with
business owners along the corridor to assess their level of support for the
project. Initial indications from several large companies are very positive.
Some home owners along the northerly end of the Salem corridor spoke in favor
of the project provided trees offering privacy are not removed.
Under the guidance of Bill Scott, the group elected John Maurice as Chairman,
Dave Topham as Vice Chairman, and Bill Carter as Secretary. Pending confirmation
via email, the next four meetings are scheduled for Tuesdays, 7:00 PM, on April
15, 28, May 6, 20 in the Town Hall upstairs conference room.
March 10, 2008: The second Salem BPCC meeting was chaired by Community Development Director Bill Scott. Committee members present were Linda Harvey (Planning Board), Pat Hargreaves (Selectman), Bill Carter (Conservation Commission), Pat McDougall (Salem resident), John Maurice (Manager, Buchika's Ski & Bike Shop), and Dave Topham (BWA-NH).
An aerial map of the entire corridor was divided into four sections based on nearby use (residential, commercial, or open space) and the condition of the corridor itself. Suggestions were made for the cross-section design along the four sections plus points of interest along the corridor for access to schools, businesses, residential neighborhoods, and recreation areas. A minimum width of a 12-foot paved surface is to be maintained along the entire corridor. A dirt side path or sidewalk will be implemented where practical. Details will be summarized, reviewed with VHB, and some draft plans created prior to scheduling any hearings with corridor abutters.
The meeting was greatly aided via Bill Scott showing GIS mapping of the entire corridor and surrounding properties. For those who had not walked the corridor recently, Dave Topham provided a PowerPoint photo show of several key areas. Some of these photos may be viewed here.
March 4, 2008: The first meeting of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor Committee (BPCC) was conducted by Community Development Director Bill Scott. The VHB engineering firm gave an overview of the project to the committee and some general design details were discussed. Final design and construction is planned to be done in at least four stages. Connecting the northerly end to the Windham Rail Trail is the highest priority but any funding for other sections will be sought and taken as opportunities arise. No taxpayer money is planned for this project.
The next meeting will be Monday, March 10, 7:00 PM at the Town Hall.
December 26, 2007: All three candidates for the "Salem Route 28 Pedestrian and Bicycle Corridor Committee" received letters of confirmation from Town Manager Jonathan Sistare. One slot remains open, and that is to be filled by a representative from a Salem business. Committee meetings will begin in January 2008 per a schedule being created by Community Development Director Bill Scott.
December 17, 2007: The BOS interviewed three candidates for the rail trail committee with all three being accepted. John Maurice, Sales Manager from Buchika's Bike and Ski Shop will represent one of two local businesses on the committee. For the two resident advocates, Pat McDougall and Dave Topham were accepted. Pat, his wife Jane, and their (very well behaved) two-year-old son Danny live in a condo complex adjacent to the corridor. Pat feels the project will add a lot to Salem and he can help in various ways including his video and TV production skills to highlight various aspects of the effort. Once completed, it will provide a safe place for his son to walk and bike. And since BWA-NH co-founder Dave Topham lives in Salem, being on this committee seemed expected. A call will be issued by the BOS for one additional Salem business to be represented on the committee. With luck, the full committee will be in operation by the end of December.
Note: Since recreational use of the rail trail is not the most significant aspect for the old M&L line through Salem, the name of the committee is likely to be more like the "Salem Route 28 Transportation Corridor Committee" as yet to be announced by the BOS. Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Any interested
Salem business is encouraged to submit the
Application for Appointment form to the Town Manager's Office by December
21. An article in the November 26 issue of the Lawrence Eagle Tribune calling
for candidates appears below. The article mentions a five-person committee but
it will actually have seven people including two resident advocates.
. 
November 26, 2007: The Salem Board of Selectmen
(BOS) issued a Call for Candidates for the Salem Rail Trail Steering Committee.
Seven people are to be on the committee, one each from the Board of Selectmen,
Planning Board, and Conservation Commission, plus two from Salem businesses
and two Salem residents. BWA-NH has applied for one of the Salem resident positions.
Deadline for submitting applications is Thursday, December 13. Interviews of
applicants by the Board of Selectmen are expected on Monday, December 17.
November 1, 2007: Representatives of the Town of Salem and BWA-NH reviewed basic plans for the rail trail and walked a good section of the corridor. Engineering issues were noted and photographed for resolution by VHB, the firm hired as the project engineers. There are some challenges to overcome and the trail will not be completed from Methuen to Windham as one project, but progress is expected starting at the Route 111 end of the Windham Rail Trail.
Web site:
http://www.ci.salem.nh.us/index.asp
Contact person:
William
J. Scott, Community Development Director
Donna Mae D'Agata, Administrative Assistant
Town Hall
33 Geremonty Drive
Salem NH 03079
Phone (603) 890-2007
Fax (603) 898-122