NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — It's been 26 years since the concept of a Connecticut to Vermont bike trail was first proposed — and 130 since a proposal was put forward for a path between North Adams and Williamstown. 

 

Those dreams took another step forward on Friday with the announcement of $17.3 million in federal funding for the "Adventure to Ashuwillticook Trail," a 9.3-section from the Mohican Path at Williamstown's Spruces to Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and to connect to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail.

 

"This is a major success because it connects Williamstown and Adams and North Adams," said U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who was instrumental in obtaining the funding as chairman of Ways and Means Committee. "It's a big deal, and we're going to hear from experts, but I want to thank the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Great work on this. I can be helpful to you, for sure, as Eddie and Elizabeth were [U.S. Sens. Markey and Warren], but I can't be helpful to you unless you have a good product, and you had a good product."

 

Marge Cohan, president of the Berkshire Bike Path Council, likened it to the golden spike that connected the transcontinental railroad. 

 

The grant award is the result of a collaborative effort involving Berkshire Funding Focus, a government funding initiative of the BRPC, along with Adams, North Adams and Williamstown, Mass MoCA and the Tourists resort through which the bike path will run. BRPC is the lead agent and will coordinate the partnership and manage the grant award over the course of the four-year process.

 

Neal was joined at City Hall by Mayor Jennifer Macksey, state Sen. Paul Mark, state Rep. John Barrett III, BRPC Executive Director Tom Matuszko, Mass MoCA Director Kristy Edmunds and Benjamin Svenson and Eric Kerns, of the Tourists resort. 

 

Macksey explained why spending $17 million on bike path planning was important, in the same way she had to her 93-year-old mother. 

 

"She said, 'we need water improvements. We need bridges fixed. Why are you building this bike path? And we had a conversation about economic development. We had a conversation about recreation. We had a conversation about wellness in the community," the mayor said. "But most importantly, we had a conversation that our communities cannot be siloed anymore, that we have to connect them, and this is the way of the future."

 

Her comments were echoed by John Duval, chair of the Adams Selectmen, who touted the economic benefits of the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail that now runs from Crane Avenue in Pittsfield to Lime Street in Adams. 

 

"We have to work together to have the successful big ideas to happen. And I've been on the Board of Selectmen for 13 years now, and the projects I am seeing happening today were dreams of people back 20, 30, and even 50 years ago," he said. "People say that nothing happens with government. This just goes to show that it takes time to make these big projects happen. It takes a lot of people, a lot of volunteers, and a lot of discussions. ...

 

"We have got to work together, and I'm going to work together with our partners and with Northern Berkshire to make this the outdoor recreation capital destination in New England. We can do it."

 

The funding comes from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Act; it will come through the state Department of Transportation and be managed by the BRPC. It will cover the entire preparation phase — planning, design and permitting — to emerge in "shovel-ready" status. Neal expressed confidence in the ability to get funding for the construction phase, pointing to the Blackstone River Bikeway and Heritage Center as an example. 

 

The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail began in downtown Adams in 2001, connecting with Cheshire. There are plans to move it north along the east side of the Hoosac River to Hodges Cross Road then downtown North Adams to connect with the Adventure Trail. The length of the trail from the Williamstown border to Lime Street is about 9.3 miles.

 

"This is particularly important, and it's been highlighted for the economic benefits, not only for the people who live here ... but as a way to bring in new people into the county. I think this is going to be a real stimulus to that," said Matuszko. "This section is particularly hard because there are wetlands. You know, there is not an easy way to get through here. And I have to say that when I first heard some of the vision coming out of the first I was a little skeptical. You know, they had this grand, you know, bridge and tunnel underneath things. But it really is. It really has captured people's imagination. And I think without their leadership on it, it it would have not gone as far as it did."

 

A trail along the problematic path on the north side of the Hoosic River, between State Road and Massachusetts Avenue has been considered problematic because of the wetlands and topography. The initial concept had been to run the trail from Galvin Road and along public land parallel to Chenaille Terrace to the airport drew strong opposition by residents there. 

 

Tourists on State Road, which now owns a large tract of the property Ashton Avenue east, proposed to run the path through that parcel including the former Blackinton Mill.

 

Kerns and Svenson read the short opinion from the 1896 North Adams Transcript how bike path "would have much to do with drawing visitors and investors to this delightful section. A good starter would be to connect Williamstown and North Adams with a bike path. It could be done at comparatively small expense (which drew laughs)."

 

"Every time I come up against a struggle, the question I ask is, am I struggling because I am thinking too big, or am I struggling because I'm thinking too small? It's almost always because I'm thinking too small. Thinking big is great. Ambition is great. All there are all of the self-evident things about why big ideas matter," said Kerns. "The thing I've really learned is thinking big allows you the opportunity to get overwhelmed and ask for help. I have asked almost everyone in this room for help for 10 years and a ton of people who aren't here. ...

 

"We're all going to look each other in the eyes right now today, and we commit to sprinting for the finish, and we're going to get tired, and we're going struggle. You can call me, you can call anyone in this room and ask for help, and they will help you."