The Massachusetts Department of Transportation held a design public hearing at Goverment Center on June 26, 2013 to receive input on the final plans for the proposed Quequechan River Rail Trail Project. The project will construct the final two stages of the current path that begins at the Westport Town line along South Watuppa Pond and will run over the former railroad bed to connect with Britland Park and Rodman Street. Construction is expected to begin after October of this year on Phase II and will be completed by the end of 2015. The trail will consist of a ten foot wide paved surface with three foot grass shoulders, as well as plantings and a fence over each of the five timber bridges that will be constructed. Pedestrian-actuated crossing signals will be constructed on Brayton Avenue and Quequechan Streets to permit walkers and cyclists to cross traffic safely. The project follows a ten-year-old plan for a Quequechan River Greenway that includes improvements to Britland Park as well. Plans were first presented in April, 2011 and reviewed in 2012 along with other efforts to make Fall River more bicycle-friendly. Click here for a 53-minute video of the hearing. For more information about the project, contact Fall River Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly, at 508-324-2405.
 

(Top row, left) Fall River Mass In Motion Coordinator Julianne Kelly talks with Nina Brown of Brown, Richardson & Rowe, who are designing the project, before the hearing begins. (Top row, center) Nina talks with Imogene Hatch, also of Brown, Richardson & Rowe and SRPEDD Senior Transportation Planner Jacqueline Schmidt. (Top row, right) Karen and Brian Pearson and other members of the Fall River Bicycle Committee await the start of the hearing. (Row two, left) Project Manager Brian Chapman begins the discussion of Phase III of the project before Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Gateway Cities Parks Program manager Kurt Gaertner begins the discussion of Phast II. (Row three) Artist renderings of various view of the rail trail are presented to give the audience an idea of how the project will look when completed. (Bottom row) People including Brian Pearson and Rick Schwartz of the Fall River Bicycle Committee and Jim Hornsby of Green Futures and City Councilor Dave Dennis pose questions and make suggestions to the officials.