I had the pleasure of giving friend and commenter PKL a tour of Newburyport last week. He'd been in town for a reunion in Boston last weekend, one that I had planned to attend but had to back out of at the last minute, so he grabbed the commuter rail up from Boston for lunch at Angies, coffee at Plum Island Roasters, and a walk around downtown and the rail trail.
Our conversation about the rail trail led to this little tidbit. Seems like it would be a perfect addition for the Newburyport and Salisbury rail trails, and it's an idea that we've tossed around earlier.
This is unlikely to happen, I admit, but it's interesting to see what someone else accomplished.
Addendum: Imagine if we put the political and financial resources currently directed at enlarging the existing park on the waterfront into this effort? Now THIS would be progress. THIS would draw people to our city. Sure we couldn't shag fly balls on a bridge (safely, anyway) but that's never going to happen on the waterfront park. I'm sure there will be rules against most activities, creating a lovely.
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9 comments:
Two words: draw bridge.
- The Carrot
As I've said before, it's time we quit spending millions of dollars so a few hobbyists can moor their sail boats upstream from the bridges. I know the rivers were there first, but times have changed.
Of course, the draw bridge to Plum Island is even sillier, since it's possible to sail around the island.
Dick, the drawbridge to Plum Island is a historical artifact; even back in the '60's the preferred route for boats arriving in Newburyport was to enter the bay at the south side of Plum Island and then sail/motor *behind* the island up to Newburyport, thus the need for the drawbridge. Current residents of Plum Island should ponder this before asking for help 'preserving' the island.
Currently (get it?) reasonable compromises have been made at the bridge in that it only opens on the half-hour from Memorial Day to Labor Day; ideally it should be opened on demand.
It's also not just a 'few hobbyists', but that's beside the point. I seem to recall your expressing more than a few anti-boater sentiments over the years, so we'll just let this one pass as well.
- The Carrot
The Merrimack River is a federal waterway. The United States Coast Guard is the agency that regulates the waterway. Vessels have the right of way over land transportation for many reasons including safety.
The compromise by the USCG allowed scheduled openings instead of on-demand openings.
Just remember that without the river Newburyport would be just Wilmington with sand.
Ari, I can understand why you'd want to be me. Unfortunately, genetics and circumstance wound up being in my favor.
Ari,
Are you "The Carrot"?
Have you been playing some sort of cyber Jedi Mind Trick on us all using your vast powers of all things social media?
Anon
I thought I read somewhere that the long term plan for the rail trails is to connect them via a bike lane over the bridge. You can safely ride a bike over the bridge now on the northbound side, it's just not very easy to cross Route 1 once you get to Salisbury.
Hi,
Dick, I'm going to guess you did not grow up in a maritime community.
I certainly do see a good point about not housing boats that do not fit under the bridge at low tide in the waters before the Gillis Bridge.
But sadly given the economics of the situation that would exclude some people from having a boat since the docks/mooring costs are extremely high near the mouth.
But as a larger point. How about all the other money that is spent so that a few hobbyists can enjoy their hobby?
Some have used the same argument against the rail trail.
thanks,
sds
Me, for instance ... and if Ari is The Carrot, I'll jump off the Gillis Bridge.
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