2017 City Election Candidate Survey Responses

In mid-October, 2017, the Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail invited candidates in Easthampton’s upcoming elections to share their views on issues related to the Manhan Rail Trail and its role in our community. Below are the candidates’ responses:

Joy Winnie
Candidate for Mayor

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

Manhan Rail Trail has become a valuable alternative transportation system. I have been a supporter of the Rail Trail Committee from the initial discussions, and have always voted support any of the initiatives they have worked on. As Mayor I will continue that partnership of support.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

As Mayor, I would want to get together to talk about what projects you feel are important to you that would require funding. We then can talk about how the city may be able to help the committee with developing a capital improvement plan.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

As Mayor, I would actively encourage the Superintendent and the School Administrators to work with our local representative to the Safe Routes to School initiative available through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

The representative that works in our area, will guide the community through the steps that need to be taken to develop safe walking, and riding routes to the schools. This will include the walking school bus, and the safest way to tie in the bike trail to the schools. address our priorities for the safety of our students, and give the parents an avenue to express their concerns, as well as provide information on transportation, education, health, and the environment to all of the stakeholders.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

The Complete Street Administrative Policy for the City of Easthampton that Mayor Cadieux implemented on May 5, 2016, is complete and encompasses best practices for planning for all modes of transportation. The redesign of Union Street will encompass all of the practices outlined in the policy.

I was encouraged by the outpouring of people of the cycling community who attended the Complete Street public meeting that was held on August 28. The ideas and suggestions that were talked about will add to the plans going forward as we consider future projects. As Mayor I look forward to working with the planner, DPW and the city departments to implement the priorities that come from the process.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

As Mayor, I would make the routes to the White Brook school site, and the High School my priority. I will work with our planner, our Safe Routes to School Representative, and the committee, to make the safest routes to the school. The new Pre -K through 8 building will increase the amount of foot, bike, and vehicle traffic in a concentrated area. My priority for our students and parents will always be safety.

For the last 17 years as the Transportation Supervisor for the Northampton Pubic Schools I have worked with the DPW, police, and the Safe Routes to School Representative to implement these priorities. I have the expertise and the working relationship with the people and the organizations to get this done.

Nicole LaChapelle
Candidate for Mayor

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

The Manhan Rail Trail is a community and commerce connector in Easthampton. The current integrity of the trail will only be maintained by consistent, prioritized investments by the City. This trail is not simply a gem of Easthampton, but it also serves as a long-term economic driver for the City, attracting visitors and encouraging tourism. The Trail connects Route 5 and 91 to key environmental assets such as Mutter’s Field, the Florence Smith Nature Trail, and Arcadia. But beyond that, the Trail also connects those major thoroughfares with key small businesses, cultural attractions, and public safety resources, such as the Mill District, Union Street, and Payson Ave.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

I do, and as Mayor I would pursue that goal in a measured way so a larger role could be consistently funded. Exploring grant monies and partnerships with the groups such as the Regional Employment Board, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMASS, and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, among others, would be a priority for me. I was proud to receive the endorsement of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and would look to sustain and grow that relationship as Mayor to begin this exploration.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

Yes. Routes to schools as suggested here can serve to promote cross-community connections and physical exercise, while instilling a deep, early appreciation of the Trail among our youth. This can also serve as an opportunity to promote a culture of pedestrian and cyclist safety. Safe, off-street routes complement our Master and Open Space Plans and follow best practices detailed Complete Streets and Smart Growth policies. I would also look to the Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division for additional grant support.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

I support the premise of our Complete Streets policy and see logical connections to many of the priorities set out by this committee. As I have spoken to voters across this campaign – at community events, knocking on their doors, engaging with them online – I have gotten thoughtful feedback about the policy, and I believe that we must undertake a comprehensive campaign to educate the public on the theory and implementation of the policy. In such a campaign, I see key city department leaders and community stakeholders establishing clear, comprehensive messaging that details how, why and when the policy will guide development and improvement, including concrete examples from Easthampton.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

As Mayor, my priorities must be guided by the feedback and information gleaned from the residents and trail users. Again, based on the engagement throughout this campaign, I would prioritize the projects listed below, recognizing that this may adjust following a deeper exploration into current projects underway or in the pipeline, and additional resident and stakeholder feedback.

  • Creating a connection between the Manhan Rail Trail and White Brook Middle School (and probable site of new K-8 school).
  • Establishing safer bicycling routes downtown, including on Cottage Street, Union Street, and Main Street.
  • Improving the visibility and connection of path access points.
  • Connecting the path network to currently underserved neighborhoods in order to maximize the number of trail users.

I appreciate the opportunity to complete your questionnaire and your work on the behalf of all who access the trail (including me and my two dogs, Magnolia and Pig).

Joseph McCoy
Candidate for City Councilor At Large

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

I believe the Manhan Rail Trail is very important to Easthampton on a variety of levels. It plays a very important role in transportation and accessibility in the city of Easthampton. Furthermore, it serves as an important source of exercise for a variety of ages in Easthampton. As fossil fuels continue to rise in cost, bicycling may become a more necessary form of transportation for a variety of individuals I believe spending time on the bike trail not only gives you time away from today’s constant electronic interference but lets you enjoy Easthampton’s impressive beauty.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

I believe the city could take a larger role in maintenance of the rail trail. At the current time, I believe the city does donate approximately $2500 to the rail trail. Our Parks and Recreation Department; however, has little extra time after maintaining the variety of parks in our city. I believe a public-private partnership with both the city government, local businesses, biking/rail trail enthusiasts and volunteers would be the most sustainable way to maintain the rail trail

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

I would definitely support creating safe, off-street routes to the Easthampton schools. These routes to the schools would be beneficial in many ways. Firstly, it would be an additional source of exercise for children in a world where exercise competes with electronic games. I believe the exercise in combination with the “downtime” on the bicycle would most likely result in better academic performance. It would give an additional appreciation of the natural environment as well as possibly developing social skills when riding to school with friends.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

I believe the Complete Streets policy is a great idea not only for Easthampton but the whole state of Massachusetts. The recognition of the importance of not only bicycle transportation but equal accessibility throughout Easthampton is important. It’s important that automobile drivers become aware of their need to “share the road” with bicyclists, wheelchairs etc. Implementation of this policy is a complex process with involvement of many departments including the Planning Board, Department of Public Works and Public Safety. I would defer to these experts in the field as the best way to implement these policies; however, I would advocate for continued awareness of bicycle transportation in the city.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

I believe my first priority would be connecting the schools to the trails as I described above. I believe a connecting spur from the rail trail near Lovefield Street over to the post office would also be beneficial in helping people reach the northern end of our city. I believe connecting the rail trail to our parks and cottage Street business district would also serve the city well.

Owen Zaret
Candidate for City Councilor At Large

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

Whereas the motorized main roadways and side streets are the arteries and veins of our city, the rail trail is the capillaries. Access and use of the rail trail allows for a health, non-motorized, safe, community engaged method of transportation by foot or by bicycle. As our city has spread and moved more toward a global neighborhood from small, traditional neighborhoods, the Rail Trail allows a side walk of sorts to connect vast distances and maintain community connection. It also allows one to see the city, its outskirts, and surround communities more of a network, than a series of points. Personally I feel the construction and growth of the Rail Trail has been the keystone to the growth of our community.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

I would be interested in discussing limited roles of DPW in maintenance of the trail, specifically in clearing snow from Union Street to Ferry.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

Absolutely. As stated above as our city becomes more of a global neighborhood, we need to facilitate ease of access from one point of the grid to the other. Connecting schools to the Rail Trail reinforces the schools’ connection to the city and community.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

The Rail Trail transacts the city in a matter that requires spurs or branches to access other parts of the city on either side of trail. Often times the only viable method of connection is via an existing motorized road way. This is best illustrated in discussing how to utilize the Rail Trail as a method to connect the Mills directly to Cottage Street. By implementing a complete streets design on Union into Cottage, that creates an obvious pedestrian and bike throughway from either the mills side or Williston and beyond. In regards to the parking “crisis” for Cottage, this allows facilitation of the mills ample parking and allowing pedestrian or bike traffic then to be used to access the Cultural District.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?
  1. For previously mentioned reasons access to the White Brook property is crucial to allow for easy non-motorized access to the school complex, and as we move forward to the combined K8 complex there, allow for a more integrated community and non-motorized access to the school.
  2. In conjunction with this would be the Nonotuck Park access for similar reasons. However I would imagine the two could go hand in hand given the abutment of Nonotuck to the White Brook property.
  3. As a long-time resident of the Plains, access to the Rail Trail is difficult, requiring crossing long distances or busy road ways, which defeats the purpose of the trail. Connecting the plains by the natural gas right of way, or other similar routes would allow for a more integrated community connection of the Plains to the rest of the city

William Lynch, IV
Candidate for City Councilor At Large

Thank you for allowing me to submit some answers to the questions you have for the City council candidates. I feel that you are a large role in the success that Easthampton has seen in the past 20 years. Here are the answers to the questions you have provided.

1. What role do I feel the Rail Trail plays in Easthampton?

I think that the Rail Trail plays multiple roles in Easthampton and the success we have seen. First off the trail brings patrons and customers from our neighboring communities to enjoy our facilities as well as our events. The trail also adds the safety element to traveling around town. Finally, taking an expired rail road and utilizing it in a positive way is great. I believe in the repurposing of unused properties or fixtures to our needs today is the best. Taking the history that built our beautiful city and keeping it alive is great. These are just a few ways that the Rail Trail benefits Easthampton.

2. Do I support the City taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Rail Trail?

I would definitely support allowing the City in assisting any way possible. I feel that the Parks and Rec department is already understaffed as they care for the parks as well as the public cemeteries. If we added something else to their plate we could easily make the case for a new employee. Also, I would recommend that someone from the Council attend meetings with the Friends. This way if there is a way that the government can offer support there will be constant communication. This would be essential in the steps going forward with the school plans you have in case there are road blocks or issues arise.

3. Would I support creating off-street routes to the schools for Easthampton including the K-8 project at White Brook?

I would support the proposals one hundred percent. I remember when I lived on Plain St. I would ride my bike down Plain, Strong, Park and finishing up at White Brook. Park was ok because there were sidewalks, I felt safe. On Plain and Strong that is a different story. Those streets can be scary as a 10 or 11 year old and there are more cars now a days then there were 25 years ago when I was riding them. I think the option of a safe passage to the schools is a great idea. Even to Maple, Center and Pepin are not bad ideas. Even if the K-8 project passes and all of the schools move to White Brook, you will now have access to locations down town that would not go unused. I fully support connecting to the schools for safety and convenience for the kids.

4. What is my opinion of the City’s Complete Streets policy and how should the City implement this policy?

I feel that the Complete Streets Policy is a starting point for a large issue. I think that it is the right step to move in the right direction for a lot of the communities concerns. One of the biggest issues on the streets is riding bikes on Cottage St. The road is too narrow for a bicyclist to ride in the road safely and the sidewalks have too many pedestrians to ride a bike safely on the sidewalk. It is also illegal to ride on the sidewalks on Cottage St. I think the City needs to utilize all of the attributes that it notes in the policy and analyze them to make educated decisions. The big ones that I think will show the priorities we need to focus on would be the Crashes and personal injury claims, number of Citations for traffic violations (especially in high traffic/ pedestrian areas), and how those also line up with the infrastructure guidelines and opportunities. I feel the City has made a large step in creating this policy and now we as a community need to stand by it and utilize it to its fullest.

5. From the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee what bicycle projects would I prioritize and why?

I would put the focus on the connections to the schools first. Of course I would start with WBMS because that will be a staple school location no matter what direction the vote goes with the K-8 project. The main reason for the schools would be for the student’s safety. This would benefit not only the bikers but the walkers as well. This would put the mind of parents at ease and allow the kids an option to safely travel. After that I would look at the options for the connections to the Plains. Like I mentioned before I lived on Plain St. and when I went to WBMS it was on the roads or through the corn fields and I would come out behind the school. I would also use the Brook St. option when I had baseball or soccer practice in the park. If those were highlighted and paved I feel they would be the perfect and safe route for anyone to take. I took them growing up and I know them all too well.

Margaret “Peg” Conniff
Candidate for City Councilor At Large

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

Currently it is seen as a recreational trail where ideally it should be seen as a transportation hub.  It should be the central way for people to get to and from work to and from school and to get their errands in the local community accomplished – not just for recreation.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

Absolutely!  Even basic maintenance would be valuable. I would advocate for at a minimum – snow removal to keep fully functional all year.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

This should be a main priority for the town. It will help with traffic issues during morning and afternoon commutes, it will encourage heathy activity for kids, and provide safe access to schools.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

Certainly the Completes Streets plan provides the town with a roadmap (pardon the pun) of where our infrastructure, safety and traffic flow issues can be documented. It further allows us to prioritize those areas where we want/need to focus our resources and grant money. There is a lot to do with our streets in terms of traffic flow, ease of access and movement for public safety vehicles among other challenges. However, I believe that any action for reconfiguration of changes to streets must include an accommodation for safe foot and bike traffic.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

Schools, spur behind safety building and connection to Nonotuck for the reasons described above.

Paul St. Pierre, Jr.
Candidate for District #2 City Councilor

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

The Manhan Rail Trail is an excellent place for pedestrians, dog walkers and bicyclists to safely travel, exercise & enjoy nature.  I am lucky enough to have an entrance very close to my home and I take advantage of it all the time!

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

I would certainly not be opposed to the city making a contribution in this regard, although I would need to see a more detailed proposal as a matter of due diligence.  I consider the Rail Trail to be an asset to the community at-large and therefore an excellent candidate for public funding/support.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

I absolutely support this.  As a child growing up on a very busy street with no sidewalks, walking to school on snowbanks higher than my head was both dangerous and frightening.  In this regard however, we must consider the funding of snow removal along the trail before advocating this plan to parents.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016?

The Complete Streets policy seems to be pure common-sense, so I find it rather puzzling that it is considered a “new policy.”  I agree that road design and construction should accommodate a wide variety of travel styles and we must always be looking for ways to make our roads safer and easier to navigate.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

I do believe that wherever possible we should incorporate bicycle-specific lanes within our existing roadways, particularly in dangerous or highly-trafficked areas.  To take it a step further, however whimsical it may sound, the concepts presented by David Byrne in his book “Bicycle Diaries” regarding a potential transition to bicycle-centric travel infrastructure are extraordinarily creative and potentially feasible, although I doubt most people would go for it.  It would be a fascinating experiment!

Thomas Peake
Candidate for District #3 City Councilor

1. In your view, what role does the Manhan Rail Trail play in Easthampton?

The Manhan Rail Trail appears to serve two purposes to me. The first is as a free, beautiful, accessible recreational space for people who want to jog, bike, or roller blade. The second, and perhaps the more important, is that it serves as a key transportation artery for people who don’t commute by car, including people coming to or from Northampton.

2. The Manhan Rail Trail is currently maintained by volunteers. Do you support the city taking a larger role in the maintenance of the Manhan Rail Trail? Please add any clarifying details.

I participated in one of the Manhan cleanups this summer and was really impressed by the effectiveness of the team. I suppose I would defer to them about what they would need, but I think the trail is a really great asset to the city and I’d be open to any suggestions of how to support it. One thing that comes to mind is that I ended up renting a leaf blower when I helped with the cleanup because none of the people who showed up owned one. At a minimum, I’d be interested in making sure that whoever is taking care of the trail has access to the proper tools to clean it up every time they do so.

3. Would you support creating safe, off-street routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

Definitely to the new K-8 school. I’m open to discussing the benefits of connecting the other schools, but I’d need to be convinced that the benefits outweigh the costs even if the students are relocated soon after the routes are finished.

4. What is your opinion of the city’s Complete Streets policy adopted in May 2016? Detail ways you believe the city should implement this policy.

I’m a big fan of Complete Streets. I attended the planning meeting where they laid out some of the projects that they had in mind, and I saw a lot of stuff there that I really liked. As a candidate to represent Precinct 3, there were a few projects in my precinct that I was a big fan of, including installing a radar speed sign on Holyoke Street before it becomes Cottage Street, and flashing walk beacons on Cottage and Union Street (or really anywhere that we can get them). The latter is particularly important to me because I’m a frequent patron of businesses on Cottage Street, and witness near accidents at least once a week as drivers are unable to see people stepping onto the crosswalks from behind vehicles parked on the street. If possible, I’d like to get ones that look and work like the ones near Amherst College, which I think look pretty nice.

5. In considering the Bicycle Infrastructure Priorities of the Manhan Rail Trail Committee passed in May 2017, what bicycle infrastructure projects would you prioritize and why?

Out of the three items marked “highest priority”, I am very interested in the first two, because I think it’s essential that our kids be able to safely get to school by bike if that’s the method they choose. The third option I’m currently having a bit of trouble envisioning, but I’d be happy to discuss it further.

Among the “additional priorities”, the one that really sticks out for me is safer bicycling routes downtown. As a Holyoke Street resident, I would probably take advantage of the rail trail more often if I could get there without fearing for my life. I’m not an expert on this stuff and somebody with a better eye for this sort of development would have to suggest what that would actually look like, but I’d be interested in looking into any project that makes it safer for people in my neighborhood to actually get to the bike path. I also really like the idea of a connection across the Lower Mill Pond, if that was possible.

Rose Spurgin
Candidate for School Committee

Yes, I support the creation of safe pathways for biking and walking to all Easthampton schools.

I do not have any “plans” to support more walking and biking with policy. However my family moved to Easthampton in part because of the walking and biking opportunities. We rarely drive in the city and are all on the rail trail almost daily. I live at 15 Cottage Street and I think that the crosswalks are very dangerous in that area.

My personal belief is that children learn by watching so I try to be safe and respectful to drivers and others whenever I am outside.

Marissa Carrere
Candidate for School Committee

I am thrilled by this proposal!

Linking the Manhan Rail Trail to our city schools would be an incredible service for our students and families. As you might know, our limited budget means we are unable to provide transportation for all students. And because our city does not have consistent sidewalks, it can be challenging for some families to find a safe route for their children to walk to school. A connected bike path system would create a much more welcoming way for kids to get to school, promoting safety as well as all of the mental and physical health benefits associated with outdoor exercise.

One of the things that our current School Committee has discussed is working with the PTO to organize a “walking school bus.”  We would look for trusted leaders to meet kids along a designated route (whether walking or biking) so they can travel together to school. Our hope is that this program would make it more attractive and feasible for kids to walk or bike to school.

I would also be interested in seeing what city support we could garner for keeping the path well snowplowed during the winter, if the path were used regularly by school students.

I would love to see the School Committee and School Building Committee partnering with the Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail as we campaign for the new school building, so we can promote our mutual interests on this very exciting proposal.

Alexandra Dodge
Candidate for School Committee

Would you support creating safe routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

Absolutely! As a community member and as a parent, I am thrilled to hear that this is a priority for the trail. If families had a safe and reliable route to the school, I can’t help but think there would be many in the community who would take advantage of it. We are blessed to live in a beautiful place and being able to enjoy that as part of the daily task of getting here and there would be fantastic.

What plans do you have to encourage more walking and bicycling to school for Easthampton school children?

There are definitely some challenges currently… If safe routes were created, I’d imagine there is a lot that could be done to encourage riding and walking. Some ideas:

  • Be a family that does it (when both of my daughters were at preschool at Williston, we often commuted by trail. Those days were a highlight for my girls and great exercise for me).
  • Have plentiful bike racks available on-site.
  • Host a “transportation” fair or cover the benefits of walking and riding at an All School meeting.
  • Hold a contest and/or honor students who make the most “commutes” by feet or pedals.
  • Work with a local org to provide and fit bike helmets to interested students.
  • Host optional bike safety courses after school, on school grounds.
  • Encourage biking and walking and describe bike amenities in student handbook.

Shannon Dunham
Candidate for School Committee

I completely support expanding the Trail to include safe routes to the schools. We live on Bryan Avenue and when my daughter attended White Brook a few years ago, I always wished there was a safer path from Nonotuck Park to White Brook. I am so glad to see that this is part of the plan.

I believe that if there were safer routes to any of the schools in the city more children would in fact walk or bike.  In some cases, there just isn’t, or there isn’t a direct path.
I would help promote the trail at the open houses or registration, include the availability in the packet that goes out during the summer.  In a day where we need to teach our children to be more healthy and even independent, I fully support this program and will do what I can to encourage the resources we have available.

I would like to thank the committee for continuing to expand and improve the Manhan Rail Trail for all of our residents in Easthampton as well as surrounding towns.

Marin Goldstein
Candidate for School Committee

1. Would you support creating safe routes to schools for all Easthampton school children by linking the Manhan Rail Trail to city schools (including the site of the potential new K-8 school)?

Yes completely. When I purchased my home in Easthampton, we chose to live abutting the bike trail and have enjoyed it immensely for all the benefits it offers my family. Living near the bike trail and South Street, I know there is already a safe sidewalk that links the Trail to the entrance of WBMS and the potential future preK-8 site. There is also already an access point from the trail to get onto side streets to reach EHS, but there may need to be a formal right-of-way access to make this an authorized route for students. Therefore, I think it is less about creating the route, but ensuring that they are safe routes; unsafe driving practices have increased the safety issues for our young people

Safety for our students is the number one concern along these routes. I have spoken with several of our crossing guards and seen firsthand the dangerous driving practices on our streets. Current crossing areas, such at Maple School’s Holyoke/Cottage/Clark Street and Center/Pepin’s Main/Park/Clarke Ave, raise significant crossing concerns. I believe the crossing area for WBMS on Park Street is equally dangerous. The traffic through our small city has grown in the past couple of years, and unfortunately the unsafe driving practices has increased the safety issues for our young people. I believe we need to work with the Police Department to crack down on fast and unsafe driving especially around schools at arrival/departure travel times. Only then will parents feel safe to send their children along these improved routes to our schools.

2. What plans do you have to encourage more walking and bicycling to school for Easthampton school children?

As I stated above, I believe safety is the number one hindrance to walking and biking for our students. Parents need to see more safety measures across the city and at key intersections. If elected, I’d work immediately with the police department to station active police officers in areas to support the schools and crossing guards. For long-term solutions, I’d like to see a traffic study completed for those key intersections that lead to real changes. I look at how Williston has taken measures to improve their use of Park St., by adding crossing lights, speed signs and improved crosswalk signage. I wonder why our city hasn’t taken similar measures and want to understand what the obstacles are that are not allowing the city to improve the safety of our streets for young people. I’d support researching grants with the Planning Department that can be used to support these new structural improvements.

If the bike trail is to become an important safe route for students to reach the schools, I believe we also need to consider ways to extend the riding season along the Manhan Rail Trail. Currently, most people are able to utilize the bike trail at best for about 50% of the school year (Sept/Oct and April/May/June). Weather plays a significant factor in this, so I’d like to revive the discussion about winter cleaning of the bike trail so students can use it year-round. While certainly there is a cost is involved, if the trail was made more accessible, then more students are likely to utilize it.

Finally, I want to thank all of the wonderful volunteers that support the Manhan Rail Trail. Seeing their hard work to keep the trail clean and open from wandering vines is inspiring. I would like to see the School Committee and this group collaborate on special events such as clean ups and bike/walk to work/school days. Working with afterschool programs, parent groups and other volunteer groups can be a successful way to increase the recognition of this important thoroughfare in our city and encourage healthy lifestyles in our young people.

Jonathan Schmidt
Candidate for School Committee

When I was a student at Easthampton schools, I often fell within the range of bus ineligibility. Fortunately, my father worked from home and was able to drive me to Pepin early on in my childhood. During my years at White Brook, my neighborhood was granted a bus stop maybe half of the time, and walking to school with a nearby friend became an integral part of my childhood experience.

The bike path similarly played an integral role in my adolescent years — easy access was right down the street where we already rode our bikes. It was completed just as I was moving on from middle school, however, and I did not quite have the chance to even consider it as a way of getting to school. Even if it had been available to me, the stretch along South Street at the end would have likely ruled it out as a viable option, as the narrow sidewalk and steep hill made it no more desirable than walking along Park Street or cutting through Nonotuck Park. I see that addressing this stretch of road (or somehow circumventing it) is your highest priority, and through my own experience I can understand why. If a student committed to walking or biking to school, who already used the bike path regularly, would not use it as a means of getting to school, how many other students would?

This is all to say that I am absolutely in support of exploring ways to connect the bike path to our schools — especially White Brook — more safely and efficiently. I would have loved it as a viable option for getting to school, and I am sure my parents would have also been thrilled by a safer option than walking through the woods or along a busy street. The bike path was already so important to my youth, and I can imagine how much more it might mean to kids using it almost every single day.

Of course, my experience is only one of many, and there are children and teens living much further from their prospective schools that could potentially use the bike path if offered the opportunity. Since these students may not be close enough to utilize other options, and riding the bus may be firmly ingrained in how they think about getting to school, finding ways to serve them with the bike path could very well be even more important. Walking or biking to school was also not an option my parents considered when I was in elementary school, and other parents surely have similar concerns with sending their small children off into the world alone. I think both of these obstacles must be addressed if we are to encourage increased use of the bike path.

Looking back on my own experience, the social element of walking or biking to school stands out as an important driving factor behind my wanting to get to school this way. Of course, riding a bus also offers this experience, but I think being outside and traveling at your own pace have their own special appeal. One way that a social element could be supported is by adopting a model similar to the “walking school buses” being offered in other cities and towns (such as Springfield and now Northampton). This service is especially ideal for serving elementary-aged children, since they can walk to school with the guidance of a trained and trusted adult (either a teacher or parent volunteer) without imposing upon the potentially limited time of their own parents. “Stops” could be offered along the bike path in places where it crosses through students’ neighborhoods, with specified pick up times at which parents could drop off their kids much like they do at a traditional bus stop.

I do not think this would work as well with older kids, as they might shy away from “chaperoned” walking groups. Still, providing the structure for them to organize their own meet-ups on the way to school might result in additional use, especially if it means traveling to school with a friend who lives outside of their own neighborhood. This older age-range might also respond well to some kind of incentive for being “eco-friendly,” although it would be important to avoid alienating parts of the population that simply cannot use the bike path to get to school for one reason or another. Perhaps the high school’s Renaissance program, which rewards academic achievement, could serve as a model for this new incentive program. It could even start at the high school as a subset of the Renaissance program, and then it could be expanded once it has been successfully established. This program would also offer a platform to expound upon the benefits of walking or biking as forms of transportation, which I think is key to helping students feel pride in their choices, and instilling in them a passion for doing what they can to help protect the planet.

Laurie Garcia
Candidate for School Committee

It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you and The Manhan Rail Trail Committee to express my support of trail expansion, including creating safe routes for school children and promoting walking and biking to school.  After working hard alongside you and the other dedicated committee members for close to eleven years, I always feel a sense of pride when I ride or walk the trail.  I admire you and the others who have remained committed for many more years to continue to make the rail trail a centerpiece of our burgeoning community.  Below are my responses to the two questions:

I fully support safe routes for school children, and I would like to help to promote the necessary links between the Manhan Rail Trail and our schools, especially since I was so invested in the creation of the trail for so many years. I would truly relish becoming a member of the School Committee, and once again have the opportunity to work with the Manhan Rail Trail Committee. We should especially make sure that the design for connections to the proposed new pre-K – 8 school at White Brook is in place when we work to convince our citizens to support an override for the new building.  Many have concerns about an increase in traffic, and a concrete plan to encourage non-vehicle transportation would be ideal.

I also hope to be elected to the School Committee so that I can help to create programs to encourage the formation of walking buses and bicycle trains, already used in our Commonwealth, throughout the country, and internationally.  The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, using federal funding, already has a framework in place for Massachusetts Safe Routes to School.  Walking buses were recently launched with the help of the PTO at Bridge Street School in Northampton to celebrate International Walk to School Day.  Chaperones, usually parent volunteers, pick up children along an established route to create the bus. Comparable programs with bike riders function in a similar way. Both the bus and the train are healthy, safe alternatives to roads congested with cars and children venturing out unsupervised.

As a teacher for decades, I have seen how students often arrive tired and late to school; these healthy alternatives for transportation would have valuable benefits for being more alert in school and arriving on time. It would also enable students and parents to forge bonds with others, and promote acts of kindness.  Older students could be given incentives for documented travel biking or walking to school.

The School Committee should partner with school principals and the PTO  to help create more viable options for children to travel safely to school by either walking or riding their bikes, including looking for grants or donors to provide bikes and helmets to those who need them.  I like to be creative when looking for partnerships that will benefit all, such as when I initiated the skating fundraisers with Williston donating the rink for many successful events to raise money for the Manhan Rail Trail.  I look forward to working together again, so please vote for me on November 7th!

Cynthia Kwiecinski
Candidate for School Committee
&
James “JP” Kwiecinski
Candidate for District #1 City Councilor

JP and I (Cynthia) both support having the Rail Trail connect to many places around the city including the proposed new K-8 school.  We love to encourage walking and biking as much as possible and the current routes are very popular and well used.  Thank you for your team’s excellent work.