Trail Improvements

Ongoing Trail Projects:

  1. Picture Main Street: A substantial reorganization of pedestrian and traffic patterns aimed to make downtown Northampton safer for pedestrians and cyclists is planned between now and 2027. It includes protected bike lanes and shortened road crossings. Read all about it at the city’s site and storymap and see some of the advocacy FNT participated in to engage and inform the public on the project.

Trail Projects completed in 2025:

  1. Commitment by DCR to keep bikeway between Northampton and Amherst clear of snow through winter.

Trail Projects completed in 2024:

  1. Asphalt resurfacing of trail between King Street and Look Park.
  2. Completion of off-street bike path adjacent to Damon Road connecting King Street to the Rail Trail.

Trail Projects completed in 2023:

  1. Completion of protected bike lane on King Street.
  2. Completion of extension of protected bike lanes on South Pleasant Street between roundabout and North Pleasant.

Trail Projects completed in 2021:

  1. Roots removal and repaving at two locations: along the train tracks just east of King St, and along the spur to Easthampton near the Smith College stables.
  2. Purchase of 45 acres of conservation land in Leeds that abuts the rail trailwhere it crosses Beaver Brook
  3. Beautification project in Florence consisting of the clearing of brush and planting of 45 native, flowering shrubs
  4. Painting of murals on the rail trail pavement at 4 intersections in Florence
  5. Removal of dead and dangerous trees abutting the trail in Florence between Bardwell St and Bridge Rd

Trail Projects completed in 2020:

  1. With help from the Saw Mill Hill fundraiser, the City of Northampton purchased a chunk of land to expand the Saw Mill Hill Greenway in Florence.
  2. The City of Northampton purchased the Beaver Brook Greenway between the bike path and Saint Mary’s Cemetery.
  3. Northampton is also about to close on a trail easement from behind Saint Mary’s Cemetery to Haydenville Road/Route 9. It is an extremely generous donation from Peter and Stephanie Flinker. Thank you both for this donation!

Trail Projects completed in 2019:

  1. Paving the last unpaved section of rail trail in Leeds. Grant and CPA funded
  2. Removal of about 40 hazard trees in Florence and Leeds. Grant funded
  3. Repair worst of root damage and drainage problems between King Street and Earle Street. Grant funded
  4. Built 1 mile of trail from Burts Pit Road to Overlook to Sandy Hill. Grant and CPA funded
  5. Advance trail from Route 10 to Route 66 to get on the TIP. Federal and state funding line
  6. Began shared use bicycle/pedestrian path from Bridge Street to the MassCentral. Part of the Exit 19 roundabout


Updates adapted from:

Wayne Feiden, FAICP
Director of Planning & Sustainability
City of Northampton