Bikeway cleanup, Saturday April 28th

Forwarded from the ABAC list:

Please join the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee in a spring cleanup of the Minuteman Bikeway in Arlington. The cleanup will take place on Saturday April 28 from 9:30am to 1:00pm. Steady rain in the morning will cancel the event.

We will be distributing trash bags at the three locations listed below but if there is a stretch of the path that you frequent and want clean and are willing to provide your own bags—go for it.

Arlington Heights, by the path by the Park Ave. Bridge.
Arlington Center, by the path at Water Street.
East Arlington, by the path at the Rt. 2 overpass near Thorndike Field.

Bring gloves if you have them. Trash bags will be provided at these three locations. For further information, contact Stephan Miller via email or by phone (781-641-2845).

Posted trail closings

East of Fottler Avenue toward Bow Street, signs were up today saying the trail would be closed from 3/22 (yesterday) through 4/6 (two weeks from today). Users are referred to http://www.lexingtonma.gov/dpw/constructionprojects.cfm for more information. West from Fottler, another sign says 3/26 (next Monday) through 4/6.

DPW workers were setting up near Bow Street at 7:40 this morning. Traffic flowed around them then, but was cut off and detoured soon after. The trail is supposed to be open on weekends, probably also outside working hours.

Today: 13 miles. This year: 80 miles.

Milepost VII and other sights

The 'way was supposed to be all open today, with the closure west of Bedford Street re-opened and closure at Bow Street not starting 'til tomorrow. I took full advantage and made my first visit of the year to the Bedford end. Along the way I admired the many drainage improvements, toured the revised crossing of Westview, and saw a surprising number of road-killed frogs. For no reason I could think of, there were three dead frogs in a hundred yards or so behind the Waldorf School in Lexington.

Contrary to the announcement, Lexington DPW workers had already posted (but weren't enforcing) the closure near Bow Street by 8:30 this morning.

Milepost VII/IIII after flooding in 2010.

 

Milepost VII/IIII today

Westview Avenue is a square crossing now

Improved drainage near Tophet Swamp

Today: 13 miles. This year: 67 miles.

Construction, Closures, and Fine, Fine Weather

The Minuteman Trail will be closed between Bow Street and Fottler Avenue starting March 23rd for drainage work. Detour via Massachusetts Avenue. That's the only closure in Lexington, though the various cuts remain unpaved.

Since-finished construction across Revere Street, Lexington

Expiring closure across Bedford Street, Lexington

Sunrise behind The Bike Stop, Arlington

Today: 11.2 miles. This year: 54 miles.

Path, interrupted

I did my first serious skating of 2012 in today's fabulous weather. West of Lexington Center, detour signs at Camelia Place are largely ignored because the trail is clear until just short of Revere Street. The culvert east of Revere is rebuilt, though the cut is filled with dirt and gravel for now. Heavy equipment west of Revere persuaded me not to cross.

Two more culverts were replaced between Seasons Four and Maple Street, and another just west of Bow Street in East Lexington. None of these sites are repaved yet. I'm hoping they will be when the detour signage expires on the 16th. The Lexington DPW Projects page doesn't give an end date.

At Camelia Place, Lexington

West across Revere Street, Lexington

Maple Street in the distance

Near Bow Street, Lexington

Today: 6.4 miles. This year: 10.4 miles.