On Options

Thursday, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) held a meeting about the three foot bridges in Newton to be restored or created under the Commonwealth's Accelerated Bridge Program. One of the opponents of the conversion of the Upper Falls rail bridge to a pedestrian bridge and the potential rail trail between the bridge and Riverside noted that there were other options for getting to Riverside by bike or by foot and that the path would be "redundant."

Dan Driscoll of the DCR said that the agency was interested in creating as many bike and pedestrian opportunities as it could. He noted that there are plenty of redundant routes to travel by car.

What the opponent (and most opponents) don't acknowledge is that an off-road bike path offers a non-redundant opportunity for children.