Arguments for and against allowing bicycles on the rail trail again filled the town hall meeting room, as 21 people spoke on the subject Wednesday night, Feb. 17, in the Board of Selectmen’s second public hearing on the topic.
“I use the rail trail a lot for walking, jogging, I’d love the opportunity to ride my bike on it,” said Craig Borders. “I’d ride my bike down to take the train to work.”
Tom Elliott spoke for preserving the rail trail as it is currently enjoyed by walkers and runners, without bicycles and the environmentally disruptive safety improvements that allowing them would require.
“It’s a jewel. It’s a zoo without walls, It’s an aviary without screens,” he said.
Wednesday night’s testimony broke down as 13 in favor of allowing bikes on a “multi-use” rail trail, eight opposed to allowing bikes and in favor of keeping the trail exclusively for pedestrians — strollers, joggers, runners, dog-walkers. One speaker offered observations but didn’t take a clear side.
That follows an initial public hearing on Saturday, Feb. 6, when 27 people spoke, with 16 in favor of bikes, seven opposed and four raising questions and concerns without taking a clear stand.
The selectmen made no decision on the proposed licensing agreement that has been worked out with the trail owner, the utility Eversource, that would allow bikes. First Selectman Rudy Marconi said he’d put the item on the selectmen’s discussion agenda for their next regular meeting, Wednesday. March 9.
“We sat here a day and a night,, listening to all the concerns people have. Now we have to do our due diligence,” Marconi said.
He noted that Selectwoman Barbara Manners, who couldn’t attend the meeting, had suggested putting the contentious question on the May referendum ballot.
“It seems to me, that while the Board of Selectmen clearly has the authority to make the decision, our practice in the last few decades at least, has been to give as many residents as possible a voice in those types of decisions,” Manners said in an email to her colleagues. “I would urge you all to let this question go to referendum so we can really hear from as many residents as possible.”
“There were a lot of great comments on both sides tonight,” said Selectman Bob Hebert.
“There’s a lot of great questions that have to be answered, both technical and legal.”
Wednesday night’s hearing showed the broad division in public opinion on the matter.
Dave Ulmer said he’s run on rail trail probably 100 times a year for the last two years, sometimes with his small dog on a leash.
Most of the “multi-use” rail trails he’d seen elsewhere are paved, with a dirt path alongside — to accommodate both bikes and pedestrians,” he said. But allowing the two together on Ridgefield’s cinder-topped trail didn’t make sense to him.
“Especially from behind, bikes can come up quickly,” Ulmer said. “The presence of bike is, to me, running with my dog … not an acceptable risk.
“I’m not worried about kids,” he added. “I’m worried about mountain bikes, and groups of mountain bikes.”
Sean Dowd, who owns the Ridgefield Bicycle Company with his wife — Jacqui Dowd, the head the LINC committee that is studying the rail trail conversion — said opponents were mistaken to envision it being used by large numbers of mountain bikers and long-range road bikers. Hard core bicycelists wouldn’t be that interested in a two mile trail with a moderate grade, in his opinion.
“It’s families, it’s kids, it’s seniors, it’s new riders,” he said.
Dowd added he was an adviser to the Ridgefield Special Olympics Bicycle Team, which could make good use of the trail.
“They’re always looking for a place to ride,” he said.
Devon Pettitt said he had a three-year-old and a five-year-old who were learning to ride bikes, and the rail trail would be good place to ride for their home on Danbury Road to the village center.
“I see it as a safe way to get from my section of town to downtown for a hamburger,” he said.
Brad Gomer thought the trial should be left as it is.
“I like the soft surface for a walk. It’s one of the few places in town you can walk without walking on a paved road,” he said “…It’s a park-like setting. It’s a precious environmental thing,” he said.
He thought the money that would be spent upgrading the rail trail to be safe for bikes might be better used completing another leg of the planned eventual multi-use path, between the Recreation Center property and Farmingville Road through Great Swamp to the vicinity of the recycling center and Goodwill trailer — allowing the ‘coach home’ developers on the Schlumberger property to carry the connection between Old Quarry Road and Sunset Lane near Quail Ridge.
“I don’t see why we have to destroy the rail trail as it is now, when we can use the money to do this thing from the rec center ot the recycling center in its stead.”
Back when the rail trail was train tracks, Mitch Ancona said, his father used to take the train from Branchville to the center of town to see a movie.
He his kids, aged 12 and 7, and he’d love to be able to bicycle to town on the trail with them.
“Do I dare dream of riding up the rail trail to town to see a movie at The Prospector?” Ancona said.
“I’m pro ‘bikes on the rail trail’ — I think we can all get along.”
Bill Doty wondered why the town would make the change.
“I think the rail trail is an asset to the town — it’s two and a half miles of a nice walk.,” he said. “…I don’t see why you should assume the added cost and liability.”
Bob Roth thought Ridgefield should follow the example of other communities that have managed to create multi-use trails enjoyed by pedestrians and bicyclists.
“We’re going to have pros and cons. All these other towns figure it out,” said Roth.
He added that a decision to allow bikes could be reversed if it became clear it wasn’t working.
“My thought is: Give it a shot, put bikes on the trail. If it doesn’t work — simple strike of the pen.”
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