After our November 10 ride, the last paving of the season, from Granite Ave. through the old Schlager Auto Body property, was completed. All that remains now is the laying of "Soil-stabilized pavement" along the marsh from the High Speed Line overpass to Granite Ave. Sometime this spring, there will be a traffic study to justify a light where the trail crosses Granite Ave., though the light won't be installed this year. Construction has continued into the mild winter, though intersections will not be completed until spring.

There has been quite a bit of vandalism on the trail, especially on the eastern end in Port Norfolk, and several motorized vehicles, including automobiles, have been spotted on the trail. Trail users who see such use are asked to immediately report licence numbers to the state police. Even if the users are innocent of their intrusion, since there are no signs, they are responsible for any damage they do to the trail or its landscaping.

There will be a meeting later this month to discuss the formation of a "Friends of Pope John Paul II Park," which will probably include the Neponset Trail. This group will advise the MDC on operational details, while the Neponset Greenway Council will think strategically about the entire length of the river in Boston.

Murals made by the Youth Conservation Corps during the summers of 2000 and 2001 have gone up at the Gallivan Blvd. and Hallet St. entrances, respectively, to Pope John Paul II Park. The first mural, made in 1998, was damaged by heat from the Hood plant fire last winter and was recently removed by workmen from new owners of the Humbolt Storage building to which it was attached. It is hoped that those new owners will help fund a replacement.

While the MDC got $700,000 to extend the Neponset Trail north from the Port Norfolk neighborhood of Dorchester, the Boston Gas easement has become a potential threat to national security since the events of 9/11/2001. The MDC has been assured that, given the circumstances, the money will not go away for several years, so we are hoping that changes in the completed design can be made to allay fears.

-Doug Mink, dmink@massbike.org
Neponset River Greenway Council
MassBike/MetroBoston