Council Approves Easements to Allow Safe Routes Connections

By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.

The Everett City Council voted on Monday night to approve the creation of several easements on private properties to allow for the creation of a new ramp that will connect the existing Northern Strand Bicycle Trail to walking and biking routes to the Madeline English School next year.

According to city transportation planner Jay Monty, of the Planning and Development Department, the project is part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program and will utilize state and local grant funding to construct a new ramp and other improvements that will allow at least a portion of the Northern Strand Bike Trail to be used by city children who wish to walk or ride their bikes to school.

Some of the private property owners, from whom the easements have now been established, will receive some compensation from the city as part of the easement agreement, however, their property remains theirs and the easement will simply grant the city and its contractors the right to cross the property in order to construct the improvements.

Monty said that all of the property owners have been contacted by the city and they know the improvements will be coming. Unfortunately, they will not come in time to benefit children going to and from school this year.

Monty said the current plan is for the improvements to take place next summer.

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