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Living in Manchester With No Car

Started by mackler, February 03, 2008, 09:01 AM NHFT

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GCG199

I am also carless in Manchester. I find it fairly easy to get around on foot or by bike. I also arrange rides with friends when possible, especially for grocery shopping.

A tip for getting down to South Willow street if one doesn't have a car: Take the old Lawrence and Manchester rail line instead of walking directly down South Willow street sidewalks. The best part of it is paved between South Beech street and Gold street. (Hopefully more of it will be completed this year and into the near future. It is Manchester's part of the Concord to Salem Bikeway.)

I use the old rail line route to go to Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble a lot. Using it during the winter is rough, since the snow isn't being plowed.

Another old rail line goes behind the the Hannaford's plaza on Hanover street. This is supposed to be completed as the inner city part of the Rockingham trail between now and 2010. (It might even get completed sooner then the Candia road widening, which may take at least 3 more years.) It will eventually connect to the "Hands Across the Merrimack" bridge, that will be opening by the end of March.

If anyone is interested, there is a new monthly meeting in manchester for several of the local rail-trail groups. The city is also getting ready to grant the Master Trails Plan for development soon, which will be a big step in getting more trails built.

mackler

Awesome info!  Thanks!!

Where and when is the meeting?

Quote from: GCG199 on February 05, 2008, 11:32 PM NHFT
A tip for getting down to South Willow street if one doesn't have a car: Take the old Lawrence and Manchester rail line instead of walking directly down South Willow street sidewalks. The best part of it is paved between South Beech street and Gold street. (Hopefully more of it will be completed this year and into the near future. It is Manchester's part of the Concord to Salem Bikeway.)

I use the old rail line route to go to Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble a lot. Using it during the winter is rough, since the snow isn't being plowed.

Another old rail line goes behind the the Hannaford's plaza on Hanover street. This is supposed to be completed as the inner city part of the Rockingham trail between now and 2010. (It might even get completed sooner then the Candia road widening, which may take at least 3 more years.) It will eventually connect to the "Hands Across the Merrimack" bridge, that will be opening by the end of March.

If anyone is interested, there is a new monthly meeting in manchester for several of the local rail-trail groups. The city is also getting ready to grant the Master Trails Plan for development soon, which will be a big step in getting more trails built.

John Edward Mercier

Quote from: GCG199 on February 05, 2008, 11:32 PM NHFT
I am also carless in Manchester. I find it fairly easy to get around on foot or by bike. I also arrange rides with friends when possible, especially for grocery shopping.

A tip for getting down to South Willow street if one doesn't have a car: Take the old Lawrence and Manchester rail line instead of walking directly down South Willow street sidewalks. The best part of it is paved between South Beech street and Gold street. (Hopefully more of it will be completed this year and into the near future. It is Manchester's part of the Concord to Salem Bikeway.)

I use the old rail line route to go to Wal-Mart and Barnes and Noble a lot. Using it during the winter is rough, since the snow isn't being plowed.

Another old rail line goes behind the the Hannaford's plaza on Hanover street. This is supposed to be completed as the inner city part of the Rockingham trail between now and 2010. (It might even get completed sooner then the Candia road widening, which may take at least 3 more years.) It will eventually connect to the "Hands Across the Merrimack" bridge, that will be opening by the end of March.

If anyone is interested, there is a new monthly meeting in manchester for several of the local rail-trail groups. The city is also getting ready to grant the Master Trails Plan for development soon, which will be a big step in getting more trails built.
Since this is federal gas tax dollars being used... I think I'll pass.

Beth221

 ::)

then walk next to the bike path, rather than on it!  Do you avoid streets? 

Here in RI, most street construction is done with federal help. 

mackler

Quote from: John Edward Mercier on February 06, 2008, 09:46 AM NHFT
Since this is federal gas tax dollars being used... I think I'll pass.

The hell those are federal dollars.  Those are my dollars and I want them back!

Beth221

if they are gonna take our money, you might as well use it!  Rather than it going to making bombs or in someone's pocket.

I hear ya Mack!

i love bike paths, I didnt even know there was one in Manchester.  We should (ya, when I move..!) do a weekend biking get together! 

10 Pts for running over children! 

GCG199

The meeting is held at PSNH (Public Service of NH) on 670 North Commercial street. It is just a bit below the Amoskeag bridge. The meetings are held at 3pm and last for about an hour and a half. (I will post back here if there are any changes.)

There is also planning for a road bike tour to be held in September to raise money for the trails. If it goes well, it will become an annual event. It will also be on the completed rail-trails parts that are paved.

The federal grants are the main source of money to fund these bike/pedestrian paths. A lot has been done over the past several years to get things going. The next few years should see good results.

John Edward Mercier

Quote from: Beth221 on February 06, 2008, 10:03 AM NHFT
::)

then walk next to the bike path, rather than on it!  Do you avoid streets? 

Here in RI, most street construction is done with federal help. 

Federal Gas Taxes are paid by motorists, and should only be used for road and highways.

I avoid anything that I can that 'forces' one group to pay for the benefits of another...

GCG199

An update on the Manchester rail-trails groups meeting: They are normally held on the last Monday of the month. The next one will be Monday, the 25th at 3pm and lasts for about an hour and a half.

Some other resources for those that are carless:

Route planning is extremely important. The various online map programs, especially the Google Earth program, are good for looking up routes to use. Sometimes it is better to use back streets that aren't as busy as the high-traffic streets are.

Another one is www.walkscore.com. It is a database where one types in an address and it compares it to the stores around it.

JJ

I live in Keene and have no transportation, I bought a bike but other than that I walk or am able to get a ride from co-workers and other porcs.  Keene is great in this way as the city is about 4 miles at it's widest point (north - south).  The downtown is nice pedestrian friendly place with a collage campus close to the center.

Russell Kanning

Quote from: picaro on February 05, 2008, 07:40 AM NHFT
Stop & Shop is 1/2 mile from Porc Manor.
It also sports New Hampshire Free Presses .... I didn't even know about this store until last week. How new is it?

Russell Kanning

By the time you get to Manchester .... you can hop from hood to hood on passing porcupine cars. :)

Rosie the Riveter

Quote from: Russell Kanning on February 23, 2008, 06:52 AM NHFT
Quote from: picaro on February 05, 2008, 07:40 AM NHFT
Stop & Shop is 1/2 mile from Porc Manor.
It also sports New Hampshire Free Presses .... I didn't even know about this store until last week. How new is it?

has to be about a year now.....maybe more.....prime location for porcupine spotting...




Russell Kanning


GCG199

Okay, some recent bike/pedestrian updates for Manchester:

The "Hands Across the Merrimack" bike/pedestrian bridge is now officially open. The next goal is to have the various rail-trail projects around Manchester connect to it. 

One of these is the Piscataquog rail-trail that connects West Manchester to Goffstown. It will take a few years to complete because of another old rail bridge that is in a state of disrepair.

A Manchester Bike tour is planned for September 14th. Money raised from this will be used to help fund the rail-trail projects around Manchester.

The Rockingham trail extension from South Tarrytown road is in progress. The main thing to be fixed is the culvert that has to be put in under Peabody Avenue. So that the trail will extend all the way to Lake Massabesic.

The South Manchester rail-trail (the one that goes behind South Willow street) will connect to downtown Manchester. Construction should start soon.

A new book about current and proposed rail-trails in New Hampshire comes out this month. Check out: www.NHRailTRails.org/ for more info.

For more info about bike/pedestrain projects around New Hampshire check out: www.bwanh.org/