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Resident proposes foot-and-bike bridge to link town to neighboring pavilion and rail trail
Summary
A resident urged the select board to explore rebuilding a pedestrian/bike bridge across the river to link Canterbury to a neighbor’s planned pavilion and an expanding rail-trail; board members said they would contact the neighboring committee to see whether a joint project could be considered.
A resident urged the select board to explore rebuilding a pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the river to connect Canterbury with a neighboring pavilion and a developing rail-trail project.
The resident said a pedestrian bridge would let cyclists and walkers reach downtown destinations without using a busy highway crossing and could tie into planned improvements on the other side of the river that include a pavilion and park upgrades. The board noted the neighboring community already has fundraising and engineering underway for a riverside pavilion and scenic overlook and suggested the resident contact that committee to discuss potential coordination.
Why it matters: Residents and the board said improved nonmotorized access could support recreation and local businesses and could be an economic asset if coordinated with the neighboring town’s rail-trail work. Board members cautioned the project would require coordination among towns, engineering review and significant fundraising; they noted that the old vehicular bridge had been removed years earlier because engineers found it unsafe.
Next steps: The board asked the resident to contact the neighboring committee and report back. Board members said any town-side work would need to fit with the neighbor’s engineering and schedule and that joint fundraising or grant-seeking would likely be necessary.
