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Rail-trail group reports rising use, bridge projects and monthly volunteer days
Summary
Representatives of the Artie (Augusta-Andover Rail Trail Initiative) told the council the trail saw daily averages of 257 (paved) and 143 (gravel) users during a recent period, reported its highest single-day counts and said two funded bridge projects are expected to advance trail construction in coming years.
Representatives of Artie (the Augusta-Andover Rail Trail Initiative) briefed the Andover City Council on Feb. 25, reporting rising trail use, volunteer opportunities and planned bridge projects that will connect additional miles of trail.
Kim Austin, speaking for the group, said installation of electronic counters last year allows Artie to track usage more precisely. She told the council the highest single-day counts recorded were 646 users on the paved section and 330 on the gravel section. A city-provided daily average for the monitored period (May 7 through Nov. 18, 2024) was 257 daily users on the paved portion and 143 on the gravel portion, Artie representatives said.
Austin said construction on a bridge over U.S. Route 400 is expected to begin in March, and that a separate bridge over the Whitewater River is fully funded without a local match. Artie plans a capital campaign to fund additional trail segments and infrastructure over the next several years and said it will coordinate closely with the cities of Andover and Augusta during construction and maintenance.
Volunteers: Artie said the group organizes a regular volunteer workday on the second Saturday of every month for vegetation trimming, trash pickup and trail maintenance; the council was told that the city parks department frequently partners on those workdays and provides chipping equipment.
Austin thanked city staff and council for past grants and partnership and said she expects 2025 to be an active year for both building and maintaining trail miles. She invited residents to the monthly cleanup days and said the group will post specific locations and times on its Facebook page.
