Banks: Why I Support Salem Bike-Ped Corridor

By Michael Banks

Any mention of the traffic in Salem, especially on Saturday along Route 28, conjures up clenched fists and anxiety.

Any attempt to avoid Route 28 using one of the many alternate routes through residential streets results in additional traffic, and in most cases we end up back in traffic on Route 28. If you have walked, jogged, or biked along the streets in Salem, you know that there are many challenges associated with a clear right-of-way, whether on sidewalks, on a shoulder, or if you’re brave enough, no shoulder. The Salem Bike-Ped corridor addresses this basic challenge, providing a safer, more convenient, economical, and environmentally friendly way for residents, workers, and shoppers to access businesses along Route 28 by foot, or bicycle.

Starting in the spring of 2016, and if all goes well with contractor bids this fall, Salem residents will see bulldozers laying the foundation for the new corridor. Where the old railroad once passed through town years ago, will be brought back to life with a safe and alternative way to get around in Salem. The State of New Hampshire owns the entire former rail corridor property, and is available to communities such as Salem for bicycle and pedestrian use throughout New Hampshire. Salem has acquired a “Use and Occupancy Permit” from the NH Department of Transportation to convert the rail line to a bike-ped corridor. Adjacent towns such as Derry, Windham, and Methuen are a few local communities that have made practical use of this abandon rail line. I have personally used the Derry-Windham corridor as a means to safely train for several half marathons (10 miles from Cyr Lumber to Derry and back). The proximity of the corridor through the town of Salem provides safe and convenient access to miles of the corridor for Salem residents to use alongside Route 28. The Salem corridor will connect to the existing corridors in neighboringMethuen and Windham, extending the corridor to all.

Thanks to a committed effort by the Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (FSBPC), the generous support of the Greater Salem banking and business communities, local residents and organizations and the NH Community Development Finance Authority’s Tax Credit Program, over $350,000 has been raised as matching funds to go with NHDOT grants and other funding sources. As a Salem resident for the last 13 years, I’m a strong supporter of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor project, with hopes that my family and all of Salem will be utilizing the corridor as soon as next year. And, as a member of the Knights of Columbus, I am proud that my Salem Council #4442 made a financial donation towards the project again in August.

I’m anxious to see the project get underway next year, and look forward to utilizing the corridor upon completion. If interested to find out more about the project, or to contribute to a great community project, please reach out to the “Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor” at fsbpc.org or 603-898-9926 or info@fsbpc.org

Michael Banks lives in Salem.