Bicycle Friendly Community

Northampton, MA | Bronze Level

Community Highlights:  Over the past year, Northampton has invested in a series of bicycling projects that total about $13 million dollars and improve the connectivity within and into Northampton. To assist and encourage the development of bicycle-friendly projects and policies in a nearby town, the City has purchased a parcel of land within that town's perimeters that will be dedicated to such purposes. Furthermore, the city has recently completed a one-mile trail extension to provide access to the City of Easthampton's Manhan Rail Trail.  A 1.4-mile bicycle path spanning into the nearby town of Florence has also been constructed. Lastly, an off-ramp for a 25-year-old bicycle path has been built, extending trail access to a portion of town that previously had none. Northampton has fostered a strong interaction between the police department and bicyclists-- the current police chief is an active member of the City's transportation and parking commission and the city has a number of police patrolling on bikes. The Pioneer Valley Chapter of MassBikes hosts free clinics as part of Bike Week in an effort to make basic bicycle riding and repair knowledge available to all.