Bikeway maintenance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2002
UPDATED: September 30, 2002

Minuteman Bikeway being repaved in Arlington
Bikeway repaving is now completed in Arlington, and lane markings are painted.

The good news is that the Town of Arlington is planning to repair and repave its bumpy 3-mile stretch of the popular Minuteman Bikeway, starting on Tuesday, May 28. The bad news is that bikeway users can expect delays and detours during construction.

The bikeway is now 10 years old. Tree roots, embankment erosion, utility-related construction, and local flooding have all taken their toll on the bikeway surface – more so in Arlington than in Lexington or Bedford. Along many stretches, Arlington's uprooted bikeway surface has become hazardous for bicycling, skating, or even walking. Each town is responsible for maintaining its section of the Minuteman Bikeway.

The scope of work includes restoring the bikeway's foundation as necessary, removing the cobblestone rumble strips (which were not designed to accommodate repaving), installing underground root-guard barriers to prevent future pavement uprooting, repaving the entire bikeway surface, and repainting the lane markings.

Richard Bento, Arlington's director of public works, is overseeing the project for the Town. "When this project is finished, the bikeway will be better than new," he said. In addition to the repaving effort, Bento has ordered landscaping improvements along the bikeway in Arlington, including cutting back encroaching vegetation and planting new ornamental trees and shrubs.

Construction will occur during weekdays and will last through late-July. During some phases of construction, the bikeway will be temporarily impassable, and users will need to seek alternate routes on local roadways. Construction signs will be posted, and police details will help to redirect bikeway traffic during the project. The Town and the paving contractor hope to keep the bikeway mostly open during weekends, when the bikeway is most popular.

Members of the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC) have apprised the Town on how the current surface problems affect cyclists, in-line skaters, walkers, runners, and wheelchair users on the path. The committee has also advised on the scope of the repaving project and its temporary impact on the user community.

"The bikeway has become Arlington's #1 attraction and a symbol of our Town, and we need to take care of it," said ABAC chairman Jack Johnson. "We are thrilled to see this project starting up. It's a great way to celebrate the bikeway's 10th birthday," he added.

Funding for Arlington's $150,000 bikeway-repaving project was provided by a grant received from Metromedia Fiber Network, Inc. as a concession for laying a fiberoptic-cable conduit under the bikeway two years ago. The grant was exclusively earmarked for Arlington's bikeway maintenance. The paving contractor is Albert Paving & Excavating of Fitchburg, Mass., selected through a formal bidding process.

Built by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and opened in 1992, the Minuteman Bikeway has become one of America's most popular bike paths, enjoyed by thousands of people each day for both healthy recreation and transportation.