Construction of Mattapoisett’s Phase 1b of the Shared-Use Path, aka, bike path is well underway. One year ago Representative William Straus, an advocate of the project, released the following statement: “I was excited to join state highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver at MassDOT’s Boston office today for the signing and award of the contract to construct the next phase of the Mattapoisett Bike Path. This 1.28 addition to the existing Fairhaven-Mattapoisett path will proceed eastward from Neck Road, over the river, along incredible wild marsh and public beachfront property before entering the village at Depot Street. As an addition to the current 4 3/4 mile path which begins in Fairhaven, the public will have an even greater opportunity to travel and experience the beautiful SouthCoast. A ‘notice to proceed’ is expected to be issued in the next few weeks which will allow mobilization of construction equipment and supplies for completion of the project this season. This milestone could not have been reached without the thousands of volunteer hours of many residents in town over the last twenty-five years; I have been happy to have helped this along in every way possible, including the funding for this phase. Without the direct assistance of Governor Baker and his Lt. Governor Karen Polito, we also could not be in this position. They are to be congratulated. I look forward to joining the public in making use of this new park area which will soon become available.”
In 1996 a bike path committee was established. Chairman Steve Kelleher told the Wanderer during a February 2019 interview, “We never gave up.” While there were many challenges and years of negotiations with abutters including the YMCA and the Reservation Golf Club, the most environmentally impactive construction phase is now well underway.
Acushnet-based contractor D.W. White received the Massachusetts Department of Transportation contract valued at $6.7 million in February 2019 to construct Phase 1b. Today with trees cleared and pilings installed through marshlands, construction of the wooden bridge will soon begin.
Completed a number of years ago, Phase 1 connected Mattapoisett’s bike path to Fairhaven’s at Brandt Island Road. The pathway continues on from there to Mattapoisett Neck Road where it stalled awaiting funding. Phase 1b, once completed, will pick up from that point and continue on, ending at Goodspeed Island Road. Phase 2, yet to be designed or fully funded, will continue from the intersection of Depot Street and Route 6 to North Street. Conceptual designs include situating the bike path through the Park Street neighborhoods ending at North Street across from the entrance to Mattapoisett’s business park.
Over the more than two decades the Bike Path Committee, along with the Friends of the Mattapoisett Bike Path, have worked to secure funding from private donations and grants from both federal and state sources. The end game for these two organizations is connection to Marion’s bike path, a pathway planned to begin sometime in 2022 at the town line about 1 mile beyond Industrial Drive. But those are plans and dreams for another day. For now, Phase 1b is moving along with few winter weather-related delays. Opening of Phase 1b has not been announced.