Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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We never know what we will find when visiting a new (to us) rail trail. The Hanover Branch, or Rockland Rail trail, mostly in Rockland, MA, is a work in progress. It is already a community resource, primarily for walkers, since it is relatively short for right now, (3+ miles end to end).
The paved trail is mostly shaded, which made for a cooler ride on a warm summer day. While parts of the path are quite close to busy roads, we found it, for the most part, impressively quiet. We saw almost as many dogs as walkers—most (dogs, that is) were on leash and none caused us any problems.
We brought our tandem bike with us for this trip, which allows me to see more of an area than my stamina can otherwise manage. We brought both puffins along for the ride, but Beanie (he’s a beanbag puffin) was nervous about bike riding. He says he will be ready to roll next time….
Once into Abington the rail trail ends at a quiet road, but we were unclear if there was any more trail to explore farther west. We were unsure if perhaps there was a dog leg on-road section leading to another restricted access path. We have seen that on other rail trails. Ultimately we decided that this is the end, for now. Perhaps more will be built later!
Lacking designated parking, visitors left their cars all along the road at the end of the trail in Abington. Parking is available at the Rockland Police Station, which fronts directly onto the path. In fact, to get to the Police Station you must cross the rail trail from Rt. 139. Parking is also an option at the Rockland Sr. Center on Rt. 139/Plain St., just south of Lower Reed St. We parked in a business parking area next to the trail on a Sunday, but this may not be as workable on a week day.
Many rail trails have physical barriers, bollards, at road crossings to prevent motorized vehicles from using the paths. We encountered two types on this trail. One section had simple upright posts in the middle of the path near road crossings. These were easy to navigate, quite visible and suitable for the purpose intended. The rest of the trail had metal posts painted yellow, with large cross bars at a length and height that prevents bicycles from navigating around them easily.
We cannot be the first who have had problems with these structures. The yellow barriers were laid flat at several road crossings so perhaps visitors have complained about them? Or an emergency on the trail required that they be lowered? (They have a hinge that allows the barrier to be upright or laid flat.) It is always a balancing act between making it hard for motorized vehicles to use the path and creating safe places for pedestrians and bicyclists. Some barrier structures work better than others.
A new section over the town line into Hanover, MA has just been (mostly) completed. Construction fencing prevents travel beyond the small, broken down bridge over the Drinkwater River. Bridges of any sort are costly. Extending the trail beyond what is now essentially complete from Rt. 139 east to the bridge will likely have to wait for more funding. The new parking area on Rt. 139 offers access from there east about one mile to the river. MA DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) has created a good sized parking area, with a bench and signage.
To reach the Hanover portion of the trail from the rest of the trail that is in Rockland, we had to cross busy Market St./Rt. 139 at the Pleasant St./Circuit St. intersection. The parking area is on the southeast corner of this intersection. While other portions of the trail have pedestrian crossing lights or flashing yellow lights, this dangerous section of road at least had cross walks in the past. (I saw remnants of them on Google Earth.) They are now no longer visible. Pedestrian signals would be so helpful to allow pedestrians and other trail visitors to cross Rt. 139 safely. We found it difficult to see the trail head on the opposite side of the road, since shrubs block the sign for the parking area.
Signage, cross walks, and pedestrian lights are often the last items to be installed on projects of this sort. We look forward to seeing the construction finished and made safer for those hoping to enjoy the path. Rail trails are a huge investment in our communities. We are grateful and mindful of all the people who work hard to create and maintain these great places where we can spend time outdoors. Happy trails.
Marjorie
Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, Easy Walks South of Boston and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.
Marjorie Turner Hollman 