Money in Hand: State Grant Completes Construction Funding for Old Route 7 Greenway

A state grant of $137,310 finalizes the town’s funding for construction of a shared-use recreational path along Stockbridge Road, which will close a gap in the Fountain Pond/Three Mile Hill hiking loop.

Now called Old Route 7 Greenway, the off-road paved path will connect the Jenifer House Commons area with the Community Health Programs campus, about a half-mile to the north on Route 7/Stockbridge Road. Work is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Once complete, pedestrians, cyclists and others can now go safely between the Berkshire South Community Center and CHP, two locations where there are trailheads for the Fountain Pond/Three Mile Hill trail system. Until now, the trip required a walk along busy Stockbridge Road in the breakdown lane for anyone wishing to complete the loop.

“Walking and biking areas do so much to improve our quality of life, so this is great news for the Stockbridge Road residents, businesses and visitors,” said Chris Rembold, assistant town manager and director of planning and community development. “Walking along the road there has been a scary prospect on that busy highway.”

Rembold said the path will run along an old railroad bed, owned by the town. The project will cost a total of $517,000 with a combination of state funds, a grant from the Community Preservation Act and town funds.

The state grant was part of a $2.8 million award from the state Department of Transportation’s Shared Winter Streets and Spaces program. Seventeen municipalities and two transit authorities are sharing the award.

In the map below, the yellow dotted line shows the new pathway route.