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Background Inspired by the greenway movement during the 1980s, a grassroots organization was formed in the Mad River Valley to explore the possibility of a valley-wide recreation trail. It was incorporated in 1990 as a nonprofit organization known as the Mad River Path Association (MRPA) and began seriously advocating and planning for the Mad River Greenway. Early planning efforts for the pathway through Irasville and Waitsfield Village explored an off-road alignment. Due to various natural obstacles, locating the Path along Route 100 was determined to be more practical. The Town of Waitsfield entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the State of Vermont in 1995 to build the Route 100 Transportation Path (Path) and formed a local advisory committee to work with the Town Administrator, Municipal Project Manager, and consulting engineers to define the project. Thorough planning and on-going efforts have resolved many issues of concern to citizens and established a plan that meets the purpose and need of the project and State and Federal standards. The Town has completed the project design and environmental permitting. The Path will link Irasville and Waitsfield Village from Waitsfield School to Bragg Hill Road. The scope of the project is a five-foot (5’) wide concrete sidewalk on the east side of Main Street/Route 100, two four-foot (4’) marked bike lanes and strategically-placed crosswalks. The plan also includes trees, landscaping, granite curbing, pavement markings and signs. The Town has worked closely with affected property owners and established the legal agreements needed to build the project. The Path project is being coordinated with the planned water project and upcoming state paving project. Construction of the Path is anticipated to begin in 2012 following construction of the water project. The cost of the path project is anticipated to be $1.5 million of which 10% will be borne by the Town of Waitsfield. Timeline: Route 100 Transportation Path STP BIKE 24(S) 1987-90 - Mad River Path Association formed and began to define the concept of a continuous recreation trail and transportation path through Waitsfield. 1993 - The Town of Waitsfield applied for a grant for a study of a path in the village known as the Irasville-Waitsfield Transportation Path. This is a proposed off-road, 1.44-mile shared-use path from Fiddler's Green running through Irasville Common and the Mad River Green to the historic Village of Waitsfield, terminating a the Waitsfield School. 1994 - The Town of Waitsfield receives award of a Vermont Agency of Transportation, Transportation Path Program grant to develop the Irasville-Waitsfield Transportation Path. A scoping study is begun by Janet Kennedy of Kennedy Yager Associates. Public Hearing - November 9, 1994 1995 - The path project was investigated for its impacts on environmental resource, compliance with ADA, and property owner support. To eliminate resource conflicts, a new alignment located within the corridor and right-of-way of Route 100 is proposed. Public Hearing - November 20, 1995 1996-98 - The Town of Waitsfield worked through project definition and conceptual design with TJ Boyle Associates for the Route 100 alignment. The Town accepted the Conceptual Plan and signs a Cooperative Agreement with the State of Vermont to manage the project. 1999 - The Town requested that the project be put on hold to explore the possibility of installing water and wastewater facilities before the sidewalk is constructed. 2000 - A Local Advisory Committee was reestablished including two representatives from the Selectboard. 2001 - The Town hires Kevin Russell as Municipal Project Manager. The project is renamed: Route 100 Transportation Path. Public Information Meeting - March 27, 2001 2002 - The Town hired Mark Bannon as the Consulting Engineer to complete the final design and environmental permitting. 2002-2005 - The project advanced through final design and permitting. The project team consisting of the Project Manager, Consulting Engineer, VTrans Project Manager and Project Supervisor, and the Local Advisory Committee worked through several challenging design issues. Public Information Meeting - September 21, 2005 November 14, 2005 - Waitsfield Selectboard approved theConceptual Plans on revisions to the Route 100 alignment based on several design decisions including a spur sidewalk though the Bridge Street Marketplace to conform to ADA requirements. 2006 - Consulting Engineer completes Categorical Exclusion (CE), a comprehensive environmental checklist. December 5, 2006 - Received the "All Clear" memo from VTrans Environmental Section. The project received all necessary environmental permits and entered the right-of-way (ROW) phase. 2007 - Project team developed Preliminary ROW plans. Coordination with the Town's water and wastewater projects continued. 2010 - ROW plans approved; ROW certficate issued by VTrans. 2010 - Construction of the municipal water project began. Continued through 2011 and is expected to be finished in 2012. 2011 - MPM Kevin Russell resigned to take a position with VTrans; Town Administrator Valerie Capels became MPM. 2012 - Construction Inspection Services advertised: Request for Qualifications (4 pgs, 151 KB) ANTICIPATED COMPLETION SCHEDULE: April 15, 2012 - Bid and construction documents advertised; submission deadline Wednesday, May 16, 2012. May 1, 2012 - Pre-bid meeting. June 2012 - Construction begins. October 31, 2012 - Construction complete. Coordination with final construction of the municipal water project in Waitsfield Village and Irasville will be imperative. 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Updated April 19, 2012
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