Rail trail link from Amherst to Belchertown closed for work

AMHERST — The Norwottuck Rail Trail between Station Road in Amherst and Warren Wright Road in Belchertown is being closed until this fall as part of a reconstruction project.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation announced work is resuming on a 1.7-mile section of the Mass Central Rail Trail, which runs southeast from the Connecticut River Greenway State Park’s Lawrence Station in Amherst to the Belchertown location.

Instead of walkers, bicyclists, skiiers and people using other non-motorized means of transportation on the trail that parallels railroad tracks as it skirts the Lawrence Swamp, signs will be in place for appropriate detours.

The trail work comes as the state also is doing maintenance work on the Norwottuck Rail Trail’s Snell Street pedestrian overpass in Amherst. That work, taking place daily through this week from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., is requiring periodic lane closures of the road for vehicular traffic.

The state agency is keeping the overpass open during the work, but is asking visitors to use caution in construction areas and around equipment.

The Norwottuck Rail Trail connects to the Northampton Bikeway, as well as the Manhan Rail Trail to Easthampton.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>