Community Path Extension to Lowell Street

Community Path in Somerville extending to Lowell Street 2010 August 30 by Andy Metzger

The Community Path, which links up to the Minuteman Bikeway, is about to get a little bit longer. The state, which has previously said it would only fund a design of the path, is going to announce this afternoon an almost $500,000 construction grant to extend the path from Cedar to Lowell streets, according to city spokesman Michael Meehan.

That’s about 350 yards, according to my measurements. Of course, the Friends of the Community Path want construction funding for all the way to Lechmere and the state plans to bring the path to the Inner Belt. About the construction funding for the rest of the path, Meehan said a $23 million grant request has been made to the federal Department of Transportation to fund the construction.

“Of course we’re happy about this next step,” said Friends spokesman Lynn Weissman, who called the extension a “small important part” of the Friends larger goal to bring the path to Lechmere.

The press conference is at 4:30 p.m. at the Maxpak site, off Lowell Street. Click here for a map.