Smith Honored for Support of Local Bike Trails

Smith College was recently granted the 2011 Trail Neighbor Award by the Friends of Northampton Trails and Greenways (FNTG), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting opportunities for recreation and transportation around the ongoing trail and greenway development by the city.

The organization presents the award annually to individuals or organizations that work on behalf of the Northampton rail trail network.

In presenting the award, Julia Riseman, secretary of FNTG, cited the college’s efforts on behalf of cyclists, including:

• funding new crosswalks and bike lanes on Elm Street
• supporting the student organization Bike Kitchen
• creating opportunities for interns working at the city Office of Planning and Development
• formalizing the trail right of way from the section between Route 66 and Olander Drive (near the former Northampton State Hospital grounds).

“These efforts, in addition to sustainability initiatives at the college, are helping to make a better community for us all,” said Riseman in the award citation.

The Trail Neighbor Award was announced as part of the recent BikeWeek festivities.