Alewife Sunnyside path entrance is open
Alert Menotonian* Stephanie Marlin-Curiel reports that the Broadway entrance to the northern segment of the Alewife Greenway is now open for business.
The view north from Broadway on the east side of the Alewife Brook. Stephanie Marlin-Curiel photo.
(*Menotomy, from menhaden, which is in turn from the Algonquin word for alewife, was an old name for this part of town.)
This means it is now possible to walk almost the full length of the path in Arlington, from its northernmost end near the Mystic River to the point just north of the Minuteman path where construction is still in progress (as documented by Doug Davidoff.)
Broadway is significantly above path level where it crosses the brook, hence the ramp, which has been under construction all fall.
Boardwalked path segment. Stephanie Marlin-Curiel photo.
There had been a chain-link fence along the northern edge of Broadway at that street. Stephanie reports
There is still a chain link fence still but there is an opening onto Broadway, so you can enter from Broadway….
You can walk the full length of it entering and exiting the path at both ends! Wonderful walk from Broadway to the Mystic River! Pay attention to those trees as you go!
Birch tree on the Alewife Greenway north of Broadway. Stephanie Marlin-Curiel photo.
Much of the path north of Broadway is boardwalk, and Stephanie captured a view of it winding sinuously across the wetlands.
She also reports many unusual trees, such as the Argus-eyed birch at right.
Of course this isn’t Mass Ave. (Remember Mass. Ave? This is a blog about Mass. Ave.), but who am I to stand on ceremony?
Indeed I’ve written a series of blog posts about the Greenway path starting July of 2010. (The previous in that series features Doug’s photos here.)
Many thanks to Stephanie and Doug for their photos and reports!
Update: From the comments, Vesna Maneva has more photos of, and a landscape architect’s take on, the Greenway at her blog. ( If you have trouble reading all of her thoughts at the link, try browsing to her main blog page and scrolling down to the same post.) Thanks for the link, Vesna!
Even though it’s a blog about Mass. Ave., thanks so much for posting updates about the path, as well.
Ray, thank you!
It’s been lots of fun watching this project unfold & posting the photos.
I am also very excited about the path progress, and find it a great town asset, from a landscape architect’s point of view. Refer to my blog post: http://vesnamaneva.moonfruit.com/#/blog/4555580991/A-great-urban-trail-takes-shape-along-Alewife-Brook/442885
I must note that the Alewife path intersection with Mass Ave. has not been resolved very successfully, in my opinion. The current configuration may encourage crossing the Avenue about hundred feet from the crosswalk, at an often congested segment of road; alternative bicycles will have to use the sidewalk to get to the corner crossing. Perhaps the Mass Ave. plan would propose a better solution.
Thanks for the link, Vesna, which I have added to the post above. (There does seem to be something funny about how it renders though.)
I agree about the intersection with Mass. Ave., and I’d say the same about Broadway and also the Mystic Valley Parkway. It’s as though we have 3 separate parks rather than one continuous one. On the other hand it is clear that crossing these busy motorways is not a trivial problem.
Sad to say the Mass. Ave. project will not address this either.
Is there a map anywhere of where this path begins/ends? Thanks!
Amie, the path is still under construction and so no, I don’t think there are maps yet in the sense you probably mean. (Detailed project plans are online someplace.)
It’s easy to find, though, along the Alewife Brook, running from the south side of the Mystic Valley Parkway to the Minuteman Path. Except the last 100 yards or so, to the Minuteman path, were not done last time I checked.
The entrance way in Stephanie’s photo above is off of the north side of Broadway in Arlington, just about 20 yards west of the Alewife brook (which is the town line).
Thanks Adam! I walk by the end that connects to the Minuteman bikepath every day (right near Thorndike Field, before you get to the T) and over the past week it’s seemed “done” but wasn’t sure if the whole thing was or not! Seems like a really cool extension…