Page 16 - BusinessWest July 20, 2020

Phelon added that seri- ous cyclists will be able to ride continuously from Westfield to New Haven, Conn., and
the trail is a valuable asset for casual cyclists as well.
“Bike riders will now have a way to quickly get across town because the trail goes through the center of Westfield,” she noted. “Because it’s elevated and above all the traffic, they will be able to go from one end of town to the other, complete with off-ramps into different neighborhoods.”
The mayor is hopeful that enterprising businesses will locate near the bike trail to serve the bikers, walkers, and others who use it.
“The bike trail fits in nicely
with the flavor of old West-
field and our history of indus-
try and agriculture,” he said. “Even if you’re not interested in all that, it’s an easy way to get across town.”
Humason said he’s pleased to see that a num- ber of road improvements over the years now connect the downtown area from the south side of the city all the way to the Mass Pike exit.
The latest road project near completion involves widening and adding sidewalks along Western Avenue. The project also improves traffic flow with turning lanes into Westfield State Uni- versity, as well as pull-off areas for PVTA buses.
“Western Avenue is one of the longest streets
Westfield Mayor Don Humason says he has heard from business, both downtown and elsewhere, looking to expand once they feel they can.
in the city, and it deserved to get this treatment,” the mayor said, adding that certain parts of the road also have traffic islands to separate the east and west lanes. “It’s an easier road to drive now, and it looks really nice.”
The mayor said the city completed a similar project on East Mountain Road, another long street. “If we continually work on the longer streets and keep them in good order when we have the revenue, we can work on the smaller streets in the neighborhoods and the downtown
corridor, so we can keep the city in good shape.” Future projects coming to Westfield include
a new entry gate to the military side of Barnes Airport to service the both the Army Aviation facility and the Air National Guard base. The new entrance will allow the base to modernize func- tion and security for everyone entering the base.
A public park is also planned just outside the gate that will feature
one of the F-15 fight- er jets that flew over
Westfield
Continued on page 38
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
BusinessWest
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