The A2A Trail
A PATHWAY TO CONNECT PITTSFIELD TO NORTH ADAMS — AND BEYOND
A n a s t a s i a S t a n m e y e r
B y S c o t t E d w a r d A n d e r s o n
When it ’ s completed , you ’ ll be able to cycle from a world-class contemporary art museum to one of America ’ s finest collections of Impressionist paintings , passing through three historic mill towns and miles of riverside scenery along the way . That ’ s the promise of the Adventure to Ashuwillticook Trail ( A2A Trail ), a 9.3-mile project that just secured $ 17.3 million in vital federal funding that will be used to complete the design phase and make this project shovel-ready . The A2A Trail is expected to be open within the next four years . The story of how this transformative federal grant from the U . S . Department of Transportation ’ s RAISE ( Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity ) program came together represents a masterclass in regional collaboration , bringing together three municipalities , cultural institutions , and private partners to solve part of a puzzle that has challenged planners for decades . The narrow Hoosic River valley posed a seemingly insurmountable challenge for biking . Active rail lines and dangerous Route 2 crossings derailed previous attempts to connect the communities . The breakthrough came from an unexpected quarter : TOURISTS hotel in North Adams . The property ’ s partners had been quietly assembling land since 2015 , eventually providing a crucial 1.75-mile section of the east-west trail . This private sector involvement , combined with MASS MoCA ’ s willingness to serve as the central hub where trails converge , finally cracked the code . The economic potential is significant .
According to a 2021 study of shared use paths conducted by MassTrails , an interagency initiative led by the Governor ’ s Office , such paths “ improved the local economy by generating between $ 378,000 and $ 9.2 million per path for businesses near the trails during the four-month study period alone .” “ When we look at some of the similar projects in other parts of the Commonwealth , the numbers are impressive ,” says Laura Brennan , assistant director and economic development program manager of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission ( BRPC ). She points to the 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail , which , citing the MassTrails study , “ created or sustained 99 jobs , had a total economic impact of $ 9.2 million , and generated over $ 600,000 in state and local taxes .”
Holiday Spring 2023 2025 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // // 59 67