Too often today we hear, "You can't do that because of post 9-11 security issues." And then people go away thinking that "Oh yes!" "How could I forget?" In the case of a defense contractor--Kollmorgen Electro-Optical--manufacturer of periscopes for submarines and other high-tech imaging systems--they've recently decided [early 2009] to relocate their offices and manufacturing facility to a new site in Northampton, MA.
The site is on the grounds of a former state psychiatric hospital--formerly called Hospital Hill now with a newly sanitized name of Village Hill. [A renaming by the way courtesy of a quasi-state agency called MassDevelopment--more about them and their work in other places in Massacusetts later.]
The Hospital Hill/Village Hill project was slated to become a large mixed-use development that will have affordable houses and apartments along with market rate houses on one area. And in another area of the over-all campus it was slated to have a large group of commercial and light industrial. All interconnected with a bike-path throughout and connecting to a main 'spine-route' of path network being built right now throughout town. The spine route is built from former railroad corridor, while the route through the development is being constructed on where it made sense.
That was of course until Kollmorgen said that because of 'Post 9-11 security concerns', they couldn't allow the path where it made most sense. That route was nixed because it was scheduled to be next to their planned building,”Oh no. We can't build that." they said.
And then, many people in town, including all the public officials said, "Oh yes, that's right.” “Security concerns would not allow such a thing." But then, another interesting dynamic was cast out there too. This take goes like this. . . We can't make any trouble for Kollmorgen --such as asking for this lowly bike-path, because they just might build their plant in another community and take their jobs/taxes elsewhere. Shut up and be thankful they are investing in our community was the off the record or unofficial take on things.
Though my reason for doing this page on WeCantBuildThat.com is all about Trails and their proximity to secure facilities, there are a host of reasons why the developer didn't want the path next to their facility. For that take, click here.
In any case, no one sitting on any city or state permitting entity asked the basic question. "Are there highly secure facilities somewhere in the U.S. that are in close proximity to a bike path?" Or is the conventional wisdom stating that such a thing can't be built--the actual truth?
Since no one in an official capacity would ask the question, I did.
There are several national listserves that track the issues surrounding the development of rail trails and other bike/pedestrian facilities around the U.S.--and beyond. These listserves are monitored by the managing agencies and their staff who provide answers as to where a specific design or management question has arisen.
Since Massachusetts is not a leader in anything related to transportation delivery at any level, it is always reasonable to conclude that when someone around Massachusetts says something can't be done, it will be relatively easy to find places where it has been done. Sometimes many places. In this realm--paths near 'secure facilities'-- we're finding many such places—in only a day after asking the basic question. So many facilities in fact, it makes sense to break it down by category.
Active or reserve military facilities. [Naval bases, USAF airbases, or Army or Marine bases]
Defense contractors. [Management offices or HQ or manufacturing facilities]
Government non-military, but still critical facilities
Civilian critical infrastructure facilities.
These links are currently not live because I'm fleshing out all the info on them with maps and websites and contacts. Stay tuned.
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