By John Briggs
Burlington Free Press
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100804/NEWS02/100803023/Work-begins-on-access-to-Burlington-bike-path

The Old North End access point to the Vermont 127 bike path, on Manhattan Drive at St. Louis Street, is getting the attention people in the neighborhood have said for years it needs.

Neighbors began agitating for improvements five years ago, said Peg Dumas, who lives on St. Louis Street.

The bike path descends through a battered link fence down an asphalt drive into the Intervale, then turns north, running parallel to Vermont 127 to the New North End.

City Councilor Dave Berezniak, D-Ward 2, who pushed to get the money for the work into the city budget, said in March the entrance looked “like a dump” and needed attention. He was frustrated by the long delay. “I don’t believe this would happen in any other part of town,” he said.

He, former Councilor Russ Ellis, D-Ward 4, and Vince Dober, R-Ward 7, co-sponsored a resolution last fall to get money for the project. The council approved it unanimously and sent it to the Board of Finance.

It stalled there until March — then stalled again until April.

At that time, Berezniak and Council President Bill Keogh, D-Ward 5, blamed the administration of Mayor Bob Kiss for the delay — an issue, Keogh said Tuesday, of where the money was to come from.

He said it was eventually added to the city’s capital-improvements budget.

“Oh, good,” he said, learning that work had begun. “It’s an unpolished jewel.”

Berezniak, was diplomatic about the long delay. “They were waiting for the project to be more defined,” he said of the Kiss administration, “and the designers were waiting for the funding, so once we all got on the same page, it moved ahead. I’m very pleased.”

The estimated cost was $42,000, with $30,000 in the capital-projects budget. Another $12,000 was earmarked for the project in a CDBG grant, but Berezniak said the final cost might be less than anticipated because the work was being done at once rather than in segments requiring restaging of crews.

A Public Works crew was at work Tuesday putting in walkways and other pavement. A Burlington Parks Department sign, a small fountain and an information kiosk will follow.

Berezniak said top soil for reseeding would be in place soon, and the Parks Department planned to clear some hilltop trees to open a view of the Intervale.

Parks Planner Anna Thelemarck said amenities including two benches, a tree and a drinking fountain will be added in the weeks ahead. The water line for the fountain has been laid.

Berezniak expects the work to be completed by late September. He gave credit to Ellis for persuading other councilors to go along with the idea.

“Russ suggested the effect it would have on keeping the hilltop clean and stopping illegal dumping,” Berezniak said.

Ellis said he didn’t deserve much credit. “The only role I played,” he said, “was I thought it was a good idea, and whenever there was an opportunity to express support for it, I did. It’s a good use of city money.”

Contact John Briggs at 660-01863 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Photo by: IAN THOMAS JANSEN-LONNQUIST, for the Free Press