Portsmouth Herald (N.H.) Wednesday, November 10, 1999

New bridge means biking bliss

By Bob Tis
Staff Writer

PORTSMOUTH - The official opening of the Rockingham Bike Pedestrian Bridge yesterday was especially sweet for some of the locals who still routinely use two-wheel transportation on a day-to-day basis.

"One of the nicest things about this bridge is that it really makes Pease a part of Portsmouth," said Pease Development Authority Vice-Chairman Peter Loughlin.

A local attorney, Loughlin has routinely taken his bike to PDA meetings at the Tradeport over the past 10 years.

The new bridge, which spans the Spaulding Turnpike from Rockingham Avenue to the former Air Force Base, has cut his commuting time from his Strawbery Banke law offices in half. Yesterday he was joined by a number of other locals who favor the bicycles over the car for routine trips around town.

Assistant Mayor-elect Noele Clews joined fellow bike rider Todd Elsworth of Seacoast Area Bicycle Routes and a dozen other local cyclists who rode out to the ribbon-cutting ceremony from Market Square.

Frequent bicycle commuter Peter Rice of South Street strapped his daughter Heather on the back of his two wheeler to attend the ceremony as well.

"Long live the bike," said local landscape architect Terrance Parker who resurrected a rusty old classic from his garage to ride out to the opening of the bike bridge.

"This represents a real coming together of community," said Cameron Wake the President of the SABR.

The Rockingham Bike/Pedestrian Bridge was completed this summer for a total coast of $845,266. City Manager John Bohenko pointed out yesterday that only minimal local dollars were used to provide the link to Pease. The city pitched in approximately $67,000, Newington pitched in $10,000, the Portsmouth Rotary contributed $5,000 and SABR raised $3,500 for the bridge. The state and the Pease Development Authority contributed the remaining $759,739.

Wake called the new bridge, "just the first step," in connecting all the Great Bay communities for bicyclists.

"I think SABR deserves a lot thanks for pushing us so much on this project," said State Senator Burt Cohen.

"If all of these people didn't get involved we wouldn't have a Rockingham Bike and Pedestrian Bridge," said Mayor Evelyn Sirrell, who cut the ribbon to officially open the new bridge yesterday.

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