NORTHAMPTON — Biking year-round from his Northampton home to teach at Amherst College, Nicholas Horton can face major challenges in using a nearly 5-mile section of the Norwottuck Rail Trail following snowstorms, having to detour from the dedicated route for bicyclists and pedestrians to ride alongside vehicles on Route 9 in Hadley.

When the first snowfall hits this winter, though, those like Horton who commute between Northampton, Hadley and Amherst on the 11-mile trail, managed by the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, will have a much easier journey, as the trail for the first time gets plowed and kept clear of snow and ice.

“This will have a big impact on a lot of people,” says Horton.

The DCR recently announced the winter maintenance plan, which was supposed to have started last winter but was delayed due to lack of personnel. The plan calls for snow plowing from Woodmont Road in Northampton, where the Northampton Bikeway begins, then heading east to Elwell State Park, crossing over the old railroad bridge into Hadley. All of the trail’s length in Hadley will be plowed, ending just over the town line in Amherst at the Swift Way spur, running along University Drive to the University of Massachusetts campus.

“We’re all pretty excited,” Friends of Northampton Trails president George Kohout said. “It will be great to have the extra section plowed.”

Kohout said the plowing will reduce hazards for both bicyclists and walkers during the winter, provides another option for getting around, helps to reduce fossil fuel use by getting more people out of their cars, and will serve as an economic driver, as many who live and work in the area appreciate the trail’s effect on reducing traffic congestion.

Horton said opportunities for winter sports enthusiasts, like cross-country skiers and snowshoers, remain, so it’s a good compromise that also means fewer bicyclists having to navigate the busy state highway.

The recent advocacy for plowing dates back to about 2018, when people on both sides of the Connecticut River began to get more proactive, using online petitions to appeal to DCR for the winter maintenance, then lobbying with the experts, and talking to state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton.

“We made the point that in eastern Massachusetts rail trails are plowed, why couldn’t our trails be plowed?” Kohout said.

And they also cited the experience of the Northampton Bikeway, which has long been cleared during the winter months. The city’s Department of Public Works and its Parking Department combine to plow the trail, including the stretch from Hampton Avenue to Woodmont and along King Street. A looming monthlong detour of the bikeway from Stop & Shop on King Street to Look Park will also see plowing if needed on the city roads that are part of the detour. Swift Way has also been plowed by the town of Amherst, Kohout said.

In DCR’s announcement, the state agency wrote that it will use specialized trail equipment to plow and that no salt will be used along the trail as a way to protect the surrounding ecological and agricultural landscapes. Spot sanding may be done to keep the trail safe for bikers and walkers.

The announcement also pointed to climate change: “The trail was originally designed for year-round recreation, with walking and biking in warmer months and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. However, due to inconsistent snowfall in recent years due to climate change, there has been an increased demand for year-round walking and biking on the trail.”

Before making their appeals, Kohout said advocates also got buy-in from those who have used the rail trail for winter recreation such as cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The bulk of the trail being plowed, in Hadley, is generally seen as less conducive for this purpose because of the numerous road crossings. But the trail as it runs along the edge of the Amherst College campus and into Belchertown will remain covered in snow after storms.

Sabadosa said plowing the rail trail is something that she helped advocate for in conjunction with the Friends of the Northampton Trails and Greenways and MassBike, and gives credit to the robust and vocal cycling community for continuing its push.

“Many in the community use the rail trail to commute to work year-round, traveling between Northampton and Amherst, as it offers a much safer option for cyclists during winter weather than traveling along Route 9,” Sabadosa said. “However, without plowing, it was not always a feasible option for commuters.”

Sabadosa also praises DCR as a partner with the staff, equipment and resources to keep the trail commuter-ready and hopes that eventually it could extend beyond the pilot.

Comerford said her advocacy dates back to 2019, when a constituent in Northampton wanted to be able to use the trail on his bicycle in the winter but was prevented from doing so. Keeping the rail trail free of snow and ice will benefit commuters and those looking to get exercise.

“We certainly have advocated for more funding so that they could do this work, which was part of the issue, and another part was logistics,” Comerford said. “So we are excited about this, heartened by DCR’s responsiveness, grateful for the advocacy, and grateful to have been part of the advocacy, and helped to advance this issue.”