Happy New Year! What’s your New Year’s resolution? Mine is to get outside more and enjoy all of what New England has to offer: skiing, skating, fishing, and getting out on my bike. Although, it seems that I will not be able to ride my bike across Memorial Bridge until summer 2013!

On Monday, January 9, 2012 the Memorial Bridge will be permanently closed to pedestrian traffic. Since last July when the bridge was closed to vehicles, pedestrians have been allowed to walk or ride their bikes across. It has been a great spot for family photos and an easy commute for workers to get back and forth without all the traffic. Now what are all the commuters from Kittery to Portsmouth or Portsmouth to Kittery suppose to do? Walk around? Swim? Skate? Ski?! (Implying that we do ever get snow).

Well the answer right now is a shuttle service that takes effect also on the 9th. The shuttle capacity is for 12 passengers and 7 bicycles, so make sure you are first in line. It will run from 5am to 1am, on the hour in Kittery and on the half hour in Portsmouth. In Kittery, the location for the shuttle will be just North of Warren’s restaurant on Water Street. In Portsmouth, the location for the shuttle will be at the corner of Daniel Street and Bow Street.

Will this shuttle be a success for the next year and a half? I am thinking that two shuttles might make the most sense with pick up and drop off at each location every half hour. This would make it easier for workers to get to work or to get home on time instead of waiting around for an hour for the next shuttle. Twelve passengers just does not seem like enough capacity. We’ll see what happens though, but I think I can speak for everyone in saying; I am very much looking forward to the new bridge!