Rail trail may seek private funding (Sudbury , Bruce Freeman Rail Trail)
Tom Connors
Rail trail may seek private funding
Plan would speed progress in town
The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail hope to jump-start a stalled section of the bike path by privately raising funds for the preliminary design of a half-mile stretch in Sudbury.
Most of the study, design, and construction of other parts of the trail, envisioned to run between Framingham and Lowell, have been underwritten with public dollars, such as town funds and state and federal grants.
But members of the Friends group say they would like to raise about $50,000 to help Sudbury design a small, less controversial portion of the path to keep momentum going and to have a more desirable ending point.
“Sudbury has been having issues with trying to move on at the same rate as Concord and Acton to the north,’’ said Tom Michelman, president of the Friends group. “They’ve had additional concerns about the trail.’’
Larry O’Brien, chairman of the Sudbury Board of Selectmen, said its members will meet with the group Aug. 16 and listen to the proposal.
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail has been proposed to run through Lowell, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Sudbury, and Framingham, following the 25-mile route of the old New Haven Railroad’s Framingham & Lowell Line. The first phase, a 6.8-mile stretch in Lowell, Chelmsford, and Westford, is already open. The second phase, which is 13.1 miles linking Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, and Sudbury, is in the design phase. Design is fully underway through the northern towns up to the Sudbury line.
But Sudbury has not done design work for its 4-mile section; the town does not yet own a portion of the old railbed, as negotiations with its owner, the CSX Corp., to purchase a 1.5-mile stretch near the Framingham line have stalled, said Dick Williamson, Sudbury’s representative on the Friends’ board.
Williamson said the trail is facing other hurdles, including opposition from some neighbors over the potential impact on their properties. He said there are also some concerns about the impact on the environment, and the town has serious financial constraints.
Given all those concerns and other priorities facing the town, such as the preservation of open space, Williamson said, it’s not likely the path would move forward any time soon. But he hopes the town will be willing to let the Friends group pay for the preliminary design of a small section.
“I think it’s a feasible step,’’ Williamson said. “It will be a challenge to raise all the funds, but it will be satisfying if we do and move the trail forward.’’
Concord is working on its design of the trail, but unless Sudbury moves forward, the construction of its portion will end before the town line, Michelman said. The border of Concord and Sudbury is in the middle of the woods south of White Pond, so unless Sudbury continues the trail, Michelman said, Concord plans to end its section at Powder Mill Road.
While the end would not be in the middle of the woods, Michelman said, it’s not ideal because there is little parking and Sudbury residents would have limited access.
“We know people like going to a trail head,’’ Michelman said. “You’d either have people parking along the road or they’d have to go further north and park in West Concord.’’
So instead of cutting the trail short, Michelman said, the Friends group came up with the idea of working on a small section of the path in Sudbury. He said a half-mile section would get the path into town and a place with the potential for parking.
“It’s a pretty straightforward concept,’’’ Michelman said. “It’s a half-mile, with one abutter and just one road crossing. We understand the trepidation further south, but there should be fewer issues on this stretch.
“For now, it gets the trail into Sudbury and into a logical place with easy access,’’ he said.
The plan would allow for the construction from the Concord-Sudbury border to Route 117, with parking at Davis Field and a connection to a sidewalk along Route 117. Michelman said it would allow for a continuous trail of 17 miles between Lowell and Sudbury.
“We thought it was a good logical first step, and if we want to go further south it’s another battle,’’ Michelman said. “This seems doable.’’
But Sudbury residents Pamela and Jeff Maurer are opposed to any section of the trail going behind their North Road property, which includes their home and tree farm business.
“We are totally against it,” Pamela Maurer said. “When it impacts people’s lives and businesses, I just don’t think it’s right.’’ She said many people favor the plan, but that’s because they don’t live right next to it.
“It takes away your sense of privacy and safety,’’ she said. “You don’t know who is going to be walking on the trail. It’s a great idea if it’s not impacting people.’’
Maurer said her insurance company has told her she could have trouble getting coverage for her business if the trail goes in.
O’Brien said he likes the idea of collaboration between the private and public sectors and that the selectmen will consider that idea. But he expects there will be many questions about how the rest of the project would be funded. The $50,000 would only cover a preliminary design, not the full design or construction. He also said the selectmen need to look carefully at other priorities and whether the town has staff to devote to overseeing the rail trail.
O’Brien said the board plans to have a goal-setting meeting in September, when it will consider its priorities for the year.
“We have to see where it fits with our overall goals and objectives,’’ O’Brien said. “Our plate is always full, so we need to be careful not to overfill it.’’
To learn more about the proposed recreational trail, go online to www.brucefreemanrailtrail.org. Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached by e-mail at jflefferts@yahoo.com. 