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Residents push for East Side Trail upgrades; town cites grants and planning timeline
Summary
Residents asked the Select Board for an update on an 11-mile Eastern Trail segment through North Berwick and urged footbridge and trail-surface upgrades; the town manager said design work by BHB is under way, construction bidding is expected in 2027 for some segments, and a $26,000 grant and volunteer labor covered recent footbridge work.
Residents at the April 21 Select Board meeting pressed for a status update on the Eastern Trail segment that will pass through North Berwick and requested improvements to narrow and swampy sections, including replacement footbridges like those on nearby Bonny Bay.
A resident asked for a schedule and funding update; Town Manager Dwayne Moren said the project design is being managed by engineering firm BHB and that the construction bid for certain contiguous sections is expected in 2027. Moren explained that one section is funded by a RAISE grant (money provided upfront for construction) while the middle section is funded by a HUD grant that operates as a reimbursement program; he warned federal grant timing and certainty are variable.
On trail maintenance and amenities, staff said the footbridges on Bonny Bay were built with a Maine Conservation Corps crew under a $26,000 grant and that Great Works Land Trust provided design; future bridge work would likely require budgeting or local fundraising and could rely on volunteer labor for some tasks. A resident offered to assist with trail maintenance and suggested fundraising or coordinating with existing conservation partners.
Attribution: The request for an update was made during the public-input portion by a resident identified in the transcript as a public commenter. Town Manager Dwayne Moren provided the briefing on grant sources, design management and likely timelines; other residents and board members described trail conditions and volunteer opportunities.
