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Town continues MBTA lease talks for rail trail; Swamp Walk funding and ADA features required
Summary
Committee members said talks with the MBTA over an Elm Street–Water Street rail-trail lease are progressing positively but not finalized. The Town requires ADA-compliant siderails and turnarounds on the southern Swamp Walk segment and will not proceed with construction until fundraising is complete.
Recreation Committee members reported ongoing work with the MBTA to secure a lease for the rail-trail segment from Elm Street to Water Street; members characterized indications as positive but cautioned that no agreement is guaranteed.
Why it matters: Securing a lease with the MBTA is a prerequisite to construction and public use of the trail segment that connects Town Hall and several downtown parcels.
Town representatives said the southern leg of the project (from the trail to Big Pine Island) must include siderails and ADA-compliant turnarounds as a condition of moving forward. Aaron Henry and Chris Sanborn met with George Saluto and Friends of the Rail Trail officers in December to confirm how community donations will be handled and to outline expectations through project completion. The minutes recorded that aside from signage, no work will proceed until all funds are in hand. A follow-up meeting with George Saluto is scheduled for early January.
Committee members emphasized fundraising and accessibility requirements as gating items before construction can begin; no construction schedule or funding totals were provided at the meeting.
