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Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT) is a partially-completed rail trail in Massachusetts. The path is a 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) paved multi-use trail, available for walking, running, biking, rollerblading, and other non-motorized uses.[1] It follows the right-of-way of the disused Framingham and Lowell Line of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.[2] The constructed route connects with the Bay Circuit Trail, and Phase 2D will connect with the Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside.[3] The total planned length of the trail—which will eventually run continuously between Lowell and Framingham—is just under 25 miles (40 km).[1][2] The trail is named for Bruce Freeman, a state representative from Chelmsford who advocated for the trail in the Massachusetts Legislature in 1985 and 1986 before his death.[4] The trail is owned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation from Lowell to South Sudbury.[5] In July 2020, MassTrails awarded Sudbury $300,000 to purchase the right-of-way from South Sudbury to the Framingham line, and Sudbury became the railbanking trail sponsor for this section in December 2020.[6][7] In December 2022, Framingham signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with CSX to purchase the right-of-way in Framingham, and Framingham became the railbanking trail sponsor for this section in December 2023.[8][7] The trail is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the communities through which the trail runs.[9]

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in South Chelmsford
Length15.08 miles (24.27 km) open, just under 25 miles (40 km) when complete
Began construction2009
UseHiking, bicycling, inline skating, cross-country skiing
DifficultyEasy
SeasonYear-round
SurfacePaved
Right of wayFormer Framingham and Lowell Railroad
Maintained byMassachusetts Department of Transportation and the communities through which the trail runs
Websitehttps://brucefreemanrailtrail.org/

Construction status

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The trail is divided into several phases of construction:[2]

  • Phase 1 (completed): 6.8 miles (10.9 km) in Lowell, Chelmsford, and Westford (ending at Route 225). This segment opened on August 29, 2009. At the Lowell end, it begins at the Cross Point Towers with a parking lot and a corrugated metal tunnel under Route 3.[1]
    • Connector Trail northern extension (under construction): In 2019, MassTrails awarded $180,000 for construction of a short connecting trail under the Lowell Connector.[10] As of May 2024, this segment was under construction and was expected to be completed in summer 2024. It extends the trail from Cross Point Towers to the Target shopping plaza on Plain Street.[11]
    • Future northern extension: Trail advocates want a further extension that would connect the BFRT to the Concord River Greenway to the east.[12][13] The first phase of the CRG was completed in 2022; as of 2024, the city is negotiating with property owners for an expansion.[11]
  • Phase 2 (partially complete):
  • Phase 2A (completed): 4.9 miles (7.9 km) through Westford, Carlisle, and Acton (Route 225) to just north of Route 2). This segment began construction in June 2015 and opened on April 3, 2018.[14][15]
  • Phase 2B (completed): 0.88 miles (1.42 km) in Acton and Concord, opened in May 2023 with a bridge spanning MA Route 2.[16]
  • Phase 2C (completed): 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Commonwealth Avenue to Powder Mill Road in Concord, with a short job through West Concord station where bikes must be walked. This $7.2 million segment began construction in July 2017 and opened on September 27, 2019.[17][18]
  • Phase 2D (under construction): 4.9 miles (7.9 km) from Powder Mill Road in Concord to the Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside in Sudbury. Construction began in January 2023 and is expected to complete in early to mid 2024.[19]
  • Phase 3 (in progress, pre-construction): 4.6 miles (7.4 km) from the Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside in Sudbury to Pleasant Street in Framingham, which is planned to be built in 3 sections:
    • 1.4 miles (2.3 km) from the Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside, Sudbury to Eaton Road W, Framingham. The 25% design is underway, and partial construction funding is on the draft Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization's Transportation Improvement Program for fiscal year 2029.[20] In 2024, a MassTrails grant for final design of this section was awarded.[21]
    • 1.4 miles (2.3 km) from Eaton Road W, Framingham to Frost Street, Framingham. Also known as Framingham Phase 1, the 10% conceptual design is underway, the 25% design is targeted for summer 2025, and construction is estimated to start as early as 2028.[22] In 2024, a MassTrails grant for design and permitting in Framingham was awarded.[23]
    • 1.8 miles (2.9 km) from Frost Street, Framingham to Pleasant Street, Framingham, including the rehabilitation of two bridges over Grove Street and I-90. Also known as Framingham Phase 2, it is hoped construction will start within a year of Framingham Phase 1.[22]
Framingham and Sudbury were awarded $648,000 in MassTrails grants in 2022 to design Phase 3.[24] In 2023, Sudbury was awarded $192,000 in MassTrails grants to continue the design of Phase 3 from the 2D terminus in Sudbury to the Framingham town line.[25] In 2023, Framingham signed a purchase and sale agreement with CSX for the Framingham segment.[19]

Proposed connections

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The Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside is under construction in Sudbury and estimated to complete in 2025, which will create a connection with the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

The Upper Charles Trail Extension was proposed in 2022 by the Wellesley-based Solomon Foundation. It would connect the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail's southern terminus in Framingham with the existing Upper Charles River Rail Trail (passing through Sherborn, Holliston, Milford, and Hopkinton), as well as the Bay Circuit Trail.[26]

A long term vision for the Concord River Greenway Park in progress is to connect to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Lowell.[27]

The proposed Boston-Worcester Air Line Trail (BWALT) would connect to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Framingham.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Lefferts, Jennifer Fenn (August 27, 2009). "Phase one of rail trail to open Sat". Boston Globe.
  2. ^ a b c "Bruce Freeman Rail Trail". Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
  3. ^ "Existing and Proposed Facilities". Central Transportation Planning Staff. February 17, 2005 – via Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
  4. ^ "About Bruce Freeman". Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Rail Trail Acronyms". Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. January 13, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "2020 MassTrails Grant Awards". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. July 2020. p. 8.
  7. ^ a b Dinh, Mai (December 4, 2023). "Decision and Notice of Interim Trail Use or Abandonment, Docket No. AB 565 (Sub-No 1X)" (PDF). Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  8. ^ "6,000 days later: Framingham on track for rail trail". MetroWest Daily News. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  9. ^ Smith, Margaret. "In Lowell, Bruce Freeman Rail Trail marks point of connection". Wicked Local. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  10. ^ "2019 MassTrails Grant Awards". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Construction Projects". Lowell, Massachusetts. May 28, 2024.
  12. ^ Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
  13. ^ The Trail So Far
  14. ^ "Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Next Phase Moves Forward" (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. June 25, 2015.
  15. ^ Fenn Lefferts, Jennifer (April 4, 2018). "New section of Freeman rail trail opens". The Boston Globe. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
  16. ^ "Visit the Trail". Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. March 27, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  17. ^ "MassDOT, Concord Celebrate Bruce Freeman Rail Trail 2.5 Mile Extension" (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. July 14, 2017.
  18. ^ "MassDOT Celebrates Completion of Latest Phase of Bruce Freeman Rail Trail" (Press release). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. September 27, 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Fall/Winter 2023 Newsletter" (PDF). Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. November 11, 2023.
  20. ^ Rasmussen, Marcia (May 9, 2024). "Update on Sudbury Rail Trail Projects" (PDF). Town of Sudbury. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "2024 MassTrails Grant Awards". MassTrails. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Gartenberg, Sharon Machlis (June 6, 2024). "Framingham District 2 - Framingham Bruce Freeman Trail Update". www.district2framingham.com. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  23. ^ "2024 MassTrails Grant Awards". MassTrails. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  24. ^ "2022 MassTrails Awards (81 Projects)". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. June 2022. pp. 4, 8.
  25. ^ Massachusetts Trails Team (June 14, 2023). "2023 MassTrails Grant Awards". MassTrails. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  26. ^ "Upper Charles Trail Extension". Solomon Foundation. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  27. ^ "Concord River Greenway Park". lowelllandtrust.org. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  28. ^ Town of Westborough / WDA Design Group (October 2021). "BWALT SHARED-USE PATH FEASIBILITY STUDY". Westborough Town Government. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
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