Biking the Boston 'Burbs (Trails, MDC, & Towns beyond Hubway area)

[F-Line to Dudley]

From an RR.net spotter...the former South Sudbury diamond has been put back in on display at the intersection of the Mass Central and Bruce Freeman trails:

 

[rocketwidget]

Here it is again, with the finishing touches:

 

[rocketwidget]

Linden Street bridge in Waltham on the Mass Central Rail Trail now open.

 

[themissinglink]

MBTA opens long-awaited trail connection to Natick Center station - Natick Report

The highly anticipated commuter rail-to-trail connection in Natick Center opened Feb. 6 a

www.natickreport.com

The highly anticipated commuter rail-to-trail connection in Natick Center opened Feb. 6, paving the way for commuters, runners, and walkers alike to access the larger Cochituate Rail Trail.
The trail, now 3.7 miles long, runs from Framingham’s Saxonville neighborhood to the outbound platform of the Natick Center MBTA Station.
“This is something that will benefit thousands of people,” said Josh Ostroff, former Natick Select Board member and president of the board of the Friends of Natick Trails. “We know that it is important for better and safer mobility, and easier connections, and particularly for people with disabilities.”
Before the connection, the trail ended by Mechanic Street. Now, residents can bike directly to the commuter rail—although biking on the platform is prohibited. The new section of the trail is equipped with sheltered bike racks, security cameras, and a police call box.
The MBTA agreed to fund and pave the final component of the trail after completing its own renovation plans at the station.

 

[KCasiglio]

Josh Ostroff, former Natick Select Board member and president of the board of the Friends of Natick Trails.

....and current Director of Capital Strategy at the MBTA, which seems relevant.

 

[New England Born & Raised]

RI biking update - East Bay Bike Path Bridges in Barrington & Warren to open Monday.

Bike path bridges ribbon-cutting set for Monday in Barrington - EastBayRI.com

Good news bicyclists, pedestrians and everyone else who likes to use the East Bay Bike Path — the state will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, April 6 to mark the completion of the bike …

www.eastbayri.com

 

[ceo]

Several bits of good news on the MCRT. Our Metro-West town meetings have been busy (all links to a public Facebook group):
Hudson Town Meeting unanimously passes design funding for their stretch of the MCRT
Sudbury Town Meeting approves various improvements to their stretch
Wayland Town Meeting approves easements for constructing the missing segment between Wayland Depot and the Sudbury line
Also, Belmont approved funding for Phase 1 of their stretch (Cambridge line to just past the commuter rail station), but I don't have a link.

 

[themissinglink]

Town of Sandwich Opens New 4-Mile Segment In Planned Cross-Cape Pathway - Streetsblog Massachusetts

Last Friday, local officials officially cut the ribbon on the new Service Road shared-use pathway in the Cape Cod town of Sandwich – a four-mile trail alongside Service Road that partially fills one of the biggest gaps in the Cape's network of off-street bike and pedestrian trails.

mass.streetsblog.org

The path fills in a large gap in a proposed 88-mile network of car-free trails that would traverse the entire Cape, from Provincetown to Bourne to Woods Hole.
The new pathway in Sandwich fills in roughly a quarter of the gap between the existing Cape Cod Canal shared-use pathways in Bourne and the western end of the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Yarmouth.
MassDOT and the Town of Barnstable are currently building a 4-mile extension of the Cape Cod Rail Trail to connect it to Mary Dunn Road in Barnstable.
The next phase of the Cape Cod Rail Trail – filling the gap to the new Service Road path in Sandwich – is currently in design. Most of the proposed alignment would also run alongside Service Road and Route 6 through the town of Barnstable.
Finally, the Town of Sandwich has a conceptual plan to connect the new Service Road path to the existing Cape Cod Canal pathway with new pathways along Route 130 and along the Old King’s Highway through Sandwich’s village center. That project is currently in its early design stage.

 

[Scott]

Walked the Methuen bike trail from Lawrence. Unfortunately, Salem, NH is taking forever to connect it to the Windham and Derry trails.

 

[BOS2BON]

Walked the Methuen bike trail from Lawrence. Unfortunately, Salem, NH is taking forever to connect it to the Windham and Derry trails.

Salem did add a crosswalk at the Route 28 and Rockingham Park Blvd intersection within the past few years. That was a pretty big barrier, but there are still some uncomfortable crossings at the larger shopping plazas to the south. I think a miss was the Tuscan Village development, the sidewalks and paths aren't very consistent to make it convenient to access the rail trail. Oh well, at least there are SOME sidewalks within their development.....

 

[Scott]

Yes, I would think Tuscan Village itself would benefit from bike infrastructure. It is supposed to be as much an outdoor destination as commercial area. Also I hate that Salem placed huge power lines on that stretch of 28.
However, I do like what they have done to the area off Hampshire Street where it touches Methuen except for the pavement ending on the other side of the street.
The Methuen trail is kind of urban but passes through a lot of conservation land and the Spicket River bird sanctuary. There is lots of areas to stop and sit which us old folks appreciate.