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Envisioning a Statewide Connection
Massachusetts Central Rail Trail
Benefits Study
Here's four previous reports about the potential of this corridor from over the past 35 years.
These Tracks Don't Go Anywhere. May 1988. Chuck Fisk & sons.
This is a never published manuscript about this corridor.
The father and sons walked the entire length from Northampton to Boston and this interesting narrative ended up on the desk of one of the top officials at DEM who loved the concept and gave me a copy.
This is how the idea of a 100 mile trail started. And now we are at the edge of pulling it off.
Commonwealth Connections. July 1999 by DEM.
One of 7 recommendations in this report is to create a cross-state multi-use trail reaching from Boston to the Berkshires.
"Given the length of the proposed cross-state trail and the complexity of issues surrounding the funding of such an endeavor, it is critical to remain focused and provide support and encouragement to the many organizations and efforts forging the way for this trail."
Benefits of Shared Use Paths. May 2019 by Mass Trails.
Here's a great Executive Summary or Primer about the benefits or impacts of trail in four, 21st century metrics. Health, transportation, environmental and climate change.
The great and easy to under-stand graphics here are notable.
And three of the four trails that are the focus here are either on or directly connect to the MCRT.
Mass Central Rail Trail Feasibility Study. March 2021 by MassDOT.
In 2020, DOT became aware that the MCRT is 53 miles open right now and in 2 years it will be 70+ miles open.
They did an investigation to see if it was even possible to piece the rest together. Turns out that it is possible, but it will be be complicated.
That then begs the question; what would a completed trail mean to the Commonwealth and the communities along the way? Turns out that it will mean a lot.
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