Senator Eldridge and Representatives Gregoire and Gentile Announce Marlborough Receiving a MassDOT Grant to Extend the Assabet River Rail Trail
The grant amounts to $178.7K and will extend the rail trail from Lincoln Street to Main Street
Marlborough, MA - The City of Marlborough has received a $178.7K grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) to extend the Assabet River Rail Trail (ARRT). Spanning about 0.2 miles, the proposed extension will encompass the current southern tip of the ARRT, extend down Cashman Street, then connect Prospect Street to Main Street, bringing the rail trail to downtown Marlborough.
The grant was awarded through the DOT Winter Streets and Spaces Program, which supports projects that promote public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce by providing new or repurposed space for walking, bicycling, dining, retail, or bus travel. The extension of the ARRT will connect the rail trail to the ongoing Lincoln Street reconstruction project, both of which are key to the city’s revitalization efforts.
“The extension of the Assabet River Rail Trail is wonderful news not only for the City of Marlborough, but also for all people who appreciate rail trails in the region,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton). “I’ve been a longtime advocate of rail trails due to their positive effects on both the surrounding communities and the environment. This legislative session I filed An Act authorizing municipalities to expend certain funds for the acquisition of land to be used for rail trails, which would make it easier for municipalities to purchase land to be used for rail trails. Thank you to the Baker-Polito administration and MassDOT for recognizing the importance of expanding rail trails with this grant.”
“Throughout the pandemic, the positive health impacts of time spent outdoors have become more apparent than ever before,” said Representative Gregoire (D-Marlborough). “This grant to extend the rail trail will benefit the residents of Marlborough and surrounding communities for generations to come and I am proud to have supported this effort.”
“Marlborough residents will now be able to bicycle or walk along the ARRT from Main Street to Maynard, enjoying fresh air and exercise with no carbon footprint! We thank DOT for the funds for this extension,” said Representative Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury). It’s a great piece for our Lincoln Street reconstruction project.
Currently, the ARRT spans about 9.2 miles, linking the communities of Marlborough, Hudson, Stow, Maynard, and Acton. It follows an abandoned MBTA rail bed that was active from 1853 to 1980, with much of the trail paralleling the Assabet River. The ARRT serves as a multi-use recreational trail for the surrounding communities, along which visitors can hike, bike, or even ski.
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