from the Nashua River Watershed Association [1]

The Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee is announcing that a grant of $20,000 from the Recreational Trails Program of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has been made for the Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee project.

The Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee is a group of local volunteers assisted by the Nashua River Watershed Association. The Committee is leading a project to create a 3.3 mile rail trail from Depot Street in Townsend center to the Bertozzi Conservation Area on Townsend Road in Groton. This proposed recreational trail would pass through an area rich with natural and historic sites. In addition, the trail would offer a safe way to bike or walk to many Townsend and Groton destinations, providing an alternative to heavily trafficked Route 119.

The funds from the DCR grant will be used to pay for Townsend's portion of the project's next step: a preliminary environmental and engineering study by a professional engineering firm. Since 2002, the Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee has been working to identify issues that need to be addressed before the two towns can make a decision on this project. This professional study will address many of these issues, including potential environmental and business impact, parking and road crossings, safety, and abutter concerns, many of which are referenced on the photo gallery page at the website www.SquannacookRiverRailTrail.org [2].

The Town of Groton is planning a similar preliminary environmental and engineering study for the proposed 0.9 miles of the Squannacook River Rail Trail in Groton.

An important part of the process will be public meetings led by the engineering firms to discuss their findings. These meetings will be held in 2008 in both Townsend and Groton, and everyone interested in this proposed rail trail is encouraged to attend.

This year's DCR Recreational Trails Program grant program was very competitive, with four times as many applications as available funds. According to Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee chairman Steve Meehan, "the committee really pulled together to make this possible, and I think that shows how strongly we believe this rail trail could make a positive difference for our towns."

A successful rail trail project takes years from conception to construction. In each of the last three years, this rail trail has passed important milestones. In 2005, Congressman Olver earmarked federal highway funds for a group of four rail trails in his district including this one. In 2006, this proposed rail trail received overwhelming support in a non-binding ballot vote in Townsend. This year, with the winning of this grant, the Squannacook River Rail Trail Committee is making steady progress on the road toward a successful rail trail.