Updated June 23, 2008

Phase IA

             On June 23rd, 2008 the Topsfield Selectmen approved a contract for surveying and site planning of Phase IA of the Topsfield Linear Common from Main to Washington St. The site plan will include the exact trail location, a conceptual drawing of the trail, construction drawings and specifications. There will be opportunities for public review of the work. These projects are expected to be completed by the end of July. The work is being paid for by the grants mentioned below.

            

$40,000 Grant Received!

             The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) announced a $50,000 challenge grant for developing recreational trails. Your Topsfield Rail Trail Committee applied for the grant and was awarded $40,000. This required a 25% match in volunteer time, donated services and materials, or cash. The grant was awarded in the the Spring of 2007 and funded this fall.

             It is expected that 1/2 mile long Phase I (see below) of the Rail Trail, commonly called “TLC”, or Topsfield Linear Common, will create the trail from Washington St. to Main St. If enough funds are available the trail will be extended to Summer St.

            

ENHC Grant Applied For and Received!

             Your Rail Trail Committee has applied for (Feb. 2007) a $5000 grant (with a $5000 match) to be used to develop Phase I (see below) of the TLC. This grant is to be awarded this summer. A grant in the amount of $2,000 was awarded.

 

MBTA lease update.

             After 10 years of work the MBTA and the Town of Topsfield has finally mutually agreed on a lease. This lease is for the southern 2 miles of trail starting roughly at the Grove St. tennis courts and continuing on to the Wenham town line off Rt. 97.

                         

Topsfield Receives National Park Service Grant Awarded.

             Topsfield, along with the towns of Danvers, Wenham, Georgetown, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury applied for and received a grant from the National Park Service. The grant is for “Rivers and Trailways” program to help us plan for the rail trail.

             Since the grant was awarded the towns of Wakefield, Lynnfield as well as Peabody have met with us. The trail, if completed, from Danvers to the new Hampshire border would be about 29 miles in length.

             The grant was for 2 years and has now expired.

            

Topsfield and 7 Other Communities Received $800,000+ earmark.

             From the efforts of our U.S. Representative John Tierney we were granted an earmark for $800,000 under the SAFETEA-LU program on the list of "high priority projects" to design. engineer, permit, and construct the "Border to Boston Bikeway" rails-trails project, from Salisbury to Danvers. MassHighway has taken on this project with local direction from each town. They have added a significant amount to the earmark and the 25% design project is expected to be awarded this September.             To help access the funds an “Implementation Plan” was prepared by the Metropolitan Area and Merrimack Valley Planning Commissions with the assistance of committee members from the towns involved.

             The funds will be used for trail design and planning as well as community outreach. Part of the trail design will include the services of landscape designers to address trail neighbor concerns regarding privacy and security.

             The Commonwealth’s Department of Transportation set up a task force, similar to that for the Blackstone River Bikeway, for studying all phases of the project. An Implementation Plan is now available. Please visit the new website at www.BorderToBoston.org.

            

NationalGrid utility corridor.

             NationalGrid has recently approved a one time mowing permission to prepare the trail for state consultants to walk the trial. The Towns of  Boxford and Georgetown are being used as model towns for the permitting process. When that is complete, or nearly so, Topsfield will start the process.

 

From where will the money come to design, build and maintain the trail?

             We do not anticipate asking the Town’s people for funds. Funds may be available from the Federal TEALU (Transportation Enhancement Act) program as well as many other sources including the State’s Department of Conservation Services Urban Self-Help Program and support from the National Forest Service Rivers & Parks Program. Be assured the Rail Trail Committee will leave no stone unturned to gather the necessary resources to complete the trail. Many grants require some percentage of the funds come from the requesting town. These funds can often come from donated services. We are very fortunate to have talent in many different areas on the committee that should qualify. One example is this website.

             With a stone dust surface installation and maintenance should be very low cost. This might be handled by a combination of grants, donated services, volunteers or fund raisers.

            

Can the train come back to Topsfield?

             The MBTA lease has a 90 day reversionary provision that allows them to remove the trail and install track. While we feel this is unlikely it is actually state law that the railroad right-of-way cannot be sold without the permission of the State Secretary of Transportation. NationalGrid will have a similar requirement. In the latest lease included is a commitment that the MBTA will relocate the trail.

Topsfield Rail Trail Committee

“TLC” - Topsfield Linear Common