Mattapoisett Rail Trail      

The State will only pay construction costs- not design- for the project.  The Bike Path Committee is requesting money from two sources to to pay for design.  We hope the Town will allocate a total of $75,000  towards the $140,000 total design cost.  The rest of the money is available from the State and from private fundraising.  This question is answered in more detail on our TOWN MEETING page.

Until the path connects to Depot Street, parking is limited adjacent to the path.  Until then, people are encouraged to park at "Old Town Landing"  which is only.4 miles past the path going south on the left side of Mattapoisett Neck Road.  There are resident and non resident parking spots.  Please respect our neighbors and don't park on their lawns.

To date approximately $605,000 has been spent.  Of that $65,000 came from the Town and $540,000 came from the State/Federal.

To be eligible for 2011 construction funds, 25% design must be complete in Fall 2009.  In 1996, $105,000 was budgeted for design of the entire project.  The money has been fully spent over 12 years for surveys, preliminary designs, alternate designs not planned for, permitting, and Phase 1a construction documents.

A State/Federal program (ISTEA) for alternative transportation pays 90% costs.  By this law, a small percentage of all federal dollars spent on highway construction must be used on projects like ours.  It can't be spent on other projects.  Proposed increases in infrastructure spending suggest more funds, not less, will be available.

Annual maintenance costs will be minimized through volunteers and in-kind donations.  Mowing will remain a Town responsibility.  The Friends hope to start an annual bike challenge to build up a maintenance fund.  In April 2009, we ran the first, annual "Southcoast Bike Challange."  In future years, we hope events like this will help with maintanance costs.

In an August, 2005 letter to Mattapoisett Selectmen, the YMCA agreed to provide the land necessary to allow the path to traverse their property.  Activities leading to a finalized right-of-way are underway at this time. 

Discussions with the Mattapoisett Housing Authority have occured.  Additional discussions are expected.  The Bay Club has already given land and paved the section of road needed to complete the path abutting their property.

Abutters who requested compensation and whose land stopped in the right of way received compensation. 

 It's hard to give a brief explanation as to why the rail trail is taking so long to complete.  So, we will refer you to these two links that were created by Robert Price, a member of the town appointed Bike Path Committee.  (click here for Project history or here for Narragansett Bay Wheelmen Bicycle Club Web Site) With the first mile of the path complete, the Friends will continue to celebrate the progress of the rail trail and focus on the future completion of the entire trail- no matter how long it  takes.

YES!  An April 14th, 2009 article in the Boston Globe answers this question.  Click here to read the article.