The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has approved a $100,000 MassTrails grant for the Town of Lynnfield to support the design, engineering and permitting of Phase 1 of the Lynnfield Rail Trail.
The planned 2.8-mile Rail Trail will transform an abandoned former MBTA railbed into a multi-use recreational pathway, while providing many important environmental benefits to the Lynnfield community and complying with federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. Phase 1 of the project encompasses 1.8 miles of paved trail from Nichols Lane in Peabody to Ford Avenue in Lynnfield.
“We are very excited to have received additional funds from the state to support our design and bid preparation efforts for this project. Our hope is that some of these funds will also support engineering construction services as we approach the end of this fiscal year and we get closer to our scheduled bid date,” said Town Administrator Robert Dolan. “It’s another great example of local and state government working together for the betterment of our community and to provide residents with tangible projects for their use.”
“This MassTrails funding is critical to helping move Phase 1 of this much-anticipated project forward to completion,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “I appreciate all of the hard work town officials and the Friends of the Lynnfield Rail Trail have put into this project, which will expand the recreational opportunities available to local residents of all ages.”
“I am thrilled that the Lynnfield Rail Trail has been awarded the funding required for the design and engineering phase of this key project,” said Sen. Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn). “This grant will enable the continuation of work toward a safe, accessible recreational trail that Lynnfield residents can utilize for walking, biking, and hiking.”
Once completed, the Rail Trail will stretch from Fosters Lane in Wakefield through Lynnfield to Nichols Lane in Peabody, and will provide connections to many popular local landmarks, including Reedy Meadow, the Lynnfield Middle School, Bethlehem School at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Lynnfield High School.
The Rail Trail project took a major step forward this year when the Boston Area Metropolitan Planning Office recommended the advancement and funding of Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to go out to bid in July of 2026. Three trail-related warrants were also approved at Lynnfield’s April 29 Annual Town Meeting, including two temporary construction easements for landscape screening and sidewalk improvements and the dedication of a portion of town-owned land at the Lynnfield Middle School to provide public access to the Rail Trail.
All MassTrails grant applications are reviewed by an inter-agency MassTrails Team, which includes representatives from MassDOT, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, DCR, and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB). The latest round of funding allocates a total of $7.5 million to support 50 trail projects creating 60 miles of new recreational trails.
To learn more about the MassTrails program, please visit https://www.mass.gov/welcome-to-masstrails.
