Framingham Close To $5M Deal To Expand Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

FRAMINGHAM, MA — It's becoming more and more likely that Framingham is set to add additional mileage to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, officials announced at a meeting this week.

During the mayor's update at the City Council's Tuesday meeting, Michael Tusino, the city's chief operating officer, shared that the city had not only agreed on a $5 million purchase price for 3.2 miles of land, but they are also close to closing on the purchase-and-sale agreement.

As Tusino said, Framingham had already agreed with CSX Corp. on the purchase price of $5 million for the 3.2 miles of land currently featuring unused railroad tracks. He noted that the city expected the next step to take longer than it has.

"Within a week we actually negotiated the terms of the P and S, both parties are in agreement, now we just have to draft this," said Tusino.

Mayor Charlie Sisitsky later noted that he hopes the deal will be closed by the end of 2022.

The next phase of the process would be the "due diligence phase," Tusino said, in which the city would hire environmental and engineering professionals to complete any studies and checks that need to be done. Tusino said that process would take roughly 6 months.

That process likely won't be the end of the buildout for this portion of the trail, the mayor said, noting that surveying, cost analysis and other steps that could take at least a year or more will still need to be completed.

As it stands currently the rail trail travels through Lowell, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Sudbury, and Framingham, following the 25-mile route of the old New Haven Railroad Framingham & Lowell line, according to the trail's website.

The trail has a 10-foot wide pavement with a 2-foot wide packed shoulder on each side. It is open to non-motorized uses such as cycling, jogging, walking, rollerblading, and skiing.