$100,000 Grant For Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail

A release from Wakefield legislators about the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail:

BOSTON, MA – Wakefield legislators Senator Jason Lewis, Representative Paul Brodeur and Representative Donald Wong are pleased to announce that the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail has been awarded a $100,000 grant under the Recreational Trails Program administered by the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The grant will assist with funding project design.

The multi-use Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail project will convert an abandoned rail bed to an accessible Rail Trail. The Town of Wakefield voted to lease the rail bed from the MBTA for $1 to provide a 2.5 mile linear path which connects to Lynnfield’s 1.9 mile path, for a total of 4.4 miles of greenways available for non-motorized use including walking, strolling, running, and biking.

The $100,000 grant, which is funded through a combination of federal and state money, is part of a statewide grant program announced this week to assist with the design, construction and maintenance of multiple trail projects around the state.

“I’m very pleased that the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail project is receiving grant support to augment the hard work and local advocacy of the Wakefield community. This project will expand recreational opportunities for people of all ages, promote health and wellness in the community and support local business and economic development," said Senator Jason Lewis, Assistant Majority Whip.

“The Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail project will provide multimodal means of transportation for our constituents, while conserving the historical Newburyport Railroad. I am delighted that this meaningful project has been included in the allocation of this funding” said Representative Paul Brodeur.

Funding for the grants comes from federal Recreational Trails Program revenues generated by the motor fuel excise tax on off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles, as well as state capital funds. The federal funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Surface Transportation Act, in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).

All of the grant requests were reviewed and approved by Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB), an independent volunteer board whose members are appointed by DCR Commissioner Leo Roy.