Lynnfield Rail Trail Phase 1 Heads To Bid, With Construction Eyed By Year's End

LYNNFIELD, MA — Lynnfield's long-planned rail trail has reached a new milestone, with MassDOT starting the construction bidding process for Phase 1 of the project.

The town said the project was advertised for bidding on July 25, and the bid opening is scheduled for Aug. 25.

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Phase 1 includes 1.8 miles of paved trail from Ford Avenue in Lynnfield to the Peabody city line. Construction is now scheduled to begin by the end of this year and be completed by the middle of 2028.

The announcement marks a shift from planning and design into preconstruction work for the first section of the trail. The rail trail is a community-focused project tied to its goal of improving quality of life through sustainable development and stronger local connections.

Select Board Chair Alexis Leahy called the transition a major step for the project and for residents who have followed it over the years.

"This is a historic moment, decades in the making, for the Town of Lynnfield, the Friends of the Lynnfield Rail Trail, and the project team," Leahy said. "This milestone now officially transitions us from design into the preconstruction phase of the project.

"We hope to have a contractor on board by November and a construction schedule shortly thereafter."