North Shore's Stretch Of Border To Boston Trail Gets $1.2 Million Lift

PEABODY, MA — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton is set to attend a Thursday ceremony in Boxford to officially announce $1.2 million in Community Project Funding to help complete portions of the Border to Boston Trail through Boxford, Marblehead, Newbury, Peabody and Salem.

The Border to Boston Trail is a 70-mile shared-use trail that links 20 communities from New Hampshire to Boston as part of a 20-year initiative of the Essex National Heritage Commission and its partners.

"The popularity of the Border to Boston rail trail has grown exponentially during the past few years," Essex Heritage CEO Annie Harris said. "It is very important to complete these missing segments of the trail so that everyone can walk, run, and bike safely off the main roads."

The funding will be used for design and engineering costs involved in completing portions of the trail.

"Access to the outdoors is so important for all of our mental health, and this project is going to give the community more opportunities to get outside, exercise, and continue to enjoy our beautiful region," Moulton said. "Building out this significant off-road trail network will continue to be a priority for my team and me.

"I look forward to seeing the trail to completion."

The Border to Boston Trail is part of the greater East Coast Greenway designed to provide a continuous path from Maine all the way to Florida.

"This important investment supports a critical link that will help form one of the best sections of the entire 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway, creating transformational access to greenways for all — in New England and beyond," said Kristine Keeney, East Coast Greenway Alliance, Northern New England Manager.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)