Wakefield/Lynnfield Rail Trail Feasibility Study
Executive Summary
The goal of this Feasibility Study was to determine the feasibility of developing a rail trail (shared-use path) along the former Boston & Maine Railroad corridor in the towns of Wakefield and Lynnfield. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) now owns the corridor. The 4.4-mile Wakefield/Lynnfield Rail Trail begins at the Galvin Middle School on Main Street in Wakefield and extends to the Lynnfield/Peabody Town line. Approximately 1.9 miles of the trail is located in Wakefield and 2.5 miles in Lynnfield. It is important to note that this corridor is the southern section of the former Newburyport Railroad and, by connecting to Peabody, is planned to be part of the regional Border to Boston Trail, a proposed 30-mile trail linking eight Essex County communities – Danvers, Wenham, Topsfield, Boxford, Georgetown, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury.
The Study outlines the corridor’s potential as a rail trail and assesses the key design issues involved with the conversion process, including anticipated project impacts, required environmental clearances and rail trail design related issues.
The major issue identified and addressed as part of the Study in Lynnfield is the challenge created by utilizing the existing rail bed to cross Reedy Meadow. In Wakefield, in addition to the design of the intersection of the trail with local roadways, the major issue is addressing proposed parking at the southern trailhead.
Reedy Meadow is part of the Saugus River watershed. This area has exhibited a natural eutrophication process that caused the marsh to fill in over time and has become overgrown as a meadow. This process has been accelerated by development in surrounding areas. Portions of the rail bed in Reedy Meadow flood during large storm events. This is caused in part to culverts under the rail bed being clogged. Several viable solutions have been developed for this area to minimize the environmental impacts and make this outstanding natural area accessible to the public.
In Wakefield, one of the main concerns was potential parking areas for rail trail users. The existing parking in the Main Street/ Water Street (Rte 129) area is already strained in the downtown business area. Utilizing 40-scale mapping, two parking areas were developed, one at Richardson Street adjacent to Main Street, and one at Water Street. Due to the availability of Town owned property, both of these lots can be expanded based on future demands.
The environmental screening completed as part of the Study closely mirrors MassHighway’s 25% Design Early Environmental Coordination for Design Projects checklist. The screening evaluated wetland & water resources, cultural & historic resources, and hazardous materials along the project corridor. Critical areas identified during this screening included wetland resource areas, endangered species, and a cluster of known contamination issues in the vicinity of Water Street (Route 129) in Wakefield. Such critical areas warrant the need for location specific solutions and the implementation of mitigation measures designed to avoid/minimize impacts as a result of trail development. This approach will respect the concerns of regulatory agencies and streamline the permitting process.
Based on a review of this information, a conceptual rail trail design was developed which includes the proposed trail cross sections, at-grade intersection treatments, parking facilities and access points, mitigation measures and trail enhancements. The preliminary construction cost estimate for the 4.4-mile rail trail is approximately $4.4 million.
Collectively, the existing conditions information presented in the Study supplemented with the consultant’s design recommendations will assist both Towns in developing an implementation plan for designing, permitting, and constructing the rail trail.
Download the Feasibility Study
The complete Feasibility Study can be downloaded using the following links. Files are large (5+MEG each), so please be patient while they download.
- Feasibility Study report -- Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Inc. (Sep 2007)
- Feasibility Study map -- Fay, Spofford & Thorndike, Inc. (Sep 2007)
They can be opened using Adobe's Portable Document File (PDF) reader. Click here for a free download of Adobe software.