THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2004
WAKEFIELD DAILY ITEM
By BOB BURGESS
WAKEFIELD - The selectmen pledged their support Monday night to a group seeking to turn the old freight railroad line into a bicycle trail from the Junction to Reedy Meadow and beyond.
Local residents and others who belong to the Wakefield Bicycle Committee and the North Suburban Regional Bicycle Transportation Plan succeeded in getting the selectmen's support in a couple of ways. A local Rail to Trail Committee will be formed to handle the particulars of the potential granting of the rail line from the MBTA and line lessee Guilford Transportation to the town. Also, the selectmen went public with their support of the plan, which may speed the process of turning over the line.
Wakefield, Lynnfield, North Reading, Reading and Wilmington are involved in the regional bike plan.
According to Lowell Street resident Emmett Halpin, a longtime bicycling enthusiast, a portion of the North Shore Regional Bicycle Transportation Plan involves converting the rail line cutting through the Junction to Water Street and into Lynnfield into a bike trail. The linear park is estimated to cost about $325,000.
Guilford Transportation has already notified Wakefield of its intention to abandon the rail line, and in the spring of 2003, Town Administrator Thomas P. Butler wrote to the MBTA that Wakefield has "considerable interest in obtaining rights" to the abandoned property.
The abandonment process, however, is moving slowly. Halpin told the selectmen he has spoken with Guilford representatives three times this year, and each time there was no reported movement on the abandonment.
“We feel that political pressure can move the process along," he said. "We want Wakefield to be a friendly place for bicyclists.”
Selectman John F. Carney noted the poor condition of the existing rail line, and bicycle committee member Philip Posner said it is virtually unusable by trains.
Selectman John M. Gallucci, who works for the state, said, "There's no question the state is funding rail trails. Maybe one of our state representatives could take Guilford a letter and get them to move quicker."
State Rep. Michael E. Festa was seated at the back of the room. He said, “I'm glad to show my support for the plan, and extend the help of my office in any way. The only way (the line abandonment) will move forward is if all the parties affected know there's a plan to develop the line. Does the town really want this? I think the selectmen need to express publicly that this needs to be done, and then we can get all the parties around a table and get this done."