|Pamela Fischer, Casco Bay Trail Alliance|
There will be a meeting of the Rail Use Advisory Council on December 5, 2022, 6 to 8 PM, to discuss the future of a currently unused rail corridor that crosses through New Gloucester. The meeting will include a public comment session and New Gloucester residents are encouraged to attend. The meeting will take place at the Greely Center for the Arts, 303 Main St., Cumberland, ME.
The Rail Use Advisory Council is responsible for making a recommendation to the Maine DOT Commissioner about the best use for the 26-mile section of rail corridor from Portland, which passes through New Gloucester on its way to Auburn. This rail corridor has been disused for years, and advocates have proposed repurposing the land as a multi-use trail. The public comment session is an opportunity for people to share their thoughts about the proposals.
The Casco Bay Trail Alliance envisions incorporating this section of rail corridor into a 72-mile bicycle/pedestrian loop trail linking Portland, Auburn, and Brunswick and all the towns in between, forming a backbone for active transportation in Maine.
More information is available at the Maine DOT website at https://www.maine.gov/mdot/ofps/ruac/parac/meetings/index.shtml, and the Casco Bay Trail Alliance at https://cascobaytrail.org/
— Pamela Fischer
Town Trail Builder, Casco Bay Trail Alliance
