The Casco Bay Trail Alliance (CBTA) has been working on plans for a trail running from Portland to Auburn, and back to the coast. As Sue Ellen Bordwell of CBTA described it, the nearly 7 miles that would run through New Gloucester is the most beautiful segment, along the St. Lawrence-Atlantic rail bed. The Pan Am corridor would remain a freight line, at least for now.
Bordwell’s presentation provided a history of efforts to turn abandoned rail corridors into multi-modal trails, starting with Maine’s Rail Preservation Act in 1991. The rail corridors belong to the Maine Department of Transportation and an advisory group helps to shape plans for their use. A rail corridor could become a “rail with trail,” which involves creating a trail alongside the rails, a “rail trail,” with the rails removed, or “trail until rail,” allowing for possible future railroad use. While many people like the idea of passenger rail on the corridor, it’s currently cost-prohibitive, given the low population density in this area. A more practical commuting solution for the time being is energy-efficient buses running between Auburn and Portland, along the same general route. Mono-rails may become the solution for moving people across distances in the future.
There are many benefits to a trail, including improved health and recreation, as well as reducing emissions. Some communities see the trail as having community and economic development benefits as well. The DOT wants to know what communities want and what their concerns are. Grants would pay for the trail construction, and towns would be responsible for maintenance. Other towns’ select boards and town councils along the corridor have already signed on, and others are in the process of endorsing the concept with their communities. Hopefully, New Gloucester’s select board will sign a resolution endorsing the concept as well. Let your representatives know what you think!
This presentation was sponsored by BLING (Building Livability in New Gloucester) at the New Gloucester Public Library on October and is now viewable here.
~ Debra Smith
