Hot Topics and Developments

Plans for Opening the Trail - The Framingham Cochituate Rail Trail Committee sent design plans to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority for the construction and opening of the first section of trail. This plan will open the section between Route 30 and Old Connecticut Path. However, the trail surface will be the existing gravel since the plan is to open the section for use as soon as possible. The trail will eventually have a hard, improved surface.

Request for Proposals for the Construction of the Trail - The town of Framingham recently sent out a Request for Proposals for the design of the Cochituate Rail Trail. At lease 35 companies have expressed interest in this project. The town will review bids, invite a number of companies to make presentations and then contract one of them to complete designs for the trail.

Lease agreement with the MBTA - After several years, the MBTA Board of Directors has instructed the General Manager of the MBTA to execute a 99-year lease with the town for the major section of the trail in Framingham. The Framingham Board of Selectmen have also agreed, in principle, to the lease. The Framingham Cochituate Rail Trail Committee wants to thank Town Counsel and Brown & Green LLC for their hard work in negotiating this lease. In conjunction with this lease activity, Atlantic Engineering completed an environmental status report and has determined that there are no probable incidents that will impact the trail or the town's liability.

Speen Street Developments - Two affordable housing projects are proposed off of Speen Street in Natick near its border with Framingham. Hopefully these 40b projects will welcome and support the Cochituate Rail Trail by providing connecting paths and bike racks.