Ashland Committee Presents Proposed Trail Route at Public Forum, Sept. 28

After almost three years of planning, Ashland’s Upper Charles Trail Committee, in association with their consultant, Alta Planning and Design, will present their recommended route for Ashland’s section of the five-town regional trail.
Residents are invited to learn about the proposed route and offer feedback at the public forum, which will be held on Thursday, Sept. 28, 7 to 9 pm, at the Ashland Community Center, 162 W. Union St. Child care services will be available.
At the outset of the trail project, the committee identified numerous objectives, such as enhanced recreational opportunities, improved public health, increased commerce, safer routes to school and enhanced linkages to key Ashland destinations, such as the state parks, downtown Ashland, the train station, and the schools.
The committee believes the proposed route meets these objectives and is excited to present a proposed route for the Ashland segment of the Upper Charles Rail Trail to residents at the September forum.
Started over 15 years ago by Milford and Holliston, the Upper Charles Rail Trail will be a 30-mile loop connecting Milford, Holliston, Sherborn, Ashland, Hopkinton and back to Milford.
The Trail converts unused and abandoned rail lines in the Upper Charles River area to multi-purpose recreational and commuter paths for cycling, walking, jogging, and cross-country skiing.
The Milford segment of the Trail was completed in 2014. (www.milfordtrail.org)
Work on the Ashland segment of the regional trail started when a large multi-town forum was held at the Ashland Community Center where state and town officials presented the status, plans, and benefits of a regional approach to trail development.
“Multi-use means it’s for recreation, health and fitness, and transportation to businesses. It’s like a public park – it’s for everyone,” Joel Arbeitman, one of the committee members, said.
Early on, the committee established criteria for its “greenway” path, which means keeping it off the roads as much as possible and in natural settings.
For more information, contact uppercharlestrailcommittee@ashlandmass.com or Town Planner Sheila Page at spage@ashlandmass.com.