Support the Eastern Trail 2022

Dear Friend of the Eastern Trail,

THANK YOU for your tremendous support on the Eastern Trail in 2022. Our volunteers and supporters are why the Eastern Trail continues to provide a safe and fun outdoor recreational trail and alternative transportation corridor for 250,000 trail users, representing $44M in economic impact each year. Our goal is to get the entire trail off-road for recreation and alternative transportation between South Portland and Kittery!

This year we had the distinct honor of becoming the 2022 inductee into the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame! In 2022, we saw significant progress toward expanding the Eastern Trail, but there’s more work to do!

CLOSE THE GAP. Connecting Scarborough to South Portland. We are working on a final landowner easement agreement, which is expected to be in hand by the end of 2022. Construction is to begin soon after.

OVER THE RIVER. Connecting Biddeford and Saco to the ET. The feasibility study is completed for the 3.1 miles of new off-road trail. The total construction for this segment is estimated to cost $10-12M. Most importantly, we need to raise 20% of these funds from non-federal sources to get the 80% in grants, so private donations are very impactful.

BLAZE THE TRAIL SOUTH. Extending from Kennebunk to North Berwick. This feasibility study is completed for an 11-mile trail expansion, and engineering design is scheduled for this winter. The total construction cost for this segment is estimated to be $14M. Again, private donations are key to raising the 20% required to leverage government grants.

BERWICKS TO THE BORDER. This campaign is in the initial stages with matching funds from a donor to begin feasibility for the new off-road Eastern Trail from South Berwick to Kittery, including the communities of York and Eliot.

OPERATIONS AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE. In 2022 we have been busy working with communities on trail maintenance such as grass cutting, storm tree removal, painting bollards, and maintaining trailhead kiosks.

2023 promises to be another big year for the Eastern Trail—including trail design and construction. Please support the trail by making your donation using the Donate button below, or by mailing a check to the Eastern Trail directly. The goal for the 2022 annual appeal is $100k. This will be a challenge, more than the $79k raised in the 2021 Appeal.  Please help us as you can!

If you need more information please contact me at 860-227-0914 or by email at jon.kachmar@easterntrail.org. Thank you for your continued support, and hope to see you on the trail!

Jon Kachmar, Executive Director

Progress Toward 2022 Goal:

So far we have raised $61,794 towards our $100,000 target! That’s 62% of the total!