Author: Larry Glantz

In late November, the Eastern Trail Alliance was thrilled to install newly designed kiosk signage at trailheads along the Eastern Trail from Scarborough to Kennebunk, marking the successful completion of our 2025 signage project.

These new kiosks present clear, welcoming, and easy-to-use information that will better serve the many people who enjoy the heavily used Eastern Trail each year.

Each multi-paneled trailhead kiosk features a large, full-color horizontal map highlighting on-road, off-road, and future sections of the Eastern Trail from South Portland to Kennebunk. Visitors will also find trail rules and guidelines in one easy-to-read place, information about upcoming events and ways to get involved, and a convenient cashless donation option to support trail care and future improvements. The modular panel design also makes it easy to update individual sections, such as updating and replacing the map, without having to redo the entire kiosk.

While most of the posted trail rules are not new, bringing them together in one place helps improve safety and enjoyment for everyone by clearly outlining permitted and prohibited uses, safe cycling speeds, pet policies, and equestrian access. A complete list of trail rules and guidelines is also available here.

This transformative improvement to the Eastern Trail was made possible by a generous grant from the Davis Conservation Foundation and the continued support of Eastern Trail Alliance donors. Thank you for helping us create a safer, more welcoming trail experience for all today and into the future.

Portland Press Herald | Posted December 17 | Salomé Cloteaux

The Close the Gap project adds 1.6 miles to the Eastern Trail is ahead of schedule.

The Close the Gap project on the Eastern Trail reached a milestone last week with the installation of a bridge over the Nonesuch River in Scarborough.

The effort will add 1.6 miles to the Eastern Trail, a large step toward having a fully connected 65-mile offroad trail from South Portland to Kittery. When the section is completed, connecting the trail segment off Eastern Road to the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland, there will be a continuous 16-mile trail without on-road gaps linking Bug Light Park with downtown Saco.

Scarborough Town Manager Tom Hall said he expects the project will cost around $7 million by its completion. Most of the funding comes from federal dollars, but it also includes state and local funding, as well as individual and corporate donors.

The Close the Gap project has two phases, both of which are ahead of schedule thanks to the contractor, Shaw Brothers, and the subcontractor, Scott Construction, Hall said.

“They’re certainly going to far exceed the contractual obligation because they have all the way until October 2027 to complete the trail,” Hall said. “I can’t imagine in my wildest dreams that that time frame would be needed.”

Read the rest of the article online here.

The Eastern Trail has been groomed from the Pine Point Rd parking lot to the Black Point Rd parking lot—thanks to our friends at the Town of Scarborough!

Happy skiing and fat biking to all!

⚠️ Please use caution on the Scarborough Marsh Bridge where coverage is very thin and icy. ⚠️

A huge thank you to our partners at Scarborough Community Services for piloting occasional winter grooming on the Eastern Trail this season.

Winter Trail Etiquette reminders:

• Walkers & dog walkers, please hug the edges of the groomed trail, unless you’re wearing snowshoes, to help prevent post holes
• Snowshoers & fat bikers yield to skiers
• Fat bikers yield to snowshoe users
• Everyone yields to maintenance staff
• No horseback riding when snow is on the trail

Happy trails!

Dear Friend of the Eastern Trail,

This year, we are celebrating something truly extraordinary — construction is officially underway to Close the Gap on the Eastern Trail between Scarborough and South Portland. For more than a decade, we have dreamt of this moment. This summer, thanks to your steadfast support, that dream became reality. Your year-end gift will ensure that the Eastern Trail you helped build continues to thrive, evolve, and provide entirely free access to nature close to home.

We each had the privilege of shepherding the Close the Gap project at different points in its long journey. As construction progresses, we are filled with gratitude — for John Andrews’ vision for a long-distance walking and cycling trail in southern Maine, the many volunteers and partners who worked tirelessly, and most of all, for you. Your belief in the Eastern Trail and your support of the Eastern Trail Alliance have made this possible.

The Close the Gap project is a powerful reminder that trails do not just appear. They are built on collaboration, sustained investment, and a shared belief in their transformative power to bring people and communities together. Once completed, this 1.6-mile segment will make it possible to safely commute along the Eastern Trail from communities like Saco and Scarborough to Portland. It will support healthier lifestyles, foster well-being, and promote economic development.

As one dream is realized, the next is already underway. Our team is working with the Maine Department of Transportation to advance permitting and right of way planning for our expansion south of Kennebunk in West Kennebunk, Wells, and North Berwick. In May, we completed an initial feasibility study examining possibilities for Eastern Trail expansion south of the Berwicks. Like the Close the Gap project, this southward expansion will take ongoing care and patience, thoughtful planning, and significant financial support.

After seeing one major goal through, we need to replenish our resources to take on the next. Your support now ensures we have the power to keep building south. Your generosity maintains over 20 miles of existing trail used by over 250,000 people each year. Your year-end gift supports year-round community programming like Full Moon Walks with Carole, Chats with Chelsey, and Bike and Brew Rides with Patrick. All of which are free, accessible, opportunities for more people to experience the Eastern Trail in a fun and welcoming way.

We are counting on you to help ensure this regional treasure continues to connect families, neighbors, and outdoor enthusiasts to nature for generations to come. As we look ahead, every contribution—large or small—helps lay the groundwork for what comes next. Please consider making a donation to support the Eastern Trail before the year ends.

Thank you,

Chelsey Berlin
Executive Director

Carole Brush
Former Executive Director

A small gathering of invited guests was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025 to officially break ground on the Close the Gap project, and to formally recognize the commitment, patience, and perseverance of critical partners and major donors.

“Today’s groundbreaking isn’t just about building a trail segment that will close a critical gap in the Eastern Trail,” said Chelsey Berlin, Executive Director of the Eastern Trail Alliance (ETA) and Eastern Trail Management District (ETMD). “It is about vision, perseverance, and patience.”

“This new segment will unlock the ability to safely commute by bicycle from communities like Saco and Scarborough all the way to Portland,” said Berlin. “It will support healthier lifestyles, foster economic development, and carry forward the remarkable legacy of our founder John Andrews—whose vision and unwavering commitment to the Eastern Trail laid the foundation for everything we’re building today.”

Carole Brush, former Executive Director of the ETA and ETMD, added, “While John Andrews is no longer physically with us, I’m sure he is celebrating right now.”

Brush continued to outline the tremendous challenges this project confronted and overcame over the course of its planning. This project took a remarkable effort over more than a decade to come to fruition. “Every challenge we faced reminded us that trails don’t just appear. They’re built on collaboration, sustained effort and investment, and a shared belief in the transformative power of trail to bring people and communities together,” noted Berlin.

Representatives of key stakeholders were recognized and present, including:

• Federal, municipal and state partners— including the Town of Scarborough, the City of South Portland, and the Maine Department of Transportation;
• Many board members—past and present—of both the ETA and the Eastern Trail Maintenance District (ETMD);
• Partners such as the East Coast Greenway and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine;
• ETA staff, volunteers, donors, and advocates, past and present—whose time, talents, and resources helped pave the way, both literally and figuratively, to today – our thanks to each and every one of you!

Site Walk to View Trail Under Construction

While there are so many donors to thanks for making this project possible, several key contributions were recognized, including by the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS), Town & Country Federal Credit Union, the Caiazzo Family, the Phillip Thompson Family, the Avangrid Foundation, IDEXX, the Quimby Family Foundation, the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, WEX, and the Morton-Kelly Charitable Trust.

We are thrilled construction is underway and especially grateful to our partners at the Town of Scarborough, the local project administrator, for their ongoing support and efforts. Construction updates will be posted here.

Click here to get periodic email updates from the Eastern Trail Alliance to stay informed about upcoming events, trail projects and conditions, and more.

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD | Sat, July 12, 2025

Jul. 12—SCARBOROUGH — On the surface, the construction of just over a mile and a half’s worth of trail may not sound like a huge deal for southern Maine. You could also assume a project of that length would be straightforward.

But you’d be sorely mistaken — at least when it comes to the “Close the Gap” project on the Eastern Trail, a venture over a decade in the making that conservationists, transportation experts, and municipal and state officials all believe will have a profound regional impact.

After years of delays caused by everything from difficulty securing easements to a global pandemic, the 1.6-mile project is — at last — starting to take shape, with construction having begun in June.

When the Eastern Trail Alliance launched its first fundraising campaign, it believed the gap could be closed by 2017, at a cost of $4.1 million. If all goes smoothly from here, it will be just 10 years behind schedule and nearly $3 million over budget.

Just getting to this point has required years of determination, patience and perseverance.

“This project is a huge win not only for Scarborough and South Portland, but for the entire region,” said Joshua Reny, South Portland assistant city manager. “The perseverance of all of the stakeholders, partners and donors who brought the project to this critical point deserves acknowledgment.”

THE SPINE

The Eastern Trail, part of U.S. Bike Route 1, runs roughly 65 miles from South Portland to Kittery. While a mere 1.6 miles of fresh trail is being blazed in Scarborough, it will solidify a roughly 16-mile off-road connection between Bug Light Park in South Portland and downtown Saco.

The new section of trail is expected to be completed by November 2027.

“One of the biggest challenges right now for anyone using active transportation is north-south connectivity and doing it in a safe way,” said Chris Chop, transportation director for the Greater Portland Council of Governments. “This project, closing the gap, creates a continuous off-road network that connects recreational areas, downtowns and schools.”

Closing the gap is “a huge deal,” said Chop, who likened the Eastern Trail to U.S. Route 1 for off-road transportation.

In Scarborough, the northern, off-road segment of the Eastern Trail currently ends at the Nonesuch River, where a bridge is being constructed to begin filling the 1.6-mile gap. From there, the new portion of the trail will turn south, then curve east and across some railroad tracks. As it heads east, the path will stretch through a power corridor until it runs into Pleasant Hill Road, where a crosswalk with flashing pedestrian signals will be installed.

From Pleasant Hill Road, the trail will loop around Prouts Pond and north to the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland. Wainwright provides a connection to the Greenbelt multiuse path, which extends to Bug Light Park.

Dakota Hewlett, the Maine Department of Transportation’s active transportation planner, described the trail as “the spine for biking and walking” in the region.

“From that spine, municipalities are able to connect to that, into neighborhoods or business areas, downtowns, beaches — all those destinations we can think of in southern Maine,” Hewlett said.

The new link could be “a real game-changer,” said Scott Kunkler, the Scarborough Land Trust’s conservation director.

“The connection goes beyond just recreation,” he said. “It could encourage more people to choose active transportation options for daily commutes or errands, helping to reduce reliance on vehicles.”

FINDING THE TRAILHEAD

It’s difficult to pinpoint when the Close the Gap project officially came to be.

It can be traced to the early 2000s, when the idea first gained traction, or to 2012, when the first fundraising campaign was launched, or to 2017, when formal plans began to take shape.

Read the entire article online here

Allison Carrier | Portland Press Herald | July 11, 2025

Construction is officially underway on the long-anticipated Close the Gap project in Scarborough. In partnership with the town of Scarborough, Eastern Trail Alliance and the MaineDOT, the project will add 1.6 miles of off-road trail to the Eastern Trail, connecting the trail segment off Eastern Road to the northern trail segment near the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland.

The new segment will eliminate a key on-road gap, improving safety and accessibility for trail users. The completion of a 1.6 mile “gap” in trail will provide 16 miles of continuous off-road connection from South Portland’s Bug Light to downtown Saco.

The project is the result of several years of work to raise the necessary funds, complete the project design, align stakeholders, and acquire the necessary permits and land rights. It went out to bid in spring 2025 and construction began in June.

Plans for the Eastern Trail first began in 1998, when a group now called the Eastern Trail Alliance held its first public meeting to make a trail connect Scarborough and Saco. Other major milestones were the steel footbridge over Scarborough Marsh that was installed in November 2004, South Portland Greenbelt completed in 2005, and trail extensions to Kennebunk in 2010-2011.

The Close the Gap fundraising campaign began in 2012 with gradual momentum over the past 13 years.

The construction project will be completed in phases…….

Read the full article online here.

Dear Friend of the Eastern Trail,

We are thrilled to share a major milestone with you: construction is officially underway on the long-anticipated Close the Gap project in Scarborough, Maine!

In partnership with the Town of Scarborough and MaineDOT, this project will add 1.6 miles of off-road trail to the Eastern Trail, connecting the trail segment off Eastern Road to the northern trail segment near the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland. This new segment will eliminate a key on-road gap and bring us one step closer to a fully connected Eastern Trail.

This progress is the result of years of hard work: raising funds, aligning partners, finalizing trail design, and securing the necessary permits and land rights. The project went out to bid this spring, and construction is underway!

This moment also honors the vision of Eastern Trail founder John Andrews, whose tireless efforts and advocacy laid the groundwork for a long-distance trail through southern Maine. Though John is no longer with us, his legacy continues in every mile we build.

Construction will be completed in phases, and we hope the entire segment will be completed by the end of 2027. For ongoing project updates, please go here.

We are beyond excited to see this vision become reality. We are deeply grateful to the many funders and partners who helped bring this project to life—including the Town of Scarborough, MaineDOT, and generous lead donors like Town & Country Federal Credit Union, Caiazzo Family, Thompson Family, Quimby Family Foundation, Avangrid Foundation, IDEXX Laboratories, WEX, and many more!

Thank you for believing in the power of the Eastern Trail. Let’s keep strengthening and building the Eastern Trail—together!

With Gratitude,

Chelsey Berlin

Executive Director

How did YOU make the most of the Eastern Trail last winter?

Whether you’re snowshoeing, jogging, or riding a fat bike—we want your feedback! It is not too late to take our winter trail-use survey. Your input helps us plan for a better all-season trail experience. Share your trail habits in our quick survey – Go here to take the survey

Dear Friend of the Eastern Trail:

As the new board president of the Eastern Trail Alliance, I am proud to support the Eastern Trail because of the transformative impact it has on my life. The Eastern Trail provides me a spectacular car-free and stress-free commute option to the office. On days that I do drive to work, the Eastern Trail provides a much-needed reprieve from screens during my lunch break.

When not working, walking on the Eastern Trail provides my family the space to connect with each other, our surroundings, and our community.

As a trail user first, I know the incredible impact the Eastern Trail has on individuals, businesses, and communities across southern Maine. Your previous support made the following achievements possible in 2024:

• 3 active trail expansion projects including persistent efforts to close the gap between South Portland and Scarborough; engineering design on 0.7 miles of new trail in West Kennebunk and 2.0 miles in Wells and North Berwick, and an ongoing initial feasibility study from North Berwick to Kittery.
• 850 Maine Lighthouse Ride participants, representing 33 states and spanning the ages from 10 to 87, sold-out this event and raised significant resources for the Eastern Trail Alliance to invest into the trail.
• 20 miles of off-road trail maintained and preserved including routine monitoring and maintenance, and in response to increasingly extreme and unseasonable winter weather.

We need your support to continue this critical work, and your investment to ensure we do not lose access to federal funding for trail design and construction in Kennebunk, Wells, and North Berwick that requires local matching funds. Every dollar goes toward our mission to maintain, build, and promote the Eastern Trail. Will you be one of the trail users and supporters we need to chip in to meet our goals?

In 2025, the Eastern Trail Alliance will continue to ensure that you have a safe and accessible place to walk, cycle, and run in southern Maine. Please join us in making that possible by making a year-end contribution today. Your support is critical to our ongoing work.

Doug Smith
Board President
Eastern Trail Alliance