Author: Larry Glantz

Camoin Associates was retained by the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC) to conduct an economic impact and fiscal benefit analysis of the Eastern Trail on SMPDC’s region and the state of Maine. The Eastern Trail is intended to provide the route for the East Coast Greenway in southern Maine through a four-season, non motorized, multipurpose, transportation and recreation trail between Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and South Portland, Maine. The approximately 65 mile trail brings users through historical landmarks, scenic vistas, recreation spots, and places to eat and shop.

The report’s analysis considers both the (1) impact of current trail usage; and (2) impacts of a hypothetical trail expansion scenario that results in new construction spending and trail usage.

A copy of the 18 page report can be viewed here (pdf format).

A Summary Infographic of major findings of the report can be viewed here (pdf format).

More information on past Eastern Trail Economic Impact Studies can be viewed here.

The Eastern Trail exists today only due to energy and contributions of our many volunteers.  At our recent 2021 Annual Meeting, we announced the following Volunteer Recognition awards:

Outstanding Trail Ambassador

Carol MacAllister — Carol is a Trail Ambassador for the Kennebunk to Biddeford section of the ET. She rides the trail regularly, reports on needed maintenance, collects trash along the trail, and converses with trail users to enhance their visit. Like all of our trail ambassadors, Carol provides an invaluable service acting as the “eyes and ears” on the trail.

Outstanding Events Management

Bryan Gallant and Bob LaNigra — Both Bryan and Bob have proven to be an invaluable team regarding event management for the Maine Lighthouse Ride, John Andrews 5K, MEND 10K as well as ET engagement with Ironman Maine and the Maine Marathon. Their knowledge of race management, timing and course setting are a major reason for our successful ET events each year.

Outstanding Event Volunteer

Cynthia Mollus and Rig Trembley — Cynthia and Rig have volunteered at ET events for several years, particularly the Maine Lighthouse Ride. Their dedication to assisting with pre-event setup and event-day activities has gone above and beyond and helped make our events successful. This year they managed the inaugural Bonfire and Brew event check-in.

What if the northern terminus of the Eastern Trail at Bug Light in South Portland allowed a trail user to continue north through Portland, Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth and beyond?

The Casco Bay Trail Alliance is focused on just such a vision, and you can view their efforts at: cascobaytrail.org.

Let them know you care about building more long-distance trails north of Portland, join their mailing list, and see how you might lend a hand to make this vision happen sooner rather than later.

[Eds. note: We recently came across another version of this article listing the Eastern Trail is one of ten best national rail-trails, and thought we should highlight this recognition once again. To read about the other nine, read the full article here.]

By Cindy Barks,  published January 14, 2020

It might be the ultimate example of repurposing: Since the 1960s, thousands of miles of old abandoned railroad lines have been converted into recreational trails.

Owing to their scenic locales and gentle grades, the Rails-to-Trails routes are perfect for an epic bike ride or a leisurely stroll. The routes offer dizzying variety: They run along the East and West Coasts, past mountains, across rivers and forests, and through bustling urban landscapes.

After hiking and biking rail-trails all over the country, I’ve found that not only do the routes provide an opportunity for exercise in splendid outdoor settings, but they also take me back to the heyday of train travel. I often imagine passengers gawking at gorgeous seaside and mountain scenes to the rhythmic sway and lonesome whistle of the train.

Today, every state in the nation has a roster of rail-trails. According to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, there are more than 2,100 rail trails in the United States, totaling 24,215 miles.

And hundreds more are in the works. Among them is the mammoth Great American Rail-Trail, which will run 3,700 miles from Washington State to Washington, D.C. Once complete, the trail will allow users to literally walk or bike across America on a seamless, scenic trail. The Great American Rail-Trail is currently more than half complete, with about 1,700 miles left to fill in.

Meanwhile, rail-trails are beloved amenities in communities all over the country. Here are 10 of the best.

3. Eastern Trail, Maine

Lighthouses, lobster rolls, and white-pine forests: These are just a few of the wonderful things you can experience along southern Maine’s Eastern Trail.

Running roughly from South Portland to Kennebunk and parallel to Maine’s Atlantic Coast, the 29-mile Eastern Trail takes in the charming towns of Saco, Biddeford, Scarborough, and Old Orchard Beach.

Nearly 22 miles of the trail follow off-road sections, but some sections feature on-road bike lanes.

Tip: Start your ride or hike at the northern end at the Bug Light Park Lighthouse (Portland Breakwater Light) in South Portland, where plenty of parking is available.

You can read the full article online here.

From our friends at the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority:

The Amtrak Downeaster has expanded its carry-on bike program and is now accepting bicycles from all Downeaster stations in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Newly installed custom-designed luggage racks that convert to bike racks at the end of each car now make it possible to roll bikes on board from any Downeaster station, then secure and store them on the train.  Previously, bikes had to be stored in a special car, restricting access to only a few stations.  Now, standard full-size bicycles may be carried on from any Downeaster station and stored in the designated racks. Because Bicycles are hung vertically by their back wheels using special bike tire hooks to ensure safety, the front wheel, panniers, and bags must be removed.

Bicycle space is limited to four bikes per train, so advance reservations for bikes is required. A $3 to $8 one-way bicycle fee applies.

NNEPRA has been working to improve bike access on Downeaster trains for years. This project could not have been accomplished without the continued support of the bicycle community and the partnership with Amtrak to modify the current train equipment.

A 25-page Maine Rail-Trail Plan 2020-2030 has been released and is available for download and review.

The plan was developed by the Maine Trails Coalition (MTC), which draws together multiple Maine interest groups and citizens in a coordinated statewide effort to expand, connect, and maintain Maine’s network of off-road trails. MTC’s interests and participants span conservation, outdoor recreation, transportation, economic development, community enrichment, ecotourism, public health and fitness, climate and the environment, among others. A particular focus of MTC’s work is on regional trail connectivity.

The Maine Rail-Trail Plan calls for the construction of thirteen specific rail-trail projects over the next decade, and at least five prospective projects for development over the following decade. Each of these projects connects with, extends, and regionalizes an existing multi-use trail infrastructure. Collectively, these eighteen projects would add roughly 250 miles of inter-connected off-road trails, transforming the Maine communities they serve.

Portions of the Eastern Trail are listed both as an existing rail-trail, as well as a key part of the construction of thirteen specific rail-trail projects called for over the next decade.

The Maine Rail-Trail Plan is a living document that the Maine Trails Coalition plans to refine over time in consultation with local communities, regional authorities, state agencies, and the many interest groups concerned with rails and trails throughout Maine.

If you would like to be a part of creating an active transportation network that preserves an inter-urban train corridor, while creating healthy and connected communities throughout the state of Maine through a biking, walking, and running rail-trail system, please contact mainetrailscoalition@gmail.com. You can also sign up to receive MTC updates on all trail topics.

[Ed. Note. One of the three women this article features is our own Carole Brush, the Executive Director of the Eastern Trail Management District. Carole’s story appears last in the article]

Maine Women Magazine July 2020 |  By R. Cook

Kristine Keeney, Carrie Kinne, and Carole Brush are three Maine women who find themselves in an unexpected position that presents great opportunity and enormous challenges, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three women manage three of Maine’s most popular trail networks from northern Maine to York County. The trails are being used by record numbers of people who crave outdoor recreation as an escape from the daily stress and anxiety generated by the coronavirus. But those record numbers also present difficult challenges to ensure everyone’s safety in the new normal of social distancing.

Kristine never thought she would ever see a situation like the one that has unfolded across the state. She serves as the New England coordinator of the East Coast Greenway Alliance. The 32-year-old lives in Greenwood near Bethel in the Western Maine mountains and is looking forward to marrying her fiancé, Jake. She originally hails from the New Haven, Connecticut, area, but Maine has always held a special place in her heart.

“I started coming to Maine in 2008 or so. It was actually for skiing in a ski club at Sunday River,” Kristine recalls. When she attended graduate school in 2013, she was living in Portland and commuting to Boston via the Downeaster. Her goal was to become the city’s bicycle coordinator.

She worked in that role for a few years and increased the bicycle network by creating more bicycle parking at a time when bicyclists wanted to have more freedom to share the road with motor vehicle traffic. “I was always into bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure.” She later accepted a planner position in Vermont for three towns near the Sugarbush Ski Resort area. She worked on a lot of trail projects in the Green Mountain State, mapped out trails for the whole region, and created user-friendly map kiosks. In July 2018, Kristine moved back to Maine when her present job was available.

She now oversees a trail network that extends from Calais to Rhode Island as part of a system that extends from Maine all the way to Key West, Florida. Maine has 340 miles, and the New Hampshire Seacoast has 17 miles, followed by another 145 miles in Massachusetts and 50 miles in Rhode Island.

In her role, Kristine works with smaller Maine trail groups like the Kennebec Estuary in Bath and the Eastern Trail Alliance in Saco that have direct management over their specific trail systems. Kristine helps them work with regional planners, local governments, and utility companies to design trails, maintain existing trail standards, and add new trails. Kristine spends a great deal of time advocating for trail funding in Augusta and keeps her trail part ners updated on important rule changes such as the COVID-19 guidelines issued by Gov. Janet Mills and
the Maine Centers for Disease Control.

Kristine is an avid biker herself. “I fell in love with it because of the flexibility and convenience, as well as the health benefits.” Biking can also help people enjoy a physical, outdoor activity while maintaining proper social distancing from others. “Biking is a great option to distance yourself from other people as well as having a great outlet for physical and mental health.”

She sees this new attention paid to biking as one of the strange benefits wrought by the current pandemic. After years of advocating for increased funding for trail networks throughout Maine and New England and spreading awareness about the health and environmental benefits of increased bicycle transportation, Kristine is seeing more people gravitate toward these causes. For example, trail use has tripled on Portland’s popular Back Cove Trail from March 2019 to March 2020, from 325 users per day to more than 1,000 daily users because of COVID-19, and that number will more than likely continue to climb as summer approaches.

As this trend unfolded, Kristine and other trail network managers were scrambling to educate trail users about the importance of social distancing. They want people to be mindful of the parking lots, for instance. If the lots are full, come back another day to use the trail, or pick a day when the weather is not as perfect, when fewer people will venture out.

“It’s a type of moving target when it comes to best practices,” Kristine said.

Maine trails are getting overwhelmed because, Kristine explains, there are more people from other communities who are traveling to different cities and towns to access those trails. Some communities have closed trail parking lots to traffic to limit access to hikers and bicyclists. When the state closed beaches and state coastal parks, that put more pressure on the existing trail network.

“It’s a situation that honestly none of us thought we would find ourselves in,” she said.

For Carrie Kinne, the executive director of the Kennebec Estuary, she and her volunteers already have their hands full striking the right balance between increased trail use and public health concerns. The Yarmouth resident oversees 30 miles of trails that include 12 preserves and 28 easements, including the latest one in Richmond.

Her trail network extends from Richmond down to West Bath and Dresden down to Georgetown. She said her group just celebrated its 30th anniversary. They have come a long way from the days when its founders were sitting around kitchen tables and first discussed protecting vast tracts of land to protect natural habitat and allow public enjoyment.

Carrie completely understands why so many people who may have never enjoyed the Kennebec Estuary’s trails are using them now. “There are things you think of when you think of Maine, like nature, the environment, and the landscape. If you are from Maine, you may take it for granted.”

Carrie is hopeful the trail scout program they started when COVID-19 really took off in Maine will pay dividends. The program allows people to share their observation about the trails. “It’s getting a lot of traction.” Trail scouts also report the activity they are seeing on the trail, as well as trail conditions, to serve as the estuary organization’s eyes. As a result, more people in the community feel vested and engaged in the Kennebec Estuary’s work.

Carrie said the estuary’s corps of volunteers will make sure the trails are nice and wide to accommodate the growing number of users they will see this summer. “There are going to be
busy times, but ultimately you try to get the message out there as best you can,” Carrie said. “There should be ample space for everybody out there.”

Carrie has also been vested in Maine’s environment and its position as a leader in preserving public lands. She is originally from Farmingdale and spent a great deal of her career in the healthcare industry before she joined the Kennebec Estuary. “Out of all the non-profit work that I’ve done, this is incredibly rewarding.”

Carrie has been married to Jack for 20 years and the couple have four stepchildren and seven grandchildren, all under age nine. The kids love exploring the trails as much as Carrie does.

Meanwhile, the situation in southern Maine could be more complex for Carole Brush. As the executive director of the Eastern Trail Management District in Saco since 2007, Carole has already seen trails like Scarborough Marsh get overwhelmed with users to the point where social distancing was impossible. Carole said a survey showed the number of Scarborough Marsh trail users increased from 4,000 in April 2019 to 12,000 this April. In May 2019, they saw 7,000 people use the same trail compared to a projected 21,000 people this May.

“Maybe the big benefit of all this is that people are getting out more and exercising more and are really taking advantage of what we have,” Carole believes. “The use of the trail has tripled from what it was a year ago.” In some ways, it’s a nice problem to have for trail advocates who are always looking for ways to extoll the trail network’s benefits. But like her colleagues Kristine and Carrie, Carole could never have foreseen a situation like this unfolding in 2020.

She has been with the Eastern Trail Management District (EMTD) since 2007. She wanted to live in Maine to be close to her family and become an Audubon Society registered guide for the Scarborough Marsh. Since her earliest years growing up in New Jersey, Carole has had a love affair with nature.

“From the time I was a child, going out to nature was always my go-to place,” she said. “Maybe the big benefit of all this is that people are getting out more and exercising more and are really taking advantage of what we have.” Carole studied land conservation when she attended Ramapo College in New Jersey and ended up splitting her time between Boulder, Colorado, and New York State for the next 10 years. “It was a pretty tough commute, but it was worth it.”

In New York, Carole led hikes and taught fitness classes at the Mohawk Preserve and the Mohawk Mountain House in the Hudson Valley region. Carole has five grandchildren and has been single for quite a while. “My work is a big part of my passion, to be out there on the trails and keep conserving land for trails.”

Carole said her volunteers will continue to post signage and utilize social media to spread the word about the importance of social distancing so everyone can enjoy the trails. They will also have trail ambassadors to guide people to stay six feet apart. More importantly, the public’s willingness to comply with the new normal will ensure the trails remain open.

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic dominates their attention, Carole said the ETMD is still working on three projects to expand and improve the existing trail network. One involves creating a 1.6-mile link between South Portland and Scarborough. The other two projects involve a three-mile stretch to connect Thornton Academy in Saco to Southern Maine Medical Center in Biddeford and an 18-mile stretch from Kennebunk near Alewives Road south all the way to South Berwick. The work to maintain and expand existing trail networks and to educate the public about how best they can enjoy them now is an ongoing process.

“It takes a village or several to build a trail,” Carole observes. It may also take several villages to keep the trails safe and accessible this summer and beyond.

[Eds. note: This article makes many references to the Eastern Tail Alliance’s Maine Lighthouse Ride and Bob Bowker, the founder of that ride and long time ETA Trustee and officer.]

Cycling advocates think a more bike-centric culture could take hold in Maine as a result of the pandemic.

By Deirdre Fleming, Staff Writer Maine Sunday Telegram. Published May 10, 2020

When Bob Bowker’s daughter, MacKenzie, asked for ideas on where to ride her bicycle in Maine this spring, he had an easy answer. Bowker, founder of the popular Maine Lighthouse Ride, suggested she try the southern portion of the 100-mile lighthouse route, where coastal views abound.

The expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean and rocky beaches in the Kennebunks delighted MacKenzie Bowker, a jewelry maker and bike tour guide.

“I’m trying to ride local,” MacKenzie Bowker said. “I wanted something along the water. It’s nice to have those views. (My boyfriend and I) took a couple of different roads just because they went closer to the water. There was slightly less traffic than normal. So we were able to cruise around and not have to worry about out-of-staters.”

Bowker is not alone in seeking out new bicycle routes at this time. Bike paths have been busy and crowded during the pandemic, so many cyclists are looking for other options, bike advocates say.

“I see a lot of riders out riding by themselves now,” said Victor Langelo, ride director for the Merrymeeting Wheelers Bicycle Club. “The group rides are not taking place, because it’s not socially responsible right now. But there are a lot of bikes on the roads.”

Resources are plentiful for cyclists wanting to explore new roadways…….

You can read the entire article online here

Welcome to spring on the Eastern Trail – the birds are singing, peepers are peeping and ticks are coming out of hiding.

Fortunately the trail is wide enough to accommodate trail users while keeping 6′ apart.  You can limit exposure to ticks by maintaining a similar distance from long grasses, undergrowth, marshes and wooded shrubs.

Please stay on the trail while maintaining this safe distance to minimize your chances. Wear light-colored clothing that is tucked in to further reduce exposure, And remember to check yourself AND your pet carefully after you get back home.

Here’s a pamphlet we have created with more information on how to be safe regarding ticks.

Take a look at this excellent “Week-A-Year” video put together and shared by Dave Read of the East Coast Greenway Alliance.

Nine years ago, riders started at the Canadian border in Calais, Maine and began a ride south along the 3000-mile East Coast Greenway. They rode for a week each year. For example, they biked the first year (2011) from Calais to Portland.

On Friday, November 15, 2019 a group of 40 cyclists plus support staff reached Key West, Florida, to wrap the final leg of the East Coast Greenway Alliance’s Week-A-Year (WAY) Tour.

In 2012 they traveled along the Eastern Trail,  and the brief ET segment (starting at 2:02 on the video) includes a nice aerial-drone-shot along the Scarborough Marsh.

The video is a collage of trip videos and photographs that includes an engaging narration about the yearly rides and the Greenway.

Dave Read lives in Massachusetts, is currently a member of the Greenway Council, and chaired the Board of Trustees of the East Coast Greenway Alliance from 2011 through 2015. He is also the Vice President of Ambulatory Care Operations and Medical Oncology at Dana–Farber Cancer Institute.