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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.

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

Trail Manager Patrick Conlon retrieves a safety pylon from the Scarborough Marsh adjacent to the Eastern Trail in August 2024. A trail manager’s work is never done and is different every day!

Dear Friend of the Eastern Trail,

One of the best parts of my job as the Trail Manager for the Eastern Trail Alliance is seeing you and thousands of people like you enjoying the Eastern Trail each year. And wow, do I love my job!

When I see families out enjoying the trail together or folks walking their dogs, I think about what an extraordinary asset the Eastern Trail is to southern Maine. Whether you cycle for daily exercise, walk to clear your mind, or run to meet your training goals, the Eastern Trail provides a car-free, nature-filled environment to make it possible.

You can safely use the Eastern Trail because I remove downed trees, clean drainage ditches, pick up trash, and so much more. Your contribution to the Eastern Trail Alliance helps make my work possible and protects the safety and natural beauty of the Eastern Trail.

Just yesterday, a trail user passed while I was working trail side and said, “I guess your work is never done.” He couldn’t have been more right. The challenges of 2024 tested us in new ways: rising tides, increasingly severe storm surges, and more frequent freeze-thaw cycles caused extensive damage to the Eastern Trail.

The ETA adapted quickly. We launched a new Trail Conditions page on our website to keep you informed and safe. We monitored the trail closely, working with our municipal partners to address conditions and tackle larger maintenance projects. On a tight budget, we kept up with essential repairs – fixing fencing, bollards, signage, and more – and removing graffiti, trash, and pet waste aplenty.

In short, what that trail user said to me is this work is needed – it matters. Please make a year-end gift to the Eastern Trail Alliance today. The challenges of 2025 are already on the horizon, and we need your help to weather whatever nature throws our way. Your support ensures that we can continue to monitor, maintain, and protect this incredible resource. Your generosity keeps the Eastern Trail beautiful and open to all. Please make a generous donation today and help us preserve this vital community asset.

See you on the trail!

Thank you,

Patrick Conlon
Trail Manager
Eastern Trail Alliance

We need your help, trail users! Are you a photographer? Have great photos?

We are looking for photos of the Eastern Trail and supporters enjoying the trail to publish on our website, social media, and in other materials.

For more information or to submit your images, please contact communications@easterntrail.org.

Led by the planning/engineering firm VHB, the Eastern Trail Alliance and Eastern Trail Management District in collaboration with the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC), MaineDOT and the municipalities of Kittery, Eliot, York, South Berwick, and North Berwick are proud to release the Eastern Trail Connectivity Feasibility Study Story Map.

This story map will allow you to see information about the initial feasibility study currently underway in the Berwicks to the Border Project, considering locations for future segments of the Eastern Trail between North Berwick and Memorial Bridge in Kittery. The different types of potential route alternatives may include shared-use paths along utility corridors, shared-use paths alongside a public road, boardwalk segments over wetlands and small streams, striped bike lanes or wide shoulders on roadways, and travel lanes shared by all users on rural roads with low traffic volumes and/or speeds. The detailed information is tied to geographic information which gives the public a view of both where and how these preliminary route alternatives may be used.

This 18-month study began in late 2023 and is expected to finish in early 2025. The ultimate goal is to recommend a route for a continuous off-road trail from North Berwick to Kittery. From there, the Eastern Trail Alliance, SMPDC, and individual municipalities will seek additional funding through grants and other sources to implement the priority recommendations from the study.

To learn more, please go here to visit the Story Map.

Additionally, an Eastern Trail Connectivity Study Community Workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Eliot Town Hall, 1333 State Road, Eliot, ME or via this Zoom link.

Saco Bay News | Randy Seaver, Contributing Writer | Mon, Nov 06, 2023

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a motorist on Spring Street in Saco last week. Just a few months before that tragic accident, another pedestrian was struck and killed near the intersection of Water and Main streets in Saco.

These tragedies underscore Patrick Conlon’s hope that both Biddeford and Saco will become the first communities in Maine to adopt the Vision Zero initiative. Vision Zero is a global program that began in Sweden as is now sweeping across many communities in the United States. The goal of Vision Zero is to improve safety and to eliminate traffic deaths: a vision for zero traffic deaths.

Conlon, 62, moved to Biddeford from New Jersey a few years ago. He discovered the area while visiting his wife’s family in the Ocean Park area several years ago. “The more I looked around, the more I liked this area,” he said. “I really liked the vibe I felt while biking along Main Street in Biddeford.”

For many years, Conlon worked in the publishing industry as a graphic artist for publications such as Rolling Stone magazine and the Wall Street Journal. Today, he works as the Trail Manager for the Eastern Trail, a connected series of hiking, biking and walking trails that extends from Kittery to Bug Light in South Portland.

Although nearly two-thirds of the 62-mile Eastern Trail runs along roadways, Conlon is hoping that the trail can be expanded over time and rely less on public roads and highways.

To say that Conlon is an avid bicyclist would be a gross understatement. Conlon literally rides his bike everywhere, describing himself as belonging to the “fearless” category of bicyclists.

Your job is to maintain several miles of trails between Kittery and South Portland, and you take your bike to work?

“Oh yeah. (Smiles) I bike whenever I can. I typically carry tools in my (rear-wheel bags) such as a folding rake, a chainsaw and pruning shears.”

The Eastern Trail is basically southern Maine’s portion of the much larger East Coast Greenway, right?

“Exactly, so the East Coast Greenway runs along the Eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine, and it continues along much of the Eastern Trail, all the way to Calais.

How did the Eastern Trail become a reality?

(Laughs) “Well, you can pretty much thank the beavers for the creation of the Eastern Trail. What many people don’t know is that the Eastern Trail pretty much follows on top of the underground right-of-way that belongs to Unitil, a gas and oil company. Previously, the right-of-way belonged to the Eastern Rail Line.

“Basically, many people used to hike along a section of that trail through the woods in Arundel. The gas company benefitted from having people keeping eyes on the trail. Well, one year the drainage ditches along the trail were flooded because of beavers building a dam.

“We went in to fix the problem and ever since, we have had co-access to the trail. So, it was the beavers that made us realize that a lot of people enjoyed the trail and that it could benefit from some routine maintenance.”

You’re a champion of creating more bicycle lanes in the Biddeford-Saco area. What’s the stumbling block to making that happen?

“Actually, we just have to decide to make it a reality. We’re making some progress, but we have a long way to go. It’s one of those things that challenges the status-quo. We have to be able to step back and see the much larger picture. We can do it incrementally.

“Every time we repave a section of road, why not mark off a lane on that roadway? If it’s too narrow, maybe just widen the road a bit. We’re already there. Already spending money to fix the road, why not add a bike lane?”

You say more bike lanes will encourage more people to ride bicycles and reduce traffic problems.

“That’s right. As it is now, there are many areas where it’s just not safe to ride a bike. Basically, there are three categories of bicyclists. The first category is the ‘fearless’ group. That’s the category I fit into. We basically will ride our bikes anywhere, even along major roadways such as Rte. 111 and outer Route One. The second category is the people who will likely never ride a bike, regardless of what we do. The third category, which I believe is the largest group, is made of people who are interested in biking as alternative transportation, but they find current traffic patterns to be daunting.”

It’s not uncommon to hear motorists complain about bicyclists not following the rules of the road.

I understand those complaints and concerns. Unfortunately, some cyclists don’t follow the rules of the road and that can create dangerous situations. I believe we should be teaching bicycle safety and regulations in school.

“There are so many benefits to cycling. You have better health outcomes; reduce carbon emissions and you actually improve local economies. We, especially in the United States, live in a society that has been basically indoctrinated with the belief that cars should be the de-facto mode of transportation.

“Again, I think we need to step back and look at the bigger picture. You always have the option of shopping more frequently and buying fewer groceries with each trip. People who live in more urban areas tend to shop that way. We have to be willing to re-examine our priorities.”

You say the city of Saco is a step ahead of Biddeford in creating a plan to encourage bicycling and walking.

“I would like to see Biddeford commission a master bike plan so that we can start planning for the future in a more cohesive way. Just having it on paper would be a huge first step. And we should look at both cities together.

“You have to start somewhere, and right now we’re not really doing anything. We need a guide to get us where we want to be. Saco has already established a Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee. We need to follow their lead and join forces with them. I strongly, so strongly, support creating a better connection between the two cities for both pedestrians and bicyclists.

“As our populations increases, our traffic is going to increase. We absolutely need to look at ways to improve our traffic and make public safety a top priority.”

You can read the full article online here.

Dear Eastern Trail Enthusiast,

Every community along the Eastern Trail is an important part of our mission, and your voice matters! The Eastern Trail Alliance wants to hear what you think about us and how we can better fulfill our mission.

Can you spare a few minutes to share your thoughts on how important the trail is to you and your top priorities? Your input will help us to shape a brighter future for the Eastern Trail and continue to develop this fantastic resource in Southern Maine.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Thanks for being part of our journey!

Sincerely,

Randi Hogan
President, Board of Trustees
Eastern Trail Alliance

Nearly 800 riders took part in the 20th annual ride along the southern Maine coast, with registrations benefiting the Eastern Trail Alliance.

By Luna Soley | Times Record

SOUTH PORTLAND — There were sheer curtains of fog drawn across the bay, the sort of morning that makes you want to stay in bed. Not so for the riders gathered by Spring Point Light, chatting, adjusting helmets, and hailing friends as they waited for the go-ahead at 7 a.m. last Sunday to begin the 20th annual Maine Lighthouse Ride.

“We’re going to go off in groups of 50,” a volunteer instructed by megaphone. “Don’t be shy, feel free to come right up.”

Nearly 800 bicyclists took part in the event – coming from as far as Ontario and ranging in age from 7 to 89 – to ride routes of 25, 40, 62 or 100 miles along the southern Maine coast. About half of the riders were from Maine.

There was a sense of camaraderie. Leah Day of Peaks Island, seemed to speak for many riders when she said, “There’s no better way to spend the day than doing the Maine Lighthouse Ride!”

Day is the owner of Lighthouse Bikes in South Portland. She left a 25-year career in counseling to start the company after riding cross country with her son in 2019, when he was in high school. She did the 100-mile ride Sunday with a group of women from Peaks Island, one of whom said she hadn’t ridden that far since before her children were born.

The Maine Lighthouse Ride is an annual fundraiser to support the Eastern Trail Alliance, a nonprofit founded in 1998 with the aim of turning sections of the old Eastern Railroad Corridor into a continuous route for bikers and hikers. The Eastern Trail now covers approximately 65 miles, from the Piscataqua River in Kittery to South Portland.

The fundraiser is generated by registration fees, which ranged from $115 for the 25-mile ride to $140 for the 100-miler, or century ride as it is called. Bob Bowker, the ride’s founder, said proceeds from this year’s ride will go toward maintaining the route, improving kiosks and paying staff.

Participation in the event has grown dramatically since the inaugural ride in 2003, held as a 40-mile route by 40 determined riders in the rain.

“We were actually following the riders around with hot coffee and hot soup,” Bowker said. After four or five years, “We were up to 300 or 400 riders,” he added. “It was mostly word of mouth, it just kept growing and growing.”

The Eastern Trail has added 11 miles of off-road trail to its network since 2008. Still, there is a long way to go to complete the alliance’s ambitious vision of connecting Kittery to South Portland with a continuous off-road trail. The campaign to “Close the Gap” with a 1.6-mile connector trail between South Portland and Scarborough has taken longer than anticipated. The alliance has received funding and approval for the project, but officials don’t anticipate breaking ground until early next year.

However, Bob Hamblen, vice president of the board of the Eastern Trail Alliance and former city planner in Saco, said he feels “more positive than ever” about the progress of the trail. “We may be in a bit of a holding pattern for the Close the Gap project, but we know that that will be brought to a conclusion in the relatively near future.”

The bicyclists riding in support of the alliance went off in half-hour intervals on Sunday, depending on the length of their routes, with the century riders leaving first at 7 o’clock.

When asked whether he was nervous before the century start, Doug Brockelbank replied, “No, no I love it.” Then he paused for a few moments, unsure if he heard the question correctly. “At risk? Is that what you said? No, I’m excited.”

His friend interjected. “He’s definitely at risk,” he said, laughing.

Less than 5 minutes later, their jersey-clad backs, hunched over their bikes at a matching angle, disappeared around the first turn.

Despite winding roads through Cape Elizabeth, frequent spurs suddenly leading to an open coast, and the not-so-welcome interruption of 2 1/2 miles of gravel road across the Scarborough Marsh (repeated twice for riders doing 40, 62, and 100 miles), nobody seemed to lose their way. As promised, neon orange circles – with a line pointing in the direction of the next turn, were spray painted at frequent intervals along the route.

A rest stop at Cape Elizabeth’s Kettle Cove proved to be popular among the riders. Between predictable slices of watermelon and a heap of bananas, trays of pickles and a big bowl of chocolate peanut butter cups were disappearing at time-lapse speed. The contents of the trash can were flecked with gold foil. This was not a day to eat just one.

A mere 2 miles from the finish, riders climbed a steep hill and stopped to admire the view from Portland Head Light. “There’s a lot of interesting history and symbolism in these lighthouses,” said Reed Carlman, a senior at Bowdoin College, “but mostly I’m just glad to be along for the ride.”

Read the entire article online here.

More than 750 bikers gathered for the Maine Lighthouse Ride on Sunday, a fundraiser for the Eastern Trail Alliance. 25-, 40-, 62-, and 100-mile routes stretched from South Portland to as far as Kennebunkport.

KENNEBUNK POST | Posted 9/11/2023 8:03 PM

SOUTH PORTLAND – There were sheer curtains of fog drawn across the bay last Sunday, the sort of morning that makes you want to stay in bed. Not so for the over 100 people gathered by Spring Point Light in South Portland, chatting, adjusting helmets, and hailing friends as they waited for the go-ahead to begin a 100-mile Century bike ride.

“We’re going to go off in groups of 50,” a volunteer instructed by megaphone, “don’t be shy, feel free to come right up.”

The Trader Joe’s rest stop at Kettle Cove was stocked with fruit, pickles, and peanut butter cups. Luna Soley photo

“Don’t tell anybody we’re not really doing the 100-miler,” confided two older women dressed in matching neon yellow windbreakers, “We’re trying to beat the rain.”

Two teenagers, conspicuously wearing shorts and T-shirts despite the chill, wanted to be quoted in the paper. “My names Noland,” said one, “and my name’s Ian,” added the other – and then said, in unison, “and we’re both excited for the 100-mile bike ride!”

Sept. 10 was the 20th anniversary of the Maine Lighthouse Ride, first completed as a 40-mile route by 40 determined riders in the rain in 2003.

“We were actually following the riders around with hot coffee and hot soup,” said Bob Bowker, the ride’s founder. After four or five years, Bowker recounted proudly, “We were up to 300 or 400 riders. It was mostly word of mouth, it just kept growing and growing.”

The Maine Lighthouse Ride is an annual fundraiser to support the Eastern Trail Alliance, a nonprofit founded in 1998 with the aim of turning sections of the old Eastern Railroad Corridor, discontinued since 1945, into a continuous route for bikers and hikers to enjoy. The Eastern Trail now covers approximately 65 miles, from the Piscataqua River in Kittery, near the New Hampshire border, to South Portland, Maine. Bowker said proceeds from this year’s ride will go towards maintaining the route, improving kiosks, and paying staff.

This year, over 750 participants travelled from as far as Ontario, Canada, to ride 25-, 40-, 62-, and 100-mile routes along the Southern Maine coast, paying a registration fee to support the Eastern Trail. They ranged in age from 7 to 89 years old, hailing in equal numbers from Maine and out of state.

Read the remainder of the article online here