Fall Walks and Summer Rides: Traversing and Celebrating the Region’s Trails

By David Loutzenheiser, Senior Transportation Planner, and Tim Viall, Senior Communications Specialist

The MetroWest Regional Collaborative recently hosted its fifth Trails Summit

November 8, 2024 – As December approaches and cooler days slowly begin to amount, there may be a few opportunities left to enjoy the outdoors without the need to layer up or don hats and gloves. Across the MAPC region, a growing network of greenways, foot trails, and other surface combinations provides means for exploring, exercising, and increasingly – getting from point A to point B – quickly and effectively by biking / cycling.

The cities and towns west of Boston – namely those that make up the MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MWRC), one of MAPC’s subregions, are home to dozens of trails and paths. In mid-October, more than 80 trail advocates, supporters, nonprofits, municipal staff, and elected officials gathered at the Ashland Community Center for the annual MetroWest Trail Summit.

Since 2017, the communities of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Marlborough, Natick, Southborough, Wayland, Wellesley, and Weston have worked together to create a connected, prominent, regional active transportation and recreation network that follows MAPC's Landline Vision Plan.

With a focus on Ashland, this year’s MetroWest Trail Summit highlighted advancing the Upper Charles Trail in the town, including connections to the East Coast Greenway in Framingham, as well as to Ashland and Hopkinton State Parks. MAPC staff members also presented on the Holliston Creative Placemaking Strategy, which included a call for public art and resulted in new murals across Holliston. Additional speakers included Senate President Karen Spilka, Senator Jamie Eldridge, and Representative Jack Lewis, and many others.

Photos from the 2024 MetroWest Trail Summit

After the speaking portion of the event, attendees were invited to participate in two walks to adjacent trails: one to an abandoned rail right of way to the west of the Community Center that has the potential to be developed into a trail; and the other to Ashland State Park, where a bridge will be replaced to allow for more accessible access. Check out the photos above and view the 2024 MetroWest Trail Summit PowerPoint presentations – several other projects are covered!

Reminiscing on even warmer days, each year MAPC organizes the Landline Greenway Ride Series. Concluding in September this year, each afternoon bike ride was designed to travel new greenways and/or learn about new or proposed projects.

Take some inspiration from these rides and photos as you plan your next outing (or daily commute)!

East Boston Greenway – Highlighted planned extensions to Winthrop and Revere (Beach). MAPC recently submitted an application for federal funding for a bridge over Belle Island Marsh, connecting Boston and Winthrop.
Newton – This ride was hosted by the City of Newton and BikeNewton with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). We visited the Hammond Pond Parkway project, Commonwealth Ave project, and other trail gaps in the city.
Charlestown – The Boston Planning & Development Agency led a walk around Charlestown focusing on new developments and potential greenway projects, particularly around Bunker Hill Community College and by Sullivan Square.
Peabody, Danvers, Middleton – The ride focused on upcoming projects to complete the Independence Greenway in Peabody, and recent and upcoming projects on the Middletown/Danvers Rail Trail.
Mystic Lakes – In collaboration with the Mystic River Watershed Association, the ride focused on several feasibility studies along the Mystic River and Mystic Lakes to provide improved shared use paths along the corridors.
Bruce Freeman and Mass Central - A ride with MassDOT and DCR attending that focused on under construction segments of the Bruce Freeman in Sudbury (4.9 mi) and Mass Central (7.6 miles) in Hudson and Sudbury.
Watertown – Hosted by the City of Watertown along with DCR, the ride followed the Watertown Greenway, including a few final segments to be constructed in the next few years. Watertown has advanced a number of other bicycle and walking projects throughout the City.