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Archived News

Many articles about the Eastern Trail are organized on this news archives page. The most recent articles appear immediately below, with the first part of each article displayed. Click on any article title, or the “Read More..” link to read the full text of that article.

 

 

Archived News
August 31, 20120

Scenic trails built for two-wheeling

ETA Webmaster note: This article is from the AAA Horizons magazine for Southern New England. It lists the Eastern Trail as one of ten favorite scenic trails in New England.Click here to go directly to the ET description in their list below.

By Juliet Pennington

Eastern Trail, York and Cumberland counties in southern Maine. “The path flies by as you and I ride a bicycle built for two.”

So go the lyrics from one version of the popular song, “Daisy Bell,” commonly known as “Bicycle Built for Two,” a ditty written in the late 1800s by English songwriter Harry Dacre while on a visit to America.

And while most prefer bicycles built for one to those of the tandem variety, cycling enthusiasts share a love of this healthy, outdoor activity that is often accompanied by a picturesque backdrop best viewed while two-wheeling.

There are many scenic bike paths within a day’s drive, and more are in the planning, design and/or construction phase. Most have shops in close proximity that rent and sell bicycles.

Here are some of our favorites:

1. Burlington Bike Path, Burlington, Vt. Built on a former railway line, this 7.5-mile recreational path runs along the Lake Champlain shoreline and links six public parks. It also passes two beaches, several picnic areas and offers breathtaking views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains to the west. For those seeking a longer route, the trail extends north into neighboring lakeside towns.

2. Cayuga Waterfront Trail, Ithaca, N.Y. One of the most scenic bike paths in the Finger Lakes region, this paved waterfront trail cuts through the lovely Cass Park and continues along the shores of Cayuga Lake. Two-thirds complete, construction on the final 2-mile stretch – connecting Cass Park and Ithaca’s Farmers Market at DeWitt Park – will begin next year to complete the 6-mile trail.

3. Charles River Bike Paths, Boston/Cambridge/Watertown. Several paved, off-road paths make up this multi-use recreational trail. Travel along both sides of the Charles River, from the Museum of Science in Boston to Watertown – passing through the Boston Esplanade. On Sundays, from the last Sunday in April through the second Sunday in November, Memorial Drive (from Eliot Bridge to Western Avenue) is closed to cars and makes for a great leisurely bike ride.

4. East Bay Bike Path, Providence to Bristol, R.I. Begin your 14.5-mile ride in the industrialized section of the city, through Haines Memorial Park, over bridges and along beaches that border sparkling Narragansett Bay. Continue on past Bristol’s beautiful Colt State Park and end your journey at Independence Park, a waterfront green on historic Bristol Harbor.

5. Eastern Trail, York and Cumberland counties in southern Maine. The construction of this bike path that follows the historic Eastern Railroad corridor began in the mid-1980s. When all is said and done, it will be a contiguous 65-mile off-road path meandering through 12 communities in two counties in southern Maine. About 22 miles have been completed and, so far, the longest stretch is an 8.8-mile route between Saco and Scarborough. Woods, streams, marshes and bogs will greet cyclists as they enjoy the Pine Tree State’s natural beauty.

6. Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway, New Hav­en, Conn., to Northampton. Following the corridor of the defunct Farmington Canal, this bike path will stretch for 84 uninterrupted miles once it’s complete. Beginning at the Yale University campus and running north, more than half of the 84 miles have been developed as a recreational route for non-motorized activities. There are plenty of trees to provide shade and attract a variety of birds, and picnic tables and benches dot the path.

7. Franconia Notch State Park Recreational Trail, Franconia, N.H. This paved bike path that parallels Franconia Notch State Parkway for a nearly 20-mile round-trip loop offers amazing views and takes riders within easy reach (or sight) of the park’s many attractions, including the Flume Gorge, Echo Lake and the site where the Old Man of the Mountain profile stood sentinel prior to the rock formation’s collapse in 2003.

8. Lachine Canal Recreation Path, Montreal, Quebec. This city’s cycling scene is among the best around, with more than 300 miles of bike routes and paths. One of the most popular of these asphalt corridors is the 9-mile stretch along the banks of the Lachine Canal, from the Old Port to Lake Saint-Louis. Cyclists enjoy stunning scenery as they ride along this relatively flat path on an inland waterway.

You can read the full article online here but you will have to enter a valid MA zip code (02630 works) at the opening screen.

Archived News
August 31, 20120

Triathlon draws thousands

ETA Webmaster Note: The running portion of this triathalon was done on the Eastern trail. This article makes several references to the Eastern Trail.

Posted: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 12:16 pm | Updated: 11:30 am, Wed Aug 29, 2012.

By Cameron Dunbar

OLD ORCHARD BEACH – Swim 1.2 miles. Bike 56 miles. Then run 13.1 miles.

And do it starting at 6 a.m.

Sounds crazy, but that’s what nearly 1,200 triathletes from all over the country and around the world did Sunday in the inaugural Revolution3 Triathlon in Old Orchard Beach. Revolution3 Triathlon, a group that organizes professional events nationally, put on the race, and its $25,000 purse drew 33 professionals from the upper echelons of the triathlon world, as well as scores of amateur competitors.

Putting on such a large event in a small seaside town presented a logistical challenge for Old Orchard Beach, Assistant Town Manager Louise Reid said, but in the end the event went off without a hitch.

“The comments that have been made to me by volunteers and department heads who were involved was that it was one of the most organized events that they’d been a part of,” Reid said. “It was smooth, it was well attended, and the comments that were made to our police officers and our volunteers were thank you from the company and all the participants.”

Not all of the competitors completed the long-distance 70.3-mile half-Ironman course. Many competitors, including the professionals, opted for the 0.9-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike and a 6.2-mile run Olympic Rev route.

The swim portion of the race took place off Old Orchard’s well-known beach, ending at the Pier, where the athletes got out of the water and transitioned to the bike event.

The bike course winded out into the countryside, snaking through the roads of Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Dayton, Lyman, Waterboro, Hollis and Scarborough, and the last-leg running portion took the athletes through Scarborough Marsh and over a portion of the Eastern Trail before coming full-circle back to the finish line on 1st Street in Old Orchard Beach.

Click here to read the entire article on-line

Archived News
July 27, 20120

Wheeling into the future; Kid mob kicks off campaign to buy 25 bikes

Posted: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 4:03 pm | Updated: 4:18 pm, Wed Jul 25, 2012.
Kate Irish Collins kcollins@keepmecurrent.com

Kids Mopb on the ET John Andrews bridgeSACO – More than 300 kids in bright yellow T-shirts “mobbed” the pedestrian bridge over Route 1 in Saco Tuesday morning, July 24, to kick-off a fundraising campaign to buy 25 bikes for the Saco Parks & Recreation program.

The goal is to raise $7,500 in order to buy the bicycles and related safety equipment, such as helmets, according to Justin Chenette a member of the Saco Bikes for Kids committee. Chenette is also running for the House District 134 seat this fall.

He said the bikes initiative is a collaboration between the Eastern Trail Alliance and the city of Saco with the goal of getting kids interested in using the trail and “putting those electronic devices down.”

“The next 250 years begin now and Saco’s kids are the bridge to get us there. So what better way to show support for our bright future than to celebrate Saco’s newest addition, the John R. Andrews Eastern Trail Bridge and fill it with kids and bikes?” said Bob Hamblen, president of the Eastern Trail Alliance, who is also Saco’s city planner.

This summer, Saco Parks & Recreation plans to incorporate the Eastern Trail into a variety of field trips, according to Kevin Lombard, program director at the city department.

Read the entire article on-line here

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Archived News
July 26, 20120

Tracks on the Trail

Saco youth campers use Eastern Trail to kick off bicycle fundraiser

By LIZ GOTTHELF, Staff Writer

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 12:06 PM EDT

Kids on the ET John Andrews Bridge!SACO — On Tuesday morning, about 300 children in the city’s summer park and recreation camps, along with 90 staff members, all in bright yellow and pink shirts, crowded onto the John R. Andrews Eastern Trail pedestrian bridge. Cars honked as they passed below on Route 1.

The “kid mob” was a kick-off for the Saco Bikes for Kids campaign, a local effort to raise money for 25 bicycles and helmets for the city’s recreation program in its summer camps and after-school programs.

The effort is a way to promote the Eastern Trail, particularly among youth, and create enthusiasm for healthy lifestyles, said campaign organizers.

In honor of the city’s 250th anniversary, organizers are asking for donations from private individuals and local businesses in the amount of $2.50, $25 and $250. The goal is to raise $7,500 by September, said Justin Chenette, one of the campaign organizers.

Eastern Trail Alliance President and Saco City Planner Bob Hamblen said he had the idea to acquire bicycles for the city, after a similar program was initiated at Kennebunk Elementary School.

Read the full article on-line here

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Archived News
July 13, 20120

Transportation bill presents potential ‘triple whammy’

By Kevin Millerkmiller@mainetoday.com
Washington bureau chief

Advocates for making Maine friendlier for cyclists and walkers are expressing concerns about federal funding cuts to programs that communities often use to pay for bike lanes, crosswalks and road safety programs aimed at schoolchildren.

But the Maine Department of Transportation is dismissing some of the worst-case scenarios being discussed, saying it’s too early to tell precisely how the federal cuts could affect the state’s bicycle and pedestrian safety programs.

President Obama is expected to sign the first multi-year transportation funding bill since 2009 in a ceremony today, roughly one week after Congress approved the $120 billion spending plan.

The bill maintains overall funding levels for the next 27 months, but cuts funding for bike and pedestrian safety programs by about 30 percent.

The bill maintains overall funding levels for the next 27 months, but cuts funding for bike and pedestrian safety programs by about 30 percent.

Dan Stewart, right, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Maine Department of Transportation, leads cyclists over the Eastern Trail bridge at Scarborough Marsh last summer.

Dan Stewart, right, bicycle and pedestrian program manager for the Maine Department of Transportation, leads cyclists over the Eastern Trail bridge at Scarborough Marsh last summer.
Stewart said it is premature to say how state programs will be affected by cuts proposed in a new $120 billion federal transportation plan.

The bill also makes money available for additional types of non-highway projects and gives states more discretion in spending, allowing them to divert money intended for bicycle or pedestrian projects to other transportation needs.

The result, says the head of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, is a potential “triple-whammy” to projects aimed at making Maine more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

Read the full article on-line here

Archived News
July 13, 20120

Trail work earns Hamblen honor

by Kate Irish Collins kcollins@keepmecurrent.com

Bob Hamblen recognitionSACO – Bob Hamblen, Saco’s city planner and president of the Eastern Trail Alliance, recently received the Community Celebrity Award from Cabot Creamery, which has honored 40 people across the country with this special recognition.

As part of the award, Hamblen received a seven-day Alaskan cruise, which leaves from Seattle in early September. The other community celebrities will also be on board for what Hamblen referred to as an opportunity to “mix and mingle and swap ideas.”

He’s “pleased as punch” with the award, as well as “absolutely flattered and honored.”

Hamblen received a certificate of recognition on Saturday, July 7, in Portland as part of the Cabot Community Tour, which consisted of three bicyclists riding the entire East Coast Greenway trail from Florida to Maine.

Hamblen, and several others from the Eastern Trail Alliance, caught up with the through riders as they passed through Saco and escorted them up to Portland’s Payson Park for the end of their long journey.

Tony Barrett, a former trustee of the East Coast Greenway, who lives and works locally, nominated Hamblen for the Community Celebrity Award, and referred to him as  “truly the hidden hero of the Eastern Trail Alliance.”

Read the full article on-line here

Archived News
June 11, 20120

Eastern Trail parking debated

By Samantha Stephens, email, SeaCoastonline.com
May 31, 2012 2:00 AM

ARUNDEL — There was much debate regarding potentially allowing parking on Limerick Road for the Eastern Trail at the Board of Selectmen meeting held on Tuesday, May 29.

Catherine Rush, an Arundel resident, was first to voice her concerns, questioning whether any measures have been made to make sure children and families parking on Limerick Road, and inevitably stepping onto the road, will be protected.

Sam Rush, Catherine’s husband, also voiced his concerns about the parking proposal and called it a “poor idea.”

“I don’t think there is safe access for parking on Limerick Road,” Rush explained.

Resident John Bell disagreed, saying he doesn’t see the harm in allowing at least a temporary parking option for residents who want to use the trail.

Dan Dubois, Arundel resident and member of the Planning Board, agreed with Bell and said it’s safer to park at the trail than have people park at M.L. Day School or the Town Hall and walk down the busy road.

Tad Redway, Arundel Town Planner, proposed the idea of increased signage to warn drivers of bikers and pedestrians.

“We wouldn’t just do parallel parking without looking into options,” Redway assured the Board of Selectmen and residents.

It was also explained that, with the exception of four or five spaces at the end of Mountain Road, this would be the first example of parallel parking in Arundel.

Selectman Dana Peck voiced his concerns with making this the “town’s issue” because ultimately it will be decided by the Board of Selectmen, rather than Arundel voters, whether parking will be permitted on Limerick Road.

Peck said this issue has become a “thorn in our side” and he was concerned about making the right decision for the safety and benefit of all residents, both users and non-users of the trail.

Selectman Phil Labbe, owner of Labbe Excavating, said this issue is one that’s very important to him because of the often dangerous situations in that area.

Labbe said just this past week one of his trucks weighing 50-60,000 pounds was driving down Limerick Road and a woman with two children came off the trail and began to walk across the road without looking.

Labbe said the driver slammed on his horn and they backed up but it was a dangerous situation and those who use the trail need to “look and respect traffic,” even at crosswalks.

Vice Chairman Mark Paulin said he wanted to wait on a vote to make sure allowing parking on Limerick Road wouldn’t interfere with abutting properties such as Rush’s home.

“He’s owed that,” Paulin said, agreeing that drafting a plan might be in everyone’s best interest before moving forward.

Selectman Tom Danylik agreed.

“We’re premature with this,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m looking at. I don’t know what space is available. I think we’re jumping the gun a little.”

The board voted 3-1 to table the discussion until further research can be presented at the next Board of Selectmen meeting.

Read the full article online here

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Archived News
June 6, 20120

Heading home

By RACHEL LOVEJOY, Columnist
Published:Tuesday, June 5, 2012 1:24 PM EDT

Last weekend, I took a walk along the portion of the Eastern Trail that connects Biddeford with Kennebunk. Wide, flat and very well maintained, the trail moves in a pretty straight line, its end disappearing into infinity in the distance, and it offers quite a few spiritually restful stops along the way. Of course, I never visit such places without my trusty camera in hand, and this walk was no different.

I started out fairly early and met few others on the way. As the morning wore on, however, the trail became quite populated with other walkers, cyclists, runners and dogs. Small children zoomed by on their tiny bicycles, and one little girl had to stop at one point so her mother could reattach the chain that had fallen off its gears. Off she went again, her handlebar streamers flying out straight on either side of her.

All types of song birds called from the dense woods on either side, and the farther in I got, the more varied they got. Warblers warbled, thrushes regaled me with their flute-like melody, and I heard, too, the insistent song of the ovenbird greeting me as I passed. The air was warm, but there was relief to be had every few feet as the branches of the taller trees offered shade from the hot sun. And there was no end to the visual pleasure of all the vegetation in the form of ferns, mallow, buttercups and bramble blossoms along the way.

About a half-mile in from the trail head behind Southern Maine Medical Center’s rear parking lot, I came upon a stream complete with a beaver dam built high against its outlet. Its weathered branches formed an intricately woven pattern cleverly and ingeniously stacked against the water’s flow, and most of the wood these industrious creatures used seemed to be of the same variety with all pieces appearing from where I stood to measure roughly five to 10 feet in length. They were placed is such a way as to completely impact the flow both above and below the water line, and I marveled at the instinctive ability that makes such a structure possible.

Other areas of water marked that section of the trail on either side, with one particularly interesting bog punctuated every few feet by a single, dead tree trunk standing placidly among the reeds and rushes. A stream flowed around and between the weather sentinels, making for an eerily beautiful and photoworthy sight – adding to the pleasure of once again being among sun-dappled trees, which made the day and the experience complete for me. I left later feeling renewed and hopeful.

All told, I completed close to three miles, turning back about a half-mile beyond the Arundel town line marker. And despite the fact that one sees the same things going back on the return trip, one never tires of such beauty as can only be found along such unspoiled well-cared-for walking paths. [Article continues……]

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