Welcome to The Eastern Trail in Southern Maine Southern Maine’s Multi-Use Greenway
The Eastern Trail is both a trail and a vision. The Eastern Trail has 22 off-road miles from Bug Light (in South Portland) to Kennebunk, as well as a scenic on-road route that mostly follows quiet country roads. Experienced bike riders and hikers can enjoy a beautiful journey from South Portland’s Bug Light Park on Casco Bay (near Portland) to Kittery’s Piscataqua River.
The vision to create the Eastern Trail started in the early 1990’s, led by John Andrews and several others. More on that early history here.
Today, to complete this vision, we are aggressively developing plans and funds to both close a critical 1.6-mile gap between South Portland and Scarborough and then add 19 miles between Kennebunk and South Berwick.
Congratulations to the Sebago to the Sea Trail Coalition, which has finally realized its dream of creating a continuous trail from Sebago Lake to the Atlantic Ocean. Now, we’d like to see the Eastern Trail Alliance, which has made equally great strides in recent years connecting sections of former rail line along the southern coast of Maine, finally create an unbroken link from Kittery to South Portland.
The Sebago to the Sea Trail has been in existence since 2012, thanks to the members of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, which took it upon themselves to work with landowners and the state to carve a trail from Sebago Lake to the ocean. It starts out in the woods of the Sebago Lake Land Reserve, owned by the Portland Water District, and follows the Mountain Division Rail Trail from Standish into Gorham, past the Maine Correctional Facility in Windham and then into Westbrook, where it follows Bridge Street and East Bridge Street until plunging back into the woods along the Presumpscot River. It crosses into Portland near Riverton and then follows the Presumpscot through Riverside Golf Course and into Falmouth near the highway overpass on Blackstrap Road. From there it wends its way, sometimes on streets, sometimes on paths, through residential Portland and finally meets the sea at East End Beach, where “through-hikers” can celebrate with a dip in the ocean.
While envisioned as far back as 2007, when the coalition started meeting, in 2012 the group announced that the final connection of the trail was in place. But the news carried with it a caveat, that the 5-mile section from Gorham into Westbrook had to be completed by boat along the Presumpscot since an overland route was delayed due to construction on a section of rail line. Now that rail bed reconstruction is complete, coalition members are installing signage this spring to direct trail users along the completed rail section where users will be allowed to walk alongside the new tracks. So, about a decade after their vision was born, the overland Sebago to the Sea is a reality, and we think that’s a great thing not only for local hikers and cyclists, but also for further enhancing the reputation of Greater Portland as a haven for outdoor activities. The 28-mile trail is certainly a feather in the cap of the communities it passes through.
We also hope people take advantage of this new trail and have a lot of fun along the way. There are places to swim, eat picnic lunches and, of course, observe nature. Parts of the trail, which follows about 13 miles of the pancake-flat Mountain Division rail line, already get a lot of usage, and we feel this final link in the chain will increase pedestrian and bicycle traffic even more.
No surprise here – two sections of the Eastern Trail were among 6 trails recognized as family-friendly community bike trails in Maine, according to the 4/30 Portland Press Herald.
Scarborough Marsh – “This trail is a lot of fun for birding enthusiasts if you want to make frequent stops to look at the marsh birds. The smooth, packed-gravel surface and lack of hills on this path make for a very easy and pleasant ride with kids.”
Greenbelt Walkway in South Portland – “The diversity of sights along this trail is fun – from a view of the water and lovely backyard gardens (the trail abuts quite a few homes) to the woods and open fields. And Mill Creek Park and Bug Light are great spots for a picnic lunch.”
Amtrak’s Downeaster welcomed as seasonal economic boost
By Faith Gillman Staff writer | Posted: Friday, December 26, 2014
KENNEBUNK -The last time a train stopped at the station on Depot Road in Kennebunk, Lyndon Johnson was president. That same year “Downtown” by Petula Clark, and The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” were at the top of the Billboard charts.
Fifty years have passed since riders were able to hop on a train in Kennebunk. But now that a seasonal stop on Amtrak’s Downeaster line has been approved for the town, passengers will soon be able to ride the rails and visit downtown and neighboring areas from Kennebunk once again – providing, supporters hope, a welcome seasonal economic boost.
Plans to bring the train back are well under way, according to Mat Eddy, Kennebunk’s economic development director.
“We got the green light from Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (in May 2014) and hired Sebago Technics to do a conceptual drawing,” said Eddy. “We will have a 300-foot platform (that) will allow for bicycles to be loaded and unloaded at the stop.”
When the train does stop, it will do so at Kennebunk’s original station, which is now home to Dietz Associates, a design and advertising firm. The building and the business are owned by Tim and Kathy Dietz of Kennebunk. The town is negotiating a lease with Dietz Associates, which will continue its operations from the depot, but will offer space in the building for ticket sales and a waiting room for passengers. Tim Dietz is onboard with the project.
“We do want it for the town and for us,” said Dietz. “Kathy and I are delighted to have the building come back to its original use. We love this building. It’s exciting for it to be the focus of activity, and everyone involved has been working well together.”
Dietz, who is a bit of a history buff, did a considerable amount of research on the building to find out as much as he could about its history.
“The foundation for the station was laid in 1872,” said Dietz, “which was discovered at the Brick Store Museum while reading the day-to-day diary of Andrew Walker (Kennebunk’s town clerk during the mid-19th century). And at one time the stationmaster here was given an award for the most beautiful garden of any train station. Kennebunk was spelled in flowers in the garden.”
SCARBOROUUGH – It’s been at least seven years since town leaders in Scarborough first began talking about making Oak Hill more walkable.
Now, the town’s Ad Hoc Transportation Committee is hoping to get the final designs for upgrading the intersection by enhancing crosswalks and making changes to better address pedestrian and motorist safety in early 2015.
In a memo sent to the Town Council recently, the committee said its goal is to get the final engineering plan in February and then put the project out to bid in either late February or early March, with a completion date of mid-June.
Town Planner Dan Bacon said this week that $300,000 collected through the assessment of impact fees on development projects in Oak Hill will be used to pay for the improvements, which include new crosswalk striping and the construction of “pedestrian refugee islands.”
The other elements of the project include installing new pedestrian signals that would prohibit right-hand turns when the button is pushed, increased lighting, construction of a sidewalk and the narrowing of the entrance to the Citgo station along Black Point Road.
The project also calls for the elimination of the right-hand turn lane heading southbound on U.S. Route 1 and the construction of a rumble strip in the left-hand turn lane heading northbound on Route 1. The goal of the rumble strip is to lessen the number of car accidents happening at the intersection of Route 1 and Fairfield Road, near the fire station.
This project will complement work that’s already been done, including the construction of a sidewalk along Black Point Road to connect the Eastern Trail to Oak Hill, a flashing crosswalk sign at the intersection of the Eastern Trail and Black Point Road, the installation of sidewalks and crosswalks between Route 1 and Hannaford Drive and traffic-calming islands and crosswalk improvements at the intersection of Hannaford Drive and Gorham Road.
In addition, the Transportation Committee said, the town has secured another $440,000 in funding from the Maine Department of Transportation, under its Safe Routes to School program, to expand the current sidewalk network in Oak Hill from the school campus up Gorham Road to Sawyer Road and to the Oak Hill Plaza.
The Transportation Committee was established by the Town Council in 2012 to work on pedestrian and safety improvements in and around Oak Hill. However, construction on those upgrades was put off while the town dealt with other road projects, including the reconstruction in Dunstan Corner and on Pleasant Hill Road.
Jim Bucar saw this sign recently in Scarborough, and stopped to snap a photo.
Rodgers Ski and Sport is a constant supporter of the Eastern Trail, and we very much appreciate their support.. Thus we want to recognize and boost their efforts, as they have been advertising and boosting our efforts. Thank you, Rodgers!
MaineDOT Commissioner Bernhardt signed a new policy on June 14th, 2014 that outlines important elements of Maine’s improved project planning and development processes. Complete Streets policies have a foundation in federal law, guidance, and best practices, and have been signed into law or policy in states and communities throughout the nation.
The MaineDOT Complete Streets Policy, developed in 2013 and 2014 through extensive internal and external stakeholder processes, outlines how MaineDOT and its project partners will consider the needs of all users when planning and developing projects. The intent of this policy is to help ensure that all users of Maine’s transportation system—our customers—including bicyclists, pedestrians, people of all ages and abilities, transit users, and motor vehicle users, have safe and efficient access to the transportation system.
The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) has a long history of providing for the needs of all modes of travel in the planning, programming, design, rehabilitation, maintenance, and construction of the state’s transportation system. This policy is intended to improve Maine’s project delivery processes to help improve and maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system that supports the mobility and economic needs of our state.
The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) has a long history of providing for the needs of all modes of travel in the planning, programming, design, rehabilitation, maintenance, and construction of the state’s transportation system. This policy is intended to improve Maine’s project delivery processes to help improve and maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient transportation system that supports the mobility and economic needs of our state.
The following is a link to the MaineDOT Complete Streets web page, which also has links to many related policies, laws, rules, guides, and training programs.
Dan Stewart MaineDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager Bureau of Planning Outreach Division Maine Department of Transportation 16 State House Station Augusta ME 04333 207-624-3252 E-mail: dan.stewart@maine.gov Web:http://www.maine.gov/mdot/bikeped/
The Discovering the Southern Eastern Trail Monthly Ride Series will be held every 3rd Saturday in summer 2014. The first ride was held June 23. Some pictures from that ride appear below:
ARUNDEL — The board of selectmen approved the installation of six to eight parallel parking spaces on the west side of Limerick Road, near the juncture of the Eastern Trail.
The juncture lies southeast of town hall, between the respective intersections of Limerick and Mountain roads, and Limerick and Campground roads.
There is designated parking for the Eastern Trail in the corner of the town hall parking lot; however, the walk to the actual trailhead is somewhat precarious due to the narrow road and minimal shoulder.
“Walking from the town hall parking lot to the trail, we got a lot of comments about safety,” said Town Manager Todd Shea. “Since we don’t have a sidewalk, we thought we’d allow parking there.”
Reconsidering the municipal ordinance started last year, when illegal parking at the entrance of the Eastern Trail was anticipated to cause safety issues due to the road’s slightly elevated curve.
In February, Roger Taschereau, director of the public works department, voiced the possibility of installing a handful of gravel parking spaces on the shoulder of Limerick Road near the Eastern Trail — a venture likely to cost about $1,900.
Last summer the town of Arundel received a grant for participating in community-healthy activities after residents participated in a rural active living assessment conducted by the Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition. The grant is to be used for activities that promote healthy living, Shea said in February. The town has been encouraged to spend that money — approximately $1,500 — to build parking spaces, Shea said.
Gravel parking spots, factoring in the use of grant money plus the cost of gravel, would cost approximately $400.
Since the summer of 2013, Russ Lamer has led “loop and lunch rides” on the Eastern Trail. Each has offered a loop ride on either (or both!) the off-road or on-road sections of the trail, as well as a refreshing restaurant lunch along the route.
Read about previous rides further below on this page.
Schedule for Eastern Trail Loop & Lunch Rides 2019:
June 8th…This ride started at Bug Light in South Portland taking the ET Greenway to Wainwright field then continued on the road on Highland Avenue to Black Point Road to Prout’s Neck, back to 77, right at Sprague Hall down to the Sprague estate entrance and back to 77 and then to Two Lights and back to 77. We stopped at C-Salt for lunch before returning to Bug Light.
August 24th…The August 24th ET Loop & Lunch Ride was a lot of fun, and filled with unusual happenings. The group of 18 riders started out at Thornton Academy on the Eastern Trail, and 16 ended up at Bug Light before going to Scratch Bakery in South Portland for lunch. One rider dropped off from the group at Pin Point Road and the Scarborough Marsh; and our Sweep’s computer mount broke and he had to back track to find it, and therefore ended his ride (by the way, he never found it). After a delicious lunch, we had a great ride back. Only one flat tire on our return trip…but everyone was smiles when we arrived at the Thornton Academy parking lot. Perfect day for riding.
September 28th…This ride will be a Kittery to South Berwick loop on the Eastern Trail. Look for meet up location and more details to come.
October 19th…This is the annual Tweed or Crazy Sweater Ride that starts at Wainwright Field in South Portland, crosses the Scarborough Marsh on the ET then we take the road into Old Orchard Beach to Route 9 Camp Ellis and on to Saco to have lunch at Cia. After lunch we return to Wainwright on the ET.
Check in time begins at 9 a.m. and rides start at 9:30 a.m. Requirements: wear helmet, bring your own water and bottle(s), be able to ride 30 plus miles, ride an average speed of 12 to 15 mph, bring money for lunch, and have fun.
The rides are capped at 25 so please contact Russ Lamer at crankoneta@gmail.com before a ride date to let him know you are riding.
Requirements:
Safety is a high priority: riders will sign a waiver at check-in, and provide emergency contact info; a ride sweep will accompany all rides
Wear a helmet
Be able to average a speed of 13 to 15 mph
Make sure you bring sunscreen, money for lunch and a bottle of water or two.
Examples of Some Past Loop & Lunch Rides
June 7, 2014 – 20 riders turned out for the first Loop & Lunch ride of 2014. The weather was perfect with plenty of sunshine and just the right amount of summer breeze. Riders started on the Eastern Trail at Black Point and Eastern Roads in Scarborough then rode along the scenic coast through Old Orchard Beach to Camp Ellis then up Route 9 into Saco.
Lunch was at Run of the Mill Restaurant in Saco, and what an outstanding job the restaurant did waiting on the Loop & Lunch Bunch. Laura our waitress deserves one big medal for doing a superb job on taking orders and delivering everyone’s food all at the same time. The service and food were an A+!
On the return trip, everyone worked up enough of an appetite for a stop at Bayley’s Ice Cream on Pine Point Road in Scarborough before crossing the marsh back to the parking lot.
August 29, 2015 – The most recent Loop & Lunch Bunch ride was another perfect day, and a fun 38 mile ride for the ET Loop & Lunch Bunch. Fourteen riders started at the Eastern Trail at the Biddeford Medical Center, and took the off-road trail to Kennebunk. From there we took the on-road ET to Wells.
Lunch was at The Seed & Bean Restaurant. Great rides, great people, great food! Look for details to come on the next ET Loop & Lunch Bunch Ride. Photos provided by group ride photographer Bob Bernoth.