To Sudbury Residents (please only sign this petition if you are a Sudbury resident)
The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (FBFRT) desire to move ahead with design of the BFRT in Sudbury and needs the approval the Sudbury Board of Selectmen to do so.
Specifically, with Sudbury Board of Selectmen approval of the project, the FBFRT will ramp up a fund raising campaign for the initial (25%) design of the Trail from the Concord/Sudbury town line south to and across Route 117 (North Road).
(The project campaign is called Bring the Trail to Sudbury and found at:
http://www.brucefreemanrailtrail.org/sudburyext/index.html )
This 0.5 mile section will bring the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail to the sidewalk along the south side of North Road, thus allowing safe off-road access to the Trail by bicycle and foot for a great many Sudbury residents. The design also will include a crossing signal at North Road. When this section of the rail trail is completed, Sudbury residents will be able to safely travel all the way to Lowell (~17 miles) on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.
The final (100%) design funding of the BFRT has been secured in Acton and Concord and construction funding has been programmed from Route 225 in Westford, south through Carlisle, Acton and Concord, into Sudbury (i.e., BFRT Phase 2).
However, until such time that the Town of Sudbury moves forward with construction of the Rail Trail, the Town of Concord will design the BFRT to the Sudbury Border, but only construct the trail only to Powder Mill Road in Concord. The reason for stopping short of the Concord/Sudbury border is that there will be no access and parking at that location. Also, there will be no parking available at Powder Mill Road, so Sudbury residents who want to use the trail will have to drive to West Concord or cycle up hilly curvy Dakin Road to reach the trail entrance at Powder Mill Road. Conversely, construction of the 0.5 mile section into Sudbury will allow Concord to complete construction of the trail to Sudbury / Concord border.
Greenman Pedersen Inc. (GPI) is currently under contract to perform the final design of the BFRT in Westford, Carlisle, Acton and Concord. GPI has estimated that the 25% design of the 0.5-mile extension of the Rail Trail into Sudbury will cost $50,000. The goal of the FBFRT is to raise the full $50,000 and turn the funds over to the Town of Sudbury to manage the 25% design project.
The FBFRT desires to work with the Sudbury Board of Selectmen, Town Staff and Town Committees, and the entire Sudbury community on the design of the Sudbury Extension. We desire the design of the extension becomes a top short-term priority for the Board of Selectmen. As stated above to facilitate the 25% design of the Sudbury Extension, the FBFRT will fund raise the cost of the project.
