It's been a busy summer for the Framingham Cochituate Rail Trail Committee! Much progress has been made as we work towards opening a short section of trail next spring. Below are some highlights:

Spring Clean Up a Big Success - On May 1st over 30 volunteers met at the trail entrance on Old Connecticut Path and worked their way south to Route 30 removing trash and brush. Two large trees which had fallen onto the trail were removed and 37 tires were pulled out of the wetlands. Special thanks go to Jeff Batta and his crew from Nissan of Natick for removing huge piles of brush and trash from the slope next to their facility. This area has been subject to illegal dumping over the years and substantial progress was made in cleaning it up. Thanks to everyone for helping out!

MTA Easement Finalized - In June the Town of Framingham received a permanent easement from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority which will allow trail construction from Route 30 to the Massachusetts Turnpike (about 1/2 mile). We are developing a "Phase 1" design and plan to open this short section of trail to the public next spring. This is a huge step forward for the CRT!

The CRT will be part of the New Natick Mall - In July the Framingham CRT Committee, the Natick Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and the Framingham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee all participated in the Natick Planning Board hearings on the proposed expansion of the Natick Mall. The Natick Planning Board and the developer responded by incorporating the CRT into the design of the project. Specifically:

• There will be a 10-foot wide, multi-use trail on the North and East sides of the development. The old "Wonder Bread spur" rail line could be used to connect the CRT to the new Mall Trail. It may be possible to eventually extend the trail west to AMC theatres, Shopper's World Mall, the MBTA bus stop, and Logan Express.
• High quality bicycle parking will be provided.
• A bicycle/pedestrian crossing of Speen Street will be constructed.
• The developer has committed $100,000 towards a crossing of Route 30 for the CRT.

The Natick Planning Board decision is currently under appeal by several parties including the Town of Framingham, but we expect this project will move forward. To the best of our knowledge this will be the first mall in New England with a direct connection to a major rail trail!

Progress with the MBTA Lease - The EPA, MassBike, the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, the DEP, and dozens of cities and towns are working with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to create a standard lease for rail trail development on MBTA property. The Framingham CRT Committee and the Town of Framingham are actively participating in this process. In August, legislation was passed which would limit the MBTA's liability on rail trails. Progress has been made on other issues and we expect an acceptable lease within the next few months. Once the Town of Framingham approves the lease, trail construction can begin from the Massachusetts Turnpike to School Street in Saxonville (about 1 mile).

Fall CRT Events - We invite you to join us for two fun events on the CRT this fall:

• CRT Fall Clean Up - Saturday, October 2nd, 9am - 3pm. See our flyer for details.
• Tour of the CRT - Sunday, October 17th, 10am - 12pm. See our flyer for details.

Other developments - Keep an eye out for the "Future CRT" signs on Route 30 (near Home Depot) and Old Connecticut Path (near Cochituate Brook Reservation). Our new website, www.CRTrail.org, has all the latest information on the CRT project and has already seen over 2,000 visitors. Check it out.

We would like to thank the following people and organizations for their contributions to the Cochituate Rail Trail project over the past few months:

• Framingham Board of Selectmen
• Framingham Department of Planning and Economic Development
• Chris Petrini, Framingham Town Counsel
• Debby Blumer, Massachusetts State Representative
• Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
• Natick Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
• Natick Planning Board
• General Growth Properties
• Friends of Saxonville
• Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
• Nissan of Natick
• Landry’s Bicycles
• Natural Sound
• REI

Volunteers are crucial to the development of the Cochituate Rail Trail. Our Committee encourages the public to participate in our monthly meetings, or donate a skill or service. If you would like to help out, contact Mark Lamkin at 774-249-0789 or email us.

Thank you,
Framingham Cochituate Rail Trail Committee

Please note the trail is not yet open to the public - We will keep you posted.