Southeastern Mass. Bikeways and Trails

Fields Park, Brockton

The main trail is on the road and is about 4.5 miles long. The road is 22 feet wide with 10 feet being used for the bike trail. The whole road is closed to cars week end mornings until about noon. There are several other shorter off road asphalt trails all in all a pleasant urban bike experience. John Dorgan, the park superintendent, has been given two grants to improve the bike trails and will start work next year.

New Bedford Bikepath

Currently a 1-mile path on New Bedford's waterfront, this path might be extended to downtown, making it useful for transportation as well as recreation.

Phoenix Bike Trail, Fairhaven [map] [more about trail]

This 3.3-mile trail runs from the ocean in Fairhaven to the Wareham town line following an old New Haven Railroad spur. Named after the Revolutionary and Civil War Fort Phoenix (several blocks from the waterfront path terminus), the right-of-way was bought by the town in 1954, though a path wasn't planned until 1978. Construction wasn't until 20 years later, in 1998. In 2004, a 2-mile spur from the DPW yeard to the shore was completed.

Future Southeastern Mass. Bikeways and Trails

Franklin Trail

The Metacomet Land Trust announced plans in August 1997 for a north-south trail corridor between Grove Street in Franklin and the Charles River at the Medway town line. The new trail would take up where the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) now ends. In addition to being the backbone of a network of trails and access routes linking open and recreation space throughout Franklin, this trail would connect the SNETT through Franklin to an abandoned rail bed off Village Street in Medway, not real far from the Upper Charles Bikepaths, on the eastern edge of Milford.

Mattapoisett Multi-Use Trail [map] [more maps]

This proposed multi-use trail is part of a tri-town project, starting with Fairhaven's completed 3.5-mile Phoenix Bike Trail, and to be followed by a bike path network in Marion. The four-mile Mattapoisett trail is divided into four phases. The first phase passed two votes by the townspeople: the first approved the land taking, and the second vote approved the funding. A web page maintained by Rob Price of the Narragansett Bay Wheelmen chronicles the progress made, and obstacles encountered, as the rough dirt trail evolves into a paved path, and becomes a vital link for residents to safely access neighboring towns-without the use of automobiles.

Norwood to Attleborough Rail Trail

This abandoned rail right-of-way is an important link in the future connection of Boston and Providence by the East Coast Greenway.

Old Colony Rail Trail

The Town of Mansfield owns 6 miles of right-of-way from the town center to the sewage treament plant in Norton, and is currently planning a rail trail, both unpaved for horses and paved for bikes over most of its length.

Quequechan River Regional Bike Path

The City of Fall River has been working to develop a Pedestrian/Bike Path to be used for recreation and transportation purposes. Upon completion of all phases, the path will link many of Fall River's most beautiful areas including Bicentennial Park, Heritage State Park and Britland Park. The path will traverse along scenic Watuppa Pond and the Quequechan and Taunton Rivers.

Salisbury Brook Greenway [map]

The City of Brockton is proposing a 3/4-mile long greenway alone the Salisbury Brook in downtown Brockton including a 12-foot-wide mixed use path. The Salisbury Greenway is designed to accentuate the beauty of Brockton's natural landscape by linking a number of publicly and privately owned brook side parcels. It will run along the edge of the brook from Keith Field on West Elm Street to its junction with Trout Brook at Grove and Summer Street.

| Online Resources | Groups & Chapters | Laws & Legislation |
| Newsletter | massbike Email List | MassBike Mission |
| Events & Meetings | People |
| Home |