The Revere portion of the Northern Strand Trail is expected to be open next spring thanks to a major grant from the federal government.
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner John Murphy and Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board Chairman Dick O’Brien announced yesterday that Bike to the Sea was awarded a grant worth $116,202.
The grant will be used to build the 1-mile Revere section from Linden Square in Malden to the Saugus line. Funds will also be used to add amenities to the Saugus section of the trail including benches and kiosks. The Recreational Trails Grant program is funded by the Federal Highway Administration.
This is the fourth Recreational Trails Grant awarded to Bike to the Sea. Previous grants helped build the trail in Everett, Malden and Saugus. When the Revere portion of the trail is open next year the Northern Strand Trail will be 7.5 miles long with a contiguous route from Everett, through Malden, Revere, and ending on the Lynn line in Saugus. Lynn is the last part of the trail that still needs to be approved by the city of Lynn and then built.
The non-profit organization Iron Horse is working to remove the railroad ties and to install a smooth gravel surface in Revere. Plans to pave the trail there are on hold until more funding can be found.
At an award ceremony along the trail in Saugus Bike to the Sea officials released the following statement: “As you can see, the trail provides access to beautiful stretches of marshlands and offers the opportunity to provide a route to the sea for 100s of thousands. You can also see that we have had to address challenges of dumping, neglect and working near numerous abutters to get to this point.”
Bike to the Sea officials also thanked officials in Everett, Malden, Revere and Saugus for supporting the trail and said they hoped to talk to officials and residents and Lynn soon to finish the project. Bike to the Sea has been working for more than 20 years to build the trail but it’s only been the last couple of years that physical work to construct it began.
Some 32 recreational trail projects across the state were awarded grants this month, according to a press release from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. A complete list can be found in that press release here.