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Cochituate Rail Trail Advisory Committee

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1. What is a rail trail?

A rail trail is a recreational area located within an abandoned railroad Right-of-Way (ROW). Rail trails are increasingly common in Massachusetts and throughout the United States. To learn about rail trails throughout the U.S., check the Rails To Trails Conservancy.

2. Where is the Cochituate rail trail?

The CRT will follow the Saxonville Branch Right-of-Way (PDF) beginning in Natick Center at Willow Street, past the Natick Soldier Systems Center and the Springvale Water Treatment Plant, across Route 9, along the western boundary of Cochituate State Park, across route 30 at the Natick/Framingham border, past TJX and on to the Saxonville section of the CRT in Framingham. There is also a spur that connects the right-of-way with the Natick Mall.

3. Will the trail connect to the Natick Center MBTA Station?

That is the long-term plan. The MBTA is considering whether and when to redesign the commuter rail station for full accessibility, and at that time the southernmost section of the CRT will be designed to provide a connection to the station. The Town has funded a feasibility study of a new MBTA station as a starting point.

4. When will it be built?

The CRT is scheduled to begin construction in 2018 and take about two years, if the project stays on schedule.

5. Why should Natick have a rail trail?

The CRT will connect neighborhoods and destinations in Natick and Framingham, offering a healthy, convenient travel choice for people of all ages and abilities on foot, bicycle, wheelchair, skates, and other means. It will encourage people to visit Natick Center, provide new commuting options for the Natick Soldier Systems Center, Natick Mall, and many residential and business locations all along the corridor, including TJX and Mathworks. The trail will provide eventual connections to other regional trails for destinations north, east and west.

6. What kind of activities will be allowed on the trail?

Commuting, recreational, sightseeing and use of nearby parks is anticipated. The Town will develop regulations to ensure safety for all users and neighbors relating to time of use, noise, etc.

7. What is the ROW being used for now?

The land is still owned by CSX, with no current public access to the trail.

8. Can I use the right-of-way now?

The right-of-way is still privately owned and the public does not have permission for access. The town has installed temporary barriers to indicate this, and to discourage illegal dumping and to address public safety concerns. The southern end of the trail is used for MBTA access to the storm water drainage system at the Natick Center MBTA Station.

9. What is the status of the design?

The 25% design is nearing completion and will be presented in a public hearing in 2016. Following the approved 25% design, the Town’s design consultant, BETA Group, will undertake 75% and final design. The design is anticipated to be complete in 2017.

10. Who would use or benefit from a rail trail?

The community would use and benefit from the CRT. This will be a public park and would be accessible to all members of public for recreation and commuting. The CRT would provide access to Natick Center, the Natick Mall, Cochituate State Park, and employers, residential neighborhoods and other connections between Natick and Framingham.

If the CRT is built and provides an alternative means of transportation, this will benefit all users of public ways. The CRT would also provide emergency access for public safety purposes.

11. What other rail trails are nearby?

The CRT will connect to the 1.4 mile Saxonville section of the CRT in Framingham, which is now open. Framingham’s section was finished in 2015, and was built earlier because the land was previously owned by the Commonwealth, not by CSX. The Framingham section was partly funded as a sewer project and partly with federal and state funds. Natick and Framingham are working cooperatively to complete the entirety of the project; the bridge proposed across Route 30 will be partly in Natick and partly in Framingham. Other regional trails include:

Upper Charles Traill
Assabet River Rail Trail
Minuteman Bikeway
Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

12. How much will it cost to buy and to build?

The Town has signed an agreement to acquire the CSX right of way for $6.35 million based on the CSX valuation methodology used for their abandoned corridors. The intention is to fund the acquisition with a combination of mitigation funds, a state grant and private fundraising through a non-profit called Friends of Natick Trails, who have signed an agreement with the Town to raise money for the project.

The construction cost of approximately $7 million will be paid for by the federal and state government through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The CRT is programmed for Federal Fiscal Year 2018.

The design and related costs of approximately $800,000 have been funded by mitigation and smart growth incentive payments. CRT Task Force is evaluating project costs as part of its assignment by the Natick Board of Selectmen. The costs may include acquisition, design, construction and maintenance.

13. Can we get the land for less money?

CSX can only sell the land to Natick, as long as we are using railbanking, but CSX does not have to do so indefinitely; CSX only concludes a limited number of transactions each year, and will not sell the land for a lower price. The Town has had extensive negotiations, and both Natick and CSX have conducted several appraisals.

14. Can we take CSX land for the CRT by eminent domain?

Almost all of the CSX land needed for the CRT is subject to the federal “railbanking” statute, which gives the town exclusive negotiating authority and preserves the corridor intact. This statute prevents eminent domain taking. Part of the land may be subject to eminent domain, however.

15. How much will it cost to maintain?

That is to be determined, as well as who will pay for and perform maintenance. Maintenance costs will be budgeted by the town of Natick, and may be supplemented by private fundraising. One significant variable will be snow removal, which has not yet been determined. A report on trail maintenance is available from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy at this link.

16. Will the town lose property tax revenue from using the CSX right-of-way as a rail trail?

No, primarily because most of the land is not able to be developed for business or residential use, because the assessed value is relatively low, and because the increase in values along the trail, along with potential for tax-generating projects, is significant.

17. Have other towns been through this process?

Yes, Milford has completed its section of the Upper Charles Trail, and Holliston continues to plan and build its section. Sudbury, Framingham, Concord, and other communities are building and planning the Bruce Freemen Rail Trail, and Falmouth has extended the Shining Sea Trail. There are now more than 1000 such trails nationwide. Many rail trail projects in Massachusetts are in planning and construction, in addition to others already in use. The surveys of residents from Lexington and other area communities have indicated high satisfaction levels and broad support for the trails in their towns.

18. What kind of environmental impact will there be from the rail trail?

Environmental testing is underway to assure that the right-of-way is safe for the Town to acquire and own. The Town will assume liability for any environmental conditions on the trail.

19. What about parking?

The town acquired land at the end of Mechanic Street in 2007 that is intended for trail use, as well as to accommodate needs at nearby Navy Yard Field. Other public parking is available along the trail. The town will monitor parking needs and make adjustments as required.

20. What about the privacy of those living near the trail?

Privacy concerns of abutters is important, and will be part the design and security planning for the project. Abutters should participate in planning assure a good design. Abutters will receive notification of the public design hearing, and comments are welcome during the design process.

21. What is the impact of rail trails on property values?

Property values tend to increase alongside rail trails. Studies of property values along trails show that lots adjacent to trails sell faster and for an average of 6-9% more than similar properties not located next to trails.

In a 2002 survey of recent home buyers sponsored by the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Home Builders, trails ranked as the 2nd most important community amenity out of a list of 18 choices. For more information, see the Trails and Greenways Clearinghouse in Washington, DC.

22. Do rail trails attract crime and vandalism to neighborhoods?

There is no evidence that rail trails cause an increase in crime. In fact, trail development may actually decrease the risk of crime in comparison to an abandoned and undeveloped rail corridor. And, several studies have shown that people prefer living along a rail trail rather than an abandoned corridor. Typically, lawful trail users serve as eyes and ears for the community. However, a trail is unlikely to have a crime rate lower than that in surrounding neighborhoods. For more information, visit the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail website.

23. Who decides if there will be a rail trail?

Town Meeting has approved design funding and other appropriations starting in 2006, following recommendations from the Finance Committee. The Board of Selectmen has approved the project submission, approved Town Meeting appropriated expenditures, and Town Meeting will vote on partial funding for acquisition. Other Town committees have offered approval for the project, including the Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Open Space Advisory Committee.

24. What is the Natick CRT Advisory Committee?

The committee is appointed by the Board of Selectmen to advise the Town about the CRT project. It was formed as the CRT Task Force in 2006.

25. Will there be public transit on the CRT?

Not for the foreseeable future, other than bicycle taxis! In 2010, the Town engaged a consulting firm to consider the possibility of combining public transit, such as an electric minibus, with non-motorized transportation, using 2 parallel paths on the right-of-way with the clearances recommended by MassDOT. Because of the dimensional limitations of the right-of-way, the committee unanimously recommended that the town’s efforts focus exclusively on non-motorized transportation. The report is available at natickma.gov/crt.

26. Will dirt bikes and ATVs be allowed on the trail?

Although no regulations have yet been put in place for this proposed trail, virtually every rail trail in the country prohibits motorized vehicles on the trail, other than those used for handicapped accessibility, or for public safety, maintenance and emergency response.

27. How can I find out more?

The CRT Advisory Committee holds regular public meetings, and other Town committees will review this project as work proceeds. You may receive updates from the CRT Advisory Committee through the town web site. You may also sign up for committee updates at this link, or contact the Friends of Natick Trails at this link.

28. Do you have questions not answered here?

Email crt@natickma.org