This is a running list of resources that relate to the prospective project to convert the Needham-Medfield line to a recreational trail.

Rails to Trails Conservancy

• Acquiring Rail Corridors: How-to Manual
• Secrets of Successful Rail-Trails: An Acquisition and Organizing Manual for Converting Rails into Trails (also attached below)

Federal and State Resources

• DCR Recreational Trails Grants Program: The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) accepts applications for Recreational Trails Grants on an annual basis, with the deadline typically around October 1
• MAPC (Metropolitan Area Planning Council)
• Link to funding sources on MAPC site
• MAPC Regional bike plan (also attached)
• State bicycle plan
• The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is responsible for conducting the federally required metropolitan transportation-planning process (often called the 3C—continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive—process) for the Boston metropolitan area.
• Central Transportation Planning Staff - The purpose of creating CTPS was to develop a permanent resource of expertise in comprehensive, multimodal transportation planning and analysis, to promote interagency cooperation, to ensure consistency among planning efforts, to reduce redundancy, and to fill gaps in the capabilities of MPO members. This is the group that conducted the Needham-Millis feasibility study, as well as a feasibility study of the Bruce Freeman rail trail.

Other Local Trails

• Upper Charles River Trail: Connecting Milford, Hopkinton, Ashland, Sherborn, and Holliston.
• Wachusett Greenways: North of Worcester, running through Sterling, Holden and Rutland.
• Wakefield Rail-to-Trail Committee

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

• The Bruce Freeman Rail Trailis a proposed 25-mile long trail from Lowell to Framingham, a good reference project for this case.
• Rail Trail Studies on the Friends of Bruce Freeman site. This has several excellent articles about issues related to building a rail trail.
• Bruce Freeman: Legal Aspects of Rail Trails
• Bruce Freeman: Studies of existing and proposed rail trails - Lots of good lessons in these pieces.

Other

• MassBike's list of Massachusetts Bike Paths

Maps

• Trustes of Reservations page on Charles River Peninsula, including Trail Map (also attached below).