ATHOL – Representatives of Howard Stein Hudson Associates, a Boston-based planning and engineering firm, have presented a final technical/feasibility memorandum for the proposed Rabbit Run Rail Trail.

The trail would run for 6.2 miles from the New Salem town line to downtown Athol and roughly follow the rail bed of the old Enfield & Athol Railroad, which ran through the Swift River Valley from Springfield to Athol.

The report was unveiled during a recent meeting of the Open Space and Recreation Committee. The presentation included design options, a recommended plan for completion in four phases – including several alternatives routes, and next steps to make the trail a reality.

The section of trail included in Phase 1 would run south, from the intersection of Tunnel Street and South Athol Road to the intersection of Thrower and South Athol Roads. The report explains that the “trail type starts as a roadside shared-use path and switches to a rail trail that follows the abandoned Rabbit Run railbed at Bidwell Farm.”

The report notes that the first phase has potential to provide multiple trailheads and parking areas. These include a small lot and trailhead near the southeast corner of the Tunnel Street underpass, provided an easement agreement could be reached with CSX Rail. A lot for 20 vehicles could be established at the Bidwell Farm.

Phase 1 will require crossing South Athol Road twice. One crossing depends on the alternative chosen, being located at either the Riverview Avenue and South Athol Road intersection or the Patridgeville Road and South Athol Road intersection. The second crossing is about 700 feet north of the Thrower Road and South Athol Road intersection. The report explains that vehicle speed data for each location will need to be collected before details can be worked out.

The total cost of the first alternative is $5.5 million, while the cost of the second is $6.2 million. The figures were determined using the MassTrails Cost Estimating Tool.

Chris Malsch of HSH told the committee, “For summer 2023, the process really falls more into the town of Athol’s lap. We’d be looking to the next stages for funding of the design of the trail and, ultimately, the construction, however that gets broken out.”

Athol Planning and Development Director Eric Smith noted that he and other town officials, as well as residents who support the trail project, have been in contact with landowners whose cooperation will be needed to complete either alternative of Phase 1.

Next steps

Phase 2 runs from the intersection of Thrower and South Athol roads to the intersection of the abandoned rail bed and Carpenter Road, and could prove the most problematic of the four phases. Each alternative route for this phase calls for a crossing of Route 2. Alternative 1 would require the construction of a tunnel under Route 2. The cost for this alternative is estimated at $15 million. The second alternative could require use of the existing South Athol Road underpass beneath Route 2, and could require widening of the underpass. If this needs to be done, the cost may run between $5 and $6 million.

Phase 3 of the trail begins at the intersection of the abandoned rail bed and Carpenter Road and extends 1.7 miles south, ending just prior to Riceville Brook. The cost of this phase – which includes an aggregate trail with an unpaved shoulder for equestrian access and longs stretches of fencing, along with crossings over Ellinwood Brook and Thrower Brook – is estimated at around $5.3 million.

The final phase begins at the Riceville Brook crossing and proceeds to the intersection of South Athol Road and Morgan Avenue, about 400 feet from the New Salem town line. Costs for three alternative routes for this section run anywhere from $1.9 to $4.3 million.

Anyone wishing to see the complete technical/feasibility memorandum should go to the Rabbit Run Rail Trail web site: https://tinyurl.com/mvsuka4y.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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