Feasibility Study - Upper Charles River
Trail
Source: Based on Ed Perry's earlier publication of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s "The Upper Charles Trail Feasibility Study", issued June 1997.
Old rail depot at Central Street in Holliston
Feasibility Study Awarded
A study was awarded to the Metropolitan Area Planning council, MAPC, to determine the feasibility of converting unused and abandoned rail lines in the upper Charles River area to multi-purpose recreational and commuter use. The study, funded by the Public Works and Tourism grant program of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority on July 1, 1996, was completed in June 1997. Joan Blaustein, MAPC, is the progam manager.
The trail will be about 24 miles long and will go through a total of six communities if fully developed as presently envisioned. The communities are: Framingham, Sherborn, Holliston, Milford, Hopkinton, and Ashland. All six towns have indicated support for the project. A hard surfaced trail is planned over the existing railbed. The trail is expected to be used by cyclists, pedestrians, joggers, inline skaters and cross country skiers. Equestrian use is under consideration. Motorized vehicles will be prohibited except for emergency, law enforcement, and maintenance vehicles. The trail could be ready for use in as little as five years if everything goes smoothly.
The trail study is the direct result of the vision of John Thomas of Holliston. Thomas, president of Upper Charles Conservation, Inc., was the first to see the potential of converting the rail lines to recreational and commuter uses, and has been constantly gathering data and support, and promoting the concept for several years.
Description
The trail begins in downtown Framingham near the present AMTRAK and MBTA station. The present CONRAIL railbed crosses Waverly street (Route 135) and Hollis street (route 126) and heads south towards Sherborn. It crosses the Sherborn town line in about 1.25 miles and goes almost directly south through the western edge of Sherborn parallel to Western Avenue. Shortly after entering Sherborn it goes through the Sherborn Barber reservation. The trail then passes under the Whitney street overpass and crosses Dopping Brook into Holliston. The Sherborn section, between the Framingham and Holliston town lines is about 1.5 miles. Most of this section is rural with only an occasional farm or building visible. The railbed borders several wetland areas and is otherwise forested with mature trees on rolling hills along the way.
From Dopping Brook the railbed continues south through additional wetlands and forested areas to the next significan highway crossing at Washington street (route 16), about 1.3 miles from the Sherborn town line. From route 16 the railbed turns southwest and goes over Boggestow Brook, through some of the Holliston industrial areas, and the fringes of the Holliston downtown area. Several nice views are available along this section: One is of Factory Pond (also referred to as Mill pond); another is of the fields at the Holliston Junior High School. At Central Street, 1.3 miles from Washington street, the railbed leaves the industrial areas and continues southwest parallel to route 16 toward Milford. At about .95 miles from Central street the railbed passes through a picturesque brick faced archway under Highland street. In another half mile, at the Cross St. intersection, the rails end. There are several crossings of Chicken brook in the Cross St. vicinity. At about 1.7 miles from Central st. the railbed crosses Summer St. (Route 126) near Holliston Junior College. The railbed here is free of vegetation and appears to be heavily used by users. A short distance from Summer st. the trail passes a picturesqe pond behind the Village Plaza on Route 16. From here the trail continues behind the backyards of homes on Route 16. It gradually departs from the homes and highway and enters a serene and peaceful wooded area. In this area it crosses Hopping Brook and its tributaries, and is only occasionally interrupted by signs and sounds of civilization. At 3.7 miles from Central St. the railbed crosses South St. but quickly returns to a quiet, heavily forested environment. The railbed exits the forest at a broad power-line clearing in Milford, in view of U.S. route 495. The total distance from the Holliston/Sherborn town line to U.S. 495 is approximately 7.3 miles.
In Milford the railbed crosses under U.S. 495, crosses Beaver St., and continues in a southwesterly direction to Medway St. (Route 109). The railbed at that point is interrupted by a shopping center and is poorly defined the rest of the way into Milford Center. Surviving vestiges of the railbed can be seen at street intersections along its path. The railbed terminates at an old railroad yard beside Depot St. in downtown Milford about 1.8 miles from U.S. 495. Distances from Framingham to Milford Center are:
Waverly St. to route 16 in Holliston 4.1 miles
route 16 to Central st. " 1.3 "
Central St. to U.S. 495 in Milford 4.7 "
U.S. 495 to Depot St. yard " 1.8 "
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Total 11.9 "
From the end of the Framingham to Milford CONRAIL line at Depot St. in Milford, the proposed Upper Charles Trail follows another, older, abandoned railbed north to Hopkinton and northeast to Ashland and back to Framingham. From the Depot St. rail yard the railbed crosses Main St., through the Bicentennial Park, and along the western edge of the Cedar Swamp Pond to Dilla St. The railbed is blocked by U.S. Route 495 and forces the trail to detour up Dilla St. to Route 85 and under 495 to where the railbed crosses route 85 just north of the 495 intersection. From there the trail follows Route 85 north through the Charles River Headwaters area toward Hopkinton, crossing Route 85 again along the way. The railbed circles west and north of Hopkinton center and then heads east northeast to the Ashland State Park. Distances along this section are:
Milford Rail yard to U.S. 495: 2.0 miles
U.S. 495 to West Main St. in Hopkinton 4.5 "
West Main to East Main St. " 1.3 "
East Main to Ashland State Park 4.2 "
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Total 12.0 "
There is no railbed between the Ashland State Park and Framingham center. The only way at this time of closing the loop back to Famingham is via Route 135 through Ashland and into Framingham. This is a distance of about 7.5 miles.