SEABROOK — Selectmen have thrown their full support behind efforts to build an off-road recreation trail in town, New Hampshire's first piece of the 3,000-mile-long Eastcoast Greenway intended to run from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Fla.
With off-road bike paths along old railroad beds already running to the Massachusetts and Maine borders, state and regional officials believe Seabrook is best positioned to be the first New Hampshire path, as its former railroad tracks are owned by the state Department of Transportation.
NHDOT supports recreation trail construction for numerous reasons: keeping traffic off already busy roadways, providing safe biking and walking areas for children and adults, and bringing in tourism dollars. The department appears to be willing to hand over the land to Seabrook if a recreation trail is the purpose, and even help it along the way if possible, although outright funding may not be forthcoming.
With Seabrook's former railroad bed in relatively good shape, the next step in getting a segment of rail trail built from the state border to Railroad Avenue would be getting an agreement between Seabrook and NHDOT, Scott Bogle of the Rockingham County Planning Commission told selectmen yesterday. Bogle said the planning commission is willing to develop a first draft of such an agreement between the town and DOT. The offer was accepted.
Selectman Aboul Khan recently walked the area where the town's first rail trail would go.
"It's a beautiful place to walk and do things we can't usually do in town," he said yesterday.
"I'm 100 percent in favor of rail trails," said Selectman Bob Moore.
Selectman Brendan Kelly said he and his wife have often walked the rail trails in Newburyport and Salisbury, enjoying the experience enormously, and are hoping to have similar experiences in Seabrook soon.
"I'm definitely in favor of this project," Kelly said. "I think it's in the interest of the town."
In all, Seabrook's section of the Eastcoast Greenway would be 4.5 miles, but this first strip from the Salisbury line to Railroad Avenue is about 1.1 miles. According to Bogle, this portion was chosen not only for the condition of the land to be turned into a recreation trail, but also because of the community connections along the route.
Those using the trail could access Seabrook Public Library, various residential areas, including the town's housing authority, Seabrook Recreation Center, a proposed park at Cain's Mill Pond and most of the town's major retail shopping district.
An added plus is that the strip holds many historical structures and qualifies for the National Register of Historic Places, he said.
Spurs constructed off the trail could connect to Seabrook Elementary School and various parks, allowing children to ride bikes safely to and from school and recreation facilities without having to ride on roadways.
The cost of building a trail of this length is estimated at between $572,000 and $656,000, depending on the ground surface used, Steven Workman of New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway told selectmen. Workman and Bogle said that Seabrook has the chance to receive grant funding for the construction from Transportation Enhancement funds available through the federal government. The next round of funding opens next summer, which works well with Seabrook's timetable, Bogle added.
Helen Lalime of Seabrook Railtrail Alliance said that the group hopes to have a public meeting concerning the town's first rail trail. So far, support for the trails has been overwhelming, she said, but she is urging residents to turn out to express their preferences to ensure the trail truly responds to Seabrook's needs and desires.
In late fall, the alliance will organize a volunteer day, gathering people and businesses to begin work cleaning up areas.
For more information on Seabrook Rail Trail Alliance, visit its website, seabrook railtrail.org.
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