Tri-Community Bikeway

A proposed bikeway connecting the Town of Stoneham, the City of Woburn, and the Town of Winchester.

Project Description

The Tri-Community project consists of converting an abandoned railroad right of way which links the Towns of Stoneham, Winchester and Woburn through 10 kilometers (6.6 miles) of continuous railroad beds into a pedestrian/bikeway and linear park system for the benefit of the general public. For purposes of this document, the Tri-Community Bikeway shall be referred to as the Bikeway. The project will provide a direct connection to the public transportation system in creating a pathway linking bus stops in Woburn and train stations in Winchester and eventually hook-up to the Alewife MBTA stop through the Minuteman Bikeway. It is strategically located to serve as a component to a number of proposed bikeways such as the Border to Boston Bikeway; the Minuteman Bikeway; Bike to the Sea; Cape Ann to Cape Cod Bikeway. The Bikeway will enhance a multi-regional bikeway/pedestrian and public transportation system.

The municipalities will be responsible for engineering design and permitting. Mass Highway will advertise the Project and provide resident engineering services. The Project will then be turned over to the respective communities for maintenance.

Stoneham Section

The Stoneham section of the Bikeway will involve the conversion of approximately 1.5 miles of abandoned railroad right of way primarily for transportation purposes with a linear park system incorporating, among other associated uses, a continuous paved way for bicycles and pedestrians, an exercise course, a nature trail and scenic landscaping is planned as well. In addition to the improvement of the railroad bed for enhanced transportation purposes, new parking areas and intermittent street crossings will ensure optimal accessibility to the Bikeway. The project is also a component of a multi-regional pedestrian and bicycle transportation system interconnecting with significant regional road networks and local public transportation. The Stoneham portion of the Bikeway will safely connect the Central Elementary, the Middle School, Recreation Park, Pomeworth Field, and numerous business and residential areas all located in the Town. The proposal is over and above a normal transportation project which will further several enhancement categories including the provision of facilities for pedestrian and bicycle use, the preservation of abandoned railway corridors, landscaping and other scenic beautification.

This project has strong local support in that the 1992 Stoneham Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly to dedicate the abandoned railroad right of way for the above stated uses and the Town's Railroad Right of Way Land Use Committee has been working since 1998 on the planning and more recently the implementation of the Bikeway. The MBTA as the owner of the railroad right of way at issue has previously deeded most of that land to the Town of Stoneham. Based upon the dedication of the land for open space and recreation by Town Meeting for public use and the prior acquisition of a majority of the right of way, this project is essentially ready and able to proceed once funded.

Woburn Section

A Vision Document for the Woburn portions of the Tri-Community Bikeway

The Tri-Community Bikeway is a proposed bicycle/pedestrian trail, connecting the communities of Stoneham, Winchester and Woburn. The trail areas in Woburn involve the abandoned railroad right-of-way (ROW) in East Woburn and the Horn Pond recreation area. Specific descriptions of both areas of the Bikeway in Woburn are as follows:

The East Woburn leg of the Bikeway will begin at said rail ROW, at the Stoneham town line. From there it will run west along the ROW to the Aberjona River. At this point, it is contemplated that the way may follow the Aberjona River south (along the westerly side of the Aberjona, which contains a 45 ft. wide MWRA sewer easement) into Winchester or continue along the ROW to Central St. From this point, the Bikeway will follow Central St., south into Winchester.

In Winchester, the Bikeway will connect with an existing multi-purpose trail, which runs north/south through Winchester. At northerly side of Wedge Pond, the trail joins with its northwesterly leg, which runs along Horn Pond Brook into Woburn. Taking this leg of the trail, it is planned that the Bikeway will remerge in Woburn, at the Horn Pond Recreation area. From this point, the Bikeway will loop around Horn Pond and back to the point of origin at Horn Pond Brook in Winchester. The combined Bikeway areas in Woburn will comprise approximately 3 miles, with the East Woburn leg consisting of approx. 1.2 miles and the Horn Pond leg having the remaining 1.8 miles.

In regard to the general construction elements of the Bikeway, the Horn Pond portion of the way should not involve extensive construction, since most of the Bikeway route around the Pond is already paved. However, paving and sub-grade work along the northwesterly shore of the Pond may be called for. It is also anticipated that signage and landscaping improvements will be needed for this section of the Bikeway. Especially in regard to the historical aspects of Horn Pond, i.e., the Pumping Station, Middlesex Canal route, the former bowling alley/arcade center on Horn Pond Island and the Native American artifact, known locally as the "Indian Bowl". This latter item is located on the southwesterly slope of Horn Pond Mountain and is a grinding bowl carved into a granite slope.

The East Woburn portion of the Bikeway will involve considerably more work than the Horn Pond leg and will include: the removal of the existing rails and ties, redesign of the rail trestle that crosses the Aberjona River, extensive paving, landscaping and signage. NOTE: With this section of the Bikeway being a former railroad line, sub-grade work should be minimal.

The intention of the Tri-Community Bikeway is to:

To enhance public access to the above described areas and to better establish both areas as valuable and useable open space resource locations.
To understand how these areas can be better used by the community and make appropriate decisions to enhance both passive and active recreation.
To construct a linear park along the former railroad ROW in East Woburn, and connecting it with Stoneham and Winchester linear parks.
To utilize the East Woburn linear park and Horn Pond as outdoor health and science classrooms for both young and old, and thus, providing an opportunity to improve the quality life for those who use the Bikeway.
To aesthetically enhance the environment over the way, via improved landscape composition, with special emphasis placed on planting species indigenous to the area.
To enhance wetland and other open space areas along the way.
To establish and preserve these valuable community resource areas as useable open space.
To generate awareness of the abutting Bikeway areas as an historic and cultural landscapes.
To offer the community an alternative transportation network, free from motorized vehicles.
To encourage residential and commercial abutters of the Bikeway to improve bordering fences and landscaping.
To foster earth stewardship among the citizens of Woburn, by identifying improvement projects, promoting volunteerism, and giving them some of the responsibility for managing the linear park.
To extend the Bikeway into the communities of Stoneham and Winchester. Thus, creating a Tri-Community Bike Path, and the possible further linking up with the Minuteman Bike Path in Arlington.
To encourage our local, state, and federal elected officials to assist in the procurement of funding for this exciting project.
To seek private funding for some aspects of the project.
To unite the community in pride and a common goal to be realized in this decade.
This document prepared in collaboration with officials from Stoneham and Winchester.

Last updated October 28, 2001 by David Chesler