Hurrah! Concord is about to join the ranks of proud cities that have paved rail trails. The city has seen a vast rejuvenation of its downtown and so many other improvements over the past few years, and the addition of the long-awaited rail trail will catapult Concord into premiere destination status.
Communities develop a special pride when people are able to access the natural beauty of their surroundings. Currently, there’s very little access to Concord’s most beautiful natural feature, which literally flows through the heart of downtown — the Merrimack River. The Merrimack River Greenway Trail (MRGT) will traverse Concord from Boscawen southward to Pembroke, offering magnificent views of the Merrimack River, the city and the surrounding green space that has long been under-appreciated. It will be paved and therefore universally accessible to people of all ages and abilities. The MRGT is also a major connecting piece of the larger Granite State Rail Trail, which will someday run clear across the state, from Salem to Lebanon.
Growing up in the Newburyport area, I can attest to the positive and transformative power a paved trail has on the appeal of a city and the resulting effects it has on the community. The Clipper City Rail Trail broke ground in 2010 and it has since expanded all over the city of Newburyport, weaving in and out of historic streets and bumping along the river mouth.
Since retiring a year ago, my mother has reconnected with her bike and aims to go for rides every morning. She is not comfortable riding on busy roads next to cars and traffic, but she adores this rail trail network around her and would not be biking if it weren’t for these trails. Folks plan their outings around the rail trail, people meet on the rail trail, exercise on it and make friendships on it. Neighboring towns have also designed and paved their own accessible trails, and they are all connecting, which creates an expansive network of safe, alternative routes that promote health and celebrate the environment. Mom says, “These rail trails are an absolute godsend.” I agree, Mom!
The Friends of the MRGT, the non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of this trail, sent City Council the names of over 1,000 people, including 438 from Concord, who feel the very same way. Recently, the council heard those voices and voted unanimously to authorize the purchase of 5.7 miles of abandoned railroad tracks. For people who thrive in the outdoors, this is the most exciting news Concord has had in a long while. Just as the Clipper City Rail Trail and all of its connecting trails have lifted up the Newburyport area, so too will the MRGT elevate the appeal of Concord.
Rail trails all over the country are improving the quality of life for entire communities and that trend will continue here in Concord. Our community has been waiting patiently for this moment, for this amazing news of progress and forward momentum. I personally cannot wait until the day I can ride alongside my young boys on a safe, paved trail that winds its way through one of the prettiest cities in New Hampshire.
(Christine Vigneault is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Friends of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail. She lives in Concord.)