Letter To The Editor: Dedham Rail Trail

The following was submitted by the Friends of the Dedham Heritage Rail Trail as a letter to the editor. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, email samantha.mercado@patch.com. With Patch, you can also publish your own letters as contributor on Dedham Patch.

As signature-gathering speeds ahead to place a non-binding referendum question on the April 11, 2020 local ballot to gauge support for the Dedham Heritage Rail, it is important for voters to know the facts. People may have legitimate differences of opinion on the project, but voters must have factually correct information. Our group, the Friends of the Dedham Heritage Rail Trail (DHRT), is a grassroots movement of local residents investing their own time and personal resources in a worthy cause to turn the corridor into a beautiful, ADA-compliant, linear park and recreational path for all to use. There is no political machine or shadowy lobbying group backing the effort.

Here are some other facts:

• The Town of Dedham purchased the old rail corridor in 1999 for $1.5M. Title is not in question. Eminent domain is not an issue. There is a short section of the corridor at the Dedham/Readville line that remains under the control of the MBTA, which Dedham could lease for 99-years for $1.
• The path is about 1.3 miles long and extends from East Street across from Gonzalez Field, along the rail corridor adjacent to the High School and Avery School, to the Readville train station.
• The Readville Yard 5 development project in Boston has already completed its portion of the bike path from the Readville train station to the Dedham border. The MBTA has confirmed that any private purchaser of the MBTA property in Dedham would be required to preserve the community path.
• In 2002, the Dedham Department of Public Works capped the old corridor with approval of the State Department of Environmental Protection, as the “first step” in a “rails to trails” project.
• In 2010, before the new Avery School could be constructed, the MassDot mandated that the Town and Schools first commit to preserving the rail corridor adjacent to the schools “to allow the future construction of the Dedham Rail Trail,” and commit to optimize bicycling and walking access in keeping with MassDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program

and GreenDOT Policy.

• Despite claims to the contrary, there has never been an up or down vote on the rail trail by Dedham Town Meeting. With modifications approved by the Board of Selectmen and School Committee, the DHRT submitted Article 19 for the May 2018 Town Meeting for a school circulation study that referenced the rail corridor. A $50,000 grant was attached to the study. Town Meeting voted the article down. Six months later, Town Meeting approved funding for a circulation study, but by then the $50,000 state grant had been withdrawn. We are now paying full price with no indication if the study is not looking at the corridor – a State recommended option for a Safe Route to School.
• A referendum to put the vote to the whole town is not a circumvention of Town Meeting. A referendum is a lawful democratic process to put an issue before the voters. Technically, our referendum is a nonbinding public opinion advisory question, as defined in Chapter 53, Section 18A, of the Massachusetts General Laws. The Friends are gathering signatures as required by law (over 1300 already). The Friends are not requesting funds, so there is no reason to bring the referendum question to Town Meeting. Furthermore, a vote at Town Meeting one year does not foreclose the issue from going before a different Town Meeting or the voters in a subsequent year.
• There is only one abandoned rail corridor in Dedham. It is the only possible location for a 10-acre linear park and community path, which is what we propose for the DHRT. Other options require sharing the road with auto traffic, which is far from ideal.
• There are community paths all over the state, some under half a mile long and some extending for miles. Many of them are located in dense residential and commercial neighborhoods and are valued as community assets. Some paths go through or near school campuses, which allows children to walk or bike safely to school.
• The Dedham police chief reached out to public safety officers in 6 local communities that have completed paths. He reported that the paths were being used for recreational purposes as intended. You can hear the Chief’s thoughts on how the police could better monitor an accessible community path at: https://tinyurl.com/DedhamPD.
• When trails are constructed, neighbors have options for privacy, such as fencing or natural plantings, installed at no cost to them. Many abutters support the project.
• Money: MassDOT funds 100% of construction. Design costs have to come from the town. Depending on the outcome of the referendum, the Friends will try to raise money for the design process. There is no expectation of funding from the Town or Town Meeting. Other towns have successfully raised funds for design. The Town will always have to approve development of the corridor. Future maintenance is estimated at about $7,000 per year by the Town’s consultant.
• The reality is that MassDOT is doing all types of construction for rail trails around the state, including putting up bridges over train tracks and roads, and installing stairways to overpasses.

The Dedham Rail Trail has tremendous potential to positively impact the health and quality of life of residents, provide a safe route to school for students, and increase property values. For more information: www.dedhamrailtrail.org; https://www.facebook.com/DedhamRailTrail/; dedhamrailtrail@gmail.com.