Opinion: 'No' To Dedham Rail Trail Project

The following was submitted by a group of Dedham residents, listed at the bottom of the letter, 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.

To begin, thank you for taking the time to read about the “never-ending story” of the proposed rail-trail. We have been warned by other communities that the “rails to trails” political machine in Massachusetts, New England, and nationwide will stop at nothing to force these developments. In this case, it is just plain clearly a bad fit. A 0.87 mile to a chain link fence in Oakdale, and their methods are detrimental to town and community process. The non-binding referendum to “gauge the temperature” of the community on the spring 2020 ballot is yet another example of disrespecting the unequivocal “no” vote two years ago by elected Town Meeting members. The Town Meeting governance process is being actively undermined with this referendum – which should worry us all, citizens and Town Meeting members alike.

Several alternative sites for walking paths and trails have been suggested to this unofficial lobbying group/and Square businesses for discussion, including routes from Dedham Square, through Precinct One, to Wilson Mountain and from the Square to Millennium Park with its amenities and expansive space – both attractive destinations - and yet this group persists in pushing forward an 0.87 mile of troubles. The trail would run from Dedham Square to the corridor at Avery and East Streets, through the Dedham Public School Campus (Avery, Dedham High and Middle Schools), through East Dedham to the end of Whiting Ave Ext/Quincy Ave to a dead-end fence, or the same route in reverse. The only entrance is located at East/Avery Streets. At the end of the corridor, it is necessary to trespass across someone’s private property to reach the sidewalk on Milton St. to continue walking to Readville. And the fact is this trail will not extend to the Boston/Readville border because Dedham does not own the corridor between Whiting Ave Ext/Quincy and Boston/Readville boundary.

A private developer - NOT the City of Boston - built a pathway in Readville/Boston as some rail trail supporters have falsely stated and continue to publicize. However, that pathway is not even connected to the rail corridor. Boston has not made a single commitment to build along their corridor, which is the only way to connect to Dedham to Boston/Readville. Not one commitment, not one budget item.

There have been five versions of the so-called feasibility study to try to prove it is feasible, and it simply is not. There are numerous reasons why this location is foolhardy for a 0.87 rail trail including unresolved title issues, a single point of access, challenging increasing grade for Mt. Vernon St. access (along Avery and Clark Streets), and major infrastructure needs: to remove the Mt. Vernon fill and rebuild the bridge, to move power lines and re-install a bridge along River St., not to mention exposing our students and schools “safe zones” to unnecessary public access and its potential dangers. The proponents of this unsound and unsafe trail idea cite other trails in their arguments. But this is a proposal specific to our community. Some facts about the 0.87 mile path are inescapable:

· Dedham has already reviewed and evaluated the project and voted “no” - Article 19 at Town Meeting, Spring 2018.
· Article 19 was all about the rail corridor and Town Meeting members knew it; from the original warrant article featuring the words “eminent domain” and the words “Rail Trail” later added by the former town manager to secure a $50,000 grant.
· If Article 19 had passed Town Meeting, the Article would be all about the rail corridor – but it didn’t pass, and now the Article has nothing to do with the corridor.
· Town Meeting members were keen enough to know the School Committee’s traffic study was important to stand on its own merit and should not be intertwined with the rail corridor; the traffic study is now underway and still some are trying to manipulate the study to make sure it includes the rail corridor.
· The corridor ends at a chain link fence at Whiting Ave. Ext.; Boston has not approved any plans for connection.
· Board of Selectmen and School Committee have care, custody, and control over the corridor; as much as an informal lobbying group continues to force this project on us and our community, they do not have the authority to dictate what should be done with this parcel. It is up to the boards what is best for their constituents and young students, and frankly by all of us, not one small special-interest group.

We ask you not to be misled by wording of the non-binding referendum…”do you favor, if there is NO COST to the Dedham taxpayers for design and construction.” Nothing about this proposal is NO COST, so do not take this question lightly. There are many things wrong with this plan and the referendum is written in a way that does not bring all the facts to light. For instance, Swampscott, according to March 5, 2019 local press, Swampscott just paid $850,000 for design and land acquisition/eminent domain for its rail trail. Swampscott does not yet know if the submitted grant for construction costs will be approved for a grant. Town monies must be spent first before grant application is submitted for reimbursement. How can the pro rail trail group back up their claim and guarantee that it will be at no cost to the Dedham taxpayer? And will we resort to taking our neighbors land by eminent domain to create an ill-advised walkway plan when there are better alternatives available?

Thank you to everyone who continually shows support, ask questions, and reaches out at the supermarket, local events, and walks around town for clarification to this issue. We may not have funds for bumper stickers, pins, and mailings that a lobbying group raising funds may have, but we understand the facts, we respect the decisions already made at Town Meeting, and we believe in sound use of land and money.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season.

Audree Byrnes
Angela Pagliuca Ciampa
David Ricci
Paula Grimes
Anthony DeMusis
Juliette Byrnes
Bryan Keaney
Bill Daley
Jamie Simpson
Laura Kelleher
Bob Byrnes
Denice Kresker
Gaetano Ciampa
Melissa Fay Kinch
Tom Grimes
Sean Kelleher
Jean Daley
Diane McLeish