Lynnfield’s $10.4 Million Golden Ticket

A Letter to the Editor from Mark Preston:

On Tuesday, April 9th, residents of Lynnfield will be asked, “Are you in favor of the Town of Lynnfield continuing to pursue efforts to develop a recreational path along the unused MBTA right-of-way, known as the Wakefield-Lynnfield rail trail project? In light of this pending vote, I wanted to share my thoughts.

This vote is about money

Construction of the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail is 100% funded by MA DOT STIP and estimated to cost $10.4 million. Lynnfield may potentially be asked to invest no more than $300,000 toward the design phase of the project, not construction. By comparison, Lynnfield’s $300,000 investment on a $10.4 million asset represents less than a 3% stake in the overall project. Even then, the Town of Lynnfield could potentially not have to contribute a dime, due to a reimbursable $100,000 DCR grant awarded to the Friends of Lynnfield Rail Trail, Inc and a pending earmark of $500,000 within the Environmental Bond Bill secured by State Delegates Jones, Crighton, Wong, Brodeur and Lewis. Annual ongoing costs are negligible to the overall cost of the construction of the Rail-Trail itself. Through discussions with other towns with Rail Trails across the North Shore, annual maintenance costs range from $6,000-$8,000 and are typically covered by private investment and donations.

This vote is about safety

As Kristen Cooper addressed in her Letter to the Editor last week in support of the Rail Trail, "Interviews with chiefs of police from Danvers, Topsfield, Newburyport, Bedford and Lexington have all indicated that properties along rail trails experience levels of crime that are either similar to or less than other parts of their communities." Others have even gone on to say that such public use spaces are self-policing, meaning that criminals typically don’t like to hang out where they know people will be. However, in the event that there is an emergency, the Rail Trail will be
accessible from Summer Street and Pillings Pond Road. The Rail Trail will be constructed wide enough to accommodate emergency vehicles, per MA DOT requirements.

This vote is about the environment

Construction of the Rail Trail will address any existing or potential contaminates currently exposed to natural elements. Through the process of capping, any existing contaminants will be mitigated. The greatest threat to the citizens of Lynnfield would be to leave the existing rail ties in their current state. At the present time, the MBTA has no plans to address these environmental hazards. Through construction of the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail, construction and mitigation of any contaminants will be done in accordance with all local, state and federal protection laws and environmental best practices.

Most importantly, this vote is about our future

This vote is about YOUR desire as a citizen of Lynnfield to choose whether you want our Selectmen to further pursue this golden opportunity. Our Selectmen are looking to you to provide direction. Will you seize this $10.4 million golden ticket? How often are we given the opportunity to claim a town asset so valuable that will enhance property value, promote healthy living for all of our citizens and leave a legacy that can be enjoyed by generations to come for FREE? Such opportunities are rare, yet also fleeting. I encourage to vote YES on April 9th in favor of pursuing the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail because if you don’t ask for it, you won’t get. ASK.FOR.IT. Let’s claim our golden ticket. Vote YES on April 9th.

Mark Preston, Trickett Road