Town of Dover Invites Community to Public Forum on Proposed Rail Trail Construction Project

The Town of Dover is hosting a public forum via Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on February 25, 2025 to provide interested members of the public with an overview of the Rail Trail Construction Project, an initiative to enhance community connectivity and promote outdoor recreation for residents by establishment of a scenic recreational trail and shared-used pathway.

The online forum will begin with a presentation by town officials, following by engineering consultants discussing current conditions of the corridor and potential design elements. The session will include discussion of project timeline and afford and opportunity for residents to ask questions and provide feedback in an opportunity to help inform the final design. Concluding the forum will be an open discussion among attendees to share input.

Image capture from openrailwaymap.org. The solid brown line and broken brown lines show existing and abandoned railroad tracks, respectively. Connecting them gives an approximation of a path for a possible rail trail running through the Town of Dover, MA, with potential to connect to trails in surrounding towns of Medfield to the south and Needham to the north.

"This project has the potential to enhance Dover's recreational offerings and create new connections within the Dover community," said Town Administrator Michael Blanchard. "We encourage as much community feedback as possible before advancing to the next stages. The public forum will provide essential insights to ensure this project aligns with Dover's needs."

Residents can learn more about the project by visiting the Rail Trail Project webpage on the Town of Dover's website. Residents who are unable to attend can submit questions or feedback through a Google Form by clicking here. Visit the Town website for access to the link to the virtual meeting by clicking here.

The anticipated timeline for the project includes an ongoing planning and design process that will extend into April of this year; obtaining a detailed cost estimate for construction, materials, labor and maintenance in Spring 2025; and presenting a project proposal to Dover residents for approval at Town Meeting in Fall 2025.

Thanks to the Town of Dover for sharing this news with Westwood Minute.

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