Category Archives: Mascoma River Greenway Updates

Thanks to the High School Trail Corps of the Upper Valley Trails Alliance, nearly 10 tons of material was removed from the MRG on Wednesday. That makes 350 feet of newly cleared trail. Way to go crew!

Thanks to the generosity of several businesses and a number of individuals in the past few weeks, we have reached 90% of the goal of $2,255,700!  The hope is that we can reach 100% by the end of this year.

Thanks to all who have contributed to the Mascoma River Greenway!

If you have not yet contributed, you can make a tax-deductible donation by sending a check, made out to UVTA (with “Mascoma River Greenway” in the memo line) to:

Upper Valley Trails Alliance, PO Box 1215, Norwich, VT 05055

or make an online donation via our secure website, click here
We are awaiting railings to be installed on the Slayton Hill stone arch bridge and the bridge over I-89.  Stay tuned for info on our next Work Day.

Wow! The MRG fundraising campaign is at 85% of the goal of $2,255,700 – donate now and help get this job done!

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. The Upper Valley Trails Alliance is the fiscal agent for the Mascoma River Greenway Coalition. To make a tax-deductible donation send checks, made out to UVTA with “Mascoma River Greenway” in the memo line to:

Upper Valley Trails Alliance
PO Box 1215
Norwich, VT 05055

or make an online donation via our secure website, click here

The Upper Valley is a generous community when it comes to volunteering: as of today, 155 different people have donated their labor.  They have cut brush, felled saplings, whacked weeds, pulled spikes, pried rails, and hefted ties. They have  repaired and expanded a bridge, created paths, and built a kiosk  . .  . that’s a  lot of sweat equity!  Thanks to all who have worked so hard toward making the Mascoma River Greenway dream a reality.

What’s happening with the Mascoma River Greenway . . . and why can’t I use the trail yet?!

The MRG is an ambitious project involving negotiation with the City of Lebanon, NH Dept of Transportation (NHDOT), the Claremont Concord Railroad (CCRR), and the federal government.

Currently, the City of Lebanon has rights up to Mile Marker 140, which is at the eastern side of the bridge over the Mascoma River, near Timken. Through the efforts of countless volunteers, the trail has been cleared of trees, brush, ties, and tracks to Mile Marker 140, with tracks and ties moved to the side awaiting removal.

* The NHDOT has recently signed off on the paperwork relative to the abandonment of the final section of the rail corridor to Route 4 at the Miracle Mile. The railroad still has to sign-off, and has seemed reluctant to do so. The NHDOT has agreed to be the contact with the CCRR. With CCRR approval, the paperwork will be sent to Washington for federal approval.

* The tunnel under the mall in Lebanon, part of the planned MRG route, is deteriorating from water and salt damage and has been closed for safety reasons. We hope the MRG will be able to use a reconstructed tunnel for connecting east and west, but if not, we are looking at alternatives. (MRG funding will not be used to reconstruct the tunnel.)

* Once the Greenway has reached RT 4 on the Miracle Mile, it will connect with a ped/bike path included in the design of the Iron Horse Park, the site of the former Twin State Sand and Gravel Company. This path would connect the MRG from Glen Road to Elm Street West, and then on into downtown West Lebanon.

In the meantime, the MRG is open for exploration from the intersection of Mechanic, Mascoma, and High Street to the Slayon Hill Bridge. Guard rails are planned for that bridge this Fall.

There are still tons of ties to be moved to the landfill. We will be scheduling workdays to remove them. Might you have a one-ton dump truck for us to use? DPW vehicles are in use during the week. Let Frank Gould go2teach@comcast.net know if you can donate use of a dump truck!