Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

BETA is providing design and permitting services to the City of Framingham for approximately 3.5 miles of new multi-use path within a former CSX rail corridor. The trail extends from just north of Route 9 to the terminus of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT) in Sudbury and consists of a 12-foot-wide asphalt path with amenities such as neighborhood screening, bike racks, benches, and informational kiosks. The project will be constructed by MassDOT through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).

Constructing Framingham’s portion of the trail will complete the last phase of the BFRT, which extends to Lowell and connects with the MassCentral Rail Trail and potentially the future East Coast Greenway. The path will serve as a local connection to the Upper Charles Trail, Chris Walsh Trail, Bay Circuit Trail, Weston Aqueduct, and the Sudbury Aqueduct, attracting commuters and recreational users. The BFRT will also provide connections to Framingham State University, the McAuliffe Library, the Danforth Museum, Hemenway School, and Native Plant Trust’s Garden in the Woods.

The project includes the design of five at-grade road crossings and incorporates the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Environmental concerns include vegetated wetlands and vernal pools adjacent to the rail corridor and the presence of multiple designated open space (Article 97) parcels within the project limits. Landham Brook flows under the corridor at multiple locations via culverts. Replacement of several culverts is anticipated due to poor condition.

Planned improvements include replacement of the existing railroad bridge over Grove Street with a new pedestrian bridge and raising the railroad bridge over I-90 to meet vehicular vertical clearance requirements. The City is also evaluating an alternative alignment along Grove Street to connect the trail to the Town Common.