The organizers of the Eastern Trail in Southern Maine will propose an 18-mile off-road route from North Berwick to Kittery that passes through South Berwick.
The new route proposed by the Eastern Trail Alliance, to be presented to the town in the next several months, will allow future subdivisions to link to the popular bike trail, Paul Schumacher, part-time town planner, told the Planning Board at the Sept. 18 meeting.
A Planning Partnership Initiative between the state Department of Transportation and the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission enabled the study of route alternatives for the Eastern Trail to the New Hampshire border, said Schumacher.
This section may include a spur trail link to York, according to the Trail website.
The Eastern Trail is a recreation and transportation greenway from Casco Bay to the Piscataqua River in Kittery. It has 22 off-road miles from Bug Light in South Portland to Kennebunk, as well as a scenic on-road route that mostly follows quiet country roads.
Also at this week’s board meeting, Schumacher noted that a grant to the town from the Piscataqua Region Estuaries for mapping of open spaces, wildlife habitat, wetlands, aquifers and trails includes funding of training for Planning Board members so they can use the information in making related decisions.
