Politics & Government

'Rail Trail' Clears Major Hurdle Thursday

An "Alternative Transportation Committee" was formed to explore the development of the trail.

Advocates for a multi-purpose "Rail Trail" through Norton cleared a "major hurdle" Thursday night.

Selectmen approved the creation of an official, town-sanctioned, seven-person Alternative Transportation Committee, which would be charged mainly with applying for grants and developing plans to create the trail.

If established, the trail would connect Mansfield to Taunton and run just to the west of Route 495.

Advocate Denny Goodrich said the group has been meeting informally for nearly a year.

"I’ve never worked with such a committed group of people for this project," he said. "....I think we’re a little farther along than a lot of people think we may be."

Selectmen Robert Kimball and Tim Giblin expressed concerns about safety, especially as the trail crosses Route 123 near the center of town.

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Goodrich said the committee has already been working with the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District in seeing what other towns have done with similar projects and trails.

The seven person committee will be made up of Goodrich, Donald Cybulski, Kathleen Ebert-Zawasky, Scott Holman, Karen Kenter-Potty, Linda S. Kollett, and Sandra Ollerhead

Find out what's happening in Nortonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.



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