Prospect St. Tunnel, SNETT

BIG NEWS! – Prospect st. tunnel funding approved!!

We are excited to announce that funding of the Prospect Street tunnel on the SNETT rail trail in Franklin, MA has been approved!!!

State Rep. Jeff Roy (D-Franklin) and Rep. Mike Soter (R-Bellingham) shared this great news with the Franklin & Rail Trail Committee members, guests and visitors at our Tuesday’s meeting on September 10, 2019.

State Rep. Jeff Roy delivering the news about funding approval to FBRTC and community members.

The project will go out to bid in November 2019 and should be completed by the end of the summer/early fall of 2020.

The funding of this project is a result of many years of collective effort by FBRTC members, state legislators, DCR officials, Franklin and Bellingham Town officials and residents.

Town and State Officials present at the meeting (left to right): James Kupfer (Bellingham Town Planner), Cary Vandenakker (DCR Representative), Rep. Mike Soter (Bellingham), Melanie Hamblen (Franklin Town Councilor), Rep. Jeff Roy (Franklin), Marc Kaplan (FBRTC president)

“The Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee (FBRTC) is proud to be the community advocate for the SNETT and the funding of the Prospect Street tunnel project,” said Marc Kaplan, FBRTC president. “The tunnel project solves a major impasse on the SNETT and creates a seamless connection between the towns of Franklin and Bellingham. When completed, the tunnel will help realize our mission of making a universally accessible trail for all ages and abilities and will improve the quality of life for residents. We would like to thank Representatives Roy and Soter and Senators Spilka and Rausch, as well as Franklin and Bellingham Town administrators for their leadership to secure funding for this important project, and the DCR for their tireless work and direct assistance in developing the SNETT rail trail.”

We cannot forget to also thank the Franklin Odd Fellows – the Franklin & Bellingham Rail Trail Committee was originally formed in January 2009 as their community project!

We are so looking forward to see this project come to a completion!

Conceptual rendering (courtesy of DCR) of the tunnel (above), current state of the trail (below).

For additional, detailed information, please visit the following resources:

State Rep. Jeffrey Roy Blog

Milford Daily News

SNETT

Summer views

So it is dog days of summer time of the year. Most people head out toward water, but the trails have their beauty in the summer too. Please enjoy some of the views that can be found along the SNETT trail. Photos were taken between the Center Street (Bellingham, MA) and Prospect Street (Franklin, MA). See you on the trail!

Trail Walk

Walk before the heat

Thank you to all who have joined us today for our dog/group walk. We walked from the Grove Street to Prospect Street in Franklin and back. On our 2.6 mile walk we have enjoyed the shade of the trail, saw beautiful nature, walked by Wadsworth Farm on Spring Street (you can read more about the history at the kiosk nearby or on our website), where you can purchase beautiful flower pots, fresh blueberries and enjoy the views of fields and meadows. We have met other dog walkers and runners who were out early to beat the heat. Our volunteer members also cleaned up the parking lot area and trail entrance area before walk – thank you!

Please keep en eye out on our event page here or on Facebook for the future walk and event announcements. See you on the trail!

Before walk – the dogs were not feeling like posing for the paparazzi.
If you have not been yet, check out the Wadsworth Farm on Spring Street in Franklin.
Swallowtail butterly along the trail.
Don’t be a litterbug!
Trail Walk

Dog walk/group walk on the snett

Please join us on Friday, July 19, 2019 for a dog walk/group walk on the SNETT rail trail. We will start at 9am from the Grove Street trailhead in Franklin. Parking lot is across the street from the trailhead (next to Metcalf Materials). The trail is shaded and an easy walk. Please bring leash and anything else you and your dog may need on the walk.

No dog? No problem. We welcome anyone to join us!

Featured, Trail Walk

May SNETT Walk with FBRTC

Sunday, May 19th at 10AM. Lake Street SNETT parking lot

Join the Franklin Bellingham Rail Trail Committee on our next monthly trail walk. Meet us at the Lake Street, Bellingham SNETT parking lot on Sunday, May 19th at 10AM. Families and leashed dogs always adds to the fun!

Trail Cleanup

2019 Spring Cleanup Crew

Crew from left to right: Mark McKeown, Stephen Greene, Tony DaSilva, Rita McCarthy, Marc Kaplan

The 2019 Spring Cleanup Crew cleaned the Grove Street to Prospect Street section of the eastern portion of the SNETT. Multiple plastic bags of trash were collected by this year’s spring cleanup crew.

Road Race

2019 Franklin Fives Road Race Fundraiser – Thank you!

We would like to thank all the sponsors, volunteers and participants for another successful year of our fundraiser for the SNETT rail trail. We appreciate your support of our efforts to raise awareness and bring improvements to the trail.

If you have participated in 5K or 5 mile running events, you can find the results HERE.

From left to right: David Labonte – Race Director, State Representative Jeffrey Roy, Jeff Hall – Masonic Excelsior Lodge (Race Sponsors), and Jamie Helen – Deputy Town Administrator Franklin MA.

Thank you to our 2019 race sponsors!

Ameriprise Financial Services; Andson and Associates; Anthony Martone, CPA; Bellingham Lions Club; Charlie’s Tire & Service Center; Castro, Thersher, Oliveira, CPA; Excelsior Masonic Lodge; Franklin Agway; Franklin DPW; Franklin Odd Fellows; Franklin YMCA; Garelick Farms; Jefferey Roy, State Representative; Jolicoeur Overhead Doors; Jospeh M. Sardonini Jr., CPA; Newburyport Odd Fellows; Orangetheory Fitness – Walpole; R.E. Erickson Co.,Inc.; Sincerity Lodge of Odd Fellows, Van-Wal Machine;