Overview 

The development of bike and community paths from abandoned railroads across the region and country has proven to be a positive way of connecting communities internally and regionally. The City of Somerville has been advocating for the development of the Somerville Community Path, which would connect Belmont, Arlington, Somerville, Cambridge and Boston, for the past decade. With the assistance of the active community group Friends of the Community Path, the City of Somerville received a Tourism Grant from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to put toward further development of the path. The City will continue to work on extending the path to create additional open space, access, and improve public infrastructure for the community. 

Current Path 

The Community Path currently extends from Grove Street to Cedar Street in Somerville. This complements the Alewife Linear Park stretching from Davis Square to Alewife MBTA Station in Cambridge and beyond to Arlington and Belmont. 

Future Development of the Community Path 

The extension of the Community Path will occur in three phases:

Phase I includes connecting the Community Path to the Linear Path across Davis Square. The path, which reaches Grove Street behind the Rite Aid on Highland Avenue, will continue through the Davis Square Busway. There will be a designated path across the Davis Square plaza that continues past the Somerville Theater and toward Buena Vista Avenue to connect to the Linear Path. See below for a diagram. Included in this phase is a design to improve the landscape along the path between Highland Road and Lexington Avenue. Funding for this phase comes from the Boston Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). This project, managed by MassDOT, is nearing completeion as of 2011.

Phase II  will be an extension of the Community Path from Cedar Street to Lowell Street. This section will eventually provide access to the new Lowell Street Green Line T station. Funding for this phase includes MassHighway Congestion Management Air Quality (CMAQ) funds, TIP funds, and an earmark secured by Congressman M. Capuano. The adjacent MaxPac development project has contributed significantly by removing the existing railroad tracks between Cedar Street and Lowell Street and regrading the area.  Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in late 2012.

Phase III will connect Lowell Street to Northpoint in Cambridge. Construction of this portion is being planned in conjunction with the Green Line Extension. In 2006, the City conducted an engineering feasibility study to make recommendations for the location of the path extension. To view the complete study, see "Somerville Community Path Feasibility Study (2006)" on the right. The City met with MBTA officials to share recommendations for the placement of the path in relation to the Green Line Extension. As part of the Green Line Extension project, MassDOT is currently preparing concept design for the path alignment. The City will continue to work with the MBTA and state and federal transportation officials throughout the design process and to secure funds for the project.

The Bigger Picture 

In addition to providing a safe, healthy, and sustainable transportation infrastructure in Somerville, the Community Path will connect to the regional trail system in several ways. The path will be the final link in the Massachusetts Central Rail Trail that will extend 104-miles along a former rail line from Boston to Northampton. The path will also connect with the Mystic Valley Active and Safe Transportation Network (see link on the right under Programs) that will run along the Mystic and Malden Rivers and the Alewife Brook.