Augusta, Maine Rail Trail Could Soon Expand All The Way to Brunswick

After nearly 20 years of talking about it, state lawmakers might finally green-light a new rail trail. This thing could be a game-changer for both fun and your wallet, linking up the Kennebec, Cathance, and Androscoggin rivers with a sweet stretch of trail that’s perfect for biking, walking, or just breaking in your new Brooks sneakers.

According to the Kennebec Journal, on April 15th, lawmakers on the transportation committee gave a big ol’ thumbs-up, 11-2 to be exacy, for the 33.5-mile Merrymeeting Trail. The ball’s now in the court of the full state Legislature, and the fate of this trail is literally hanging by a thread.

The idea? To swap out the old Lower Road railroad tracks, which run from Brunswick to Augusta, tracks that haven’t been used since the '80s. But don’t worry, the rail’s still got some life left in it for the future, thanks to state law.

The newspaper is reporting that advocates of this project have been trying to get this moving since 2008 and now, thanks to recent action in the Legislature, the Merrymeeting Trail is closer to reality than ever.

But don’t break out the champagne, errr Allen's, just yet because there’s still a major fundraising uphill battle ahead. And, of course, not everyone’s on board. The Kennebec Journal says some folks think passing this bill could block trains from coming back to the area and killing the economic boost they bring.

Oh, and there’s still a wild card with all this, too. If a rail operator swoops in, they could totally derail (pun intended) the whole trail plan, even if the bill passes.

So are we really that much closer to a much longer 'Kennebec River Rail Trail'? Most people would agree that 'yes', in fact we are, though there are still some decent-sized hurdles that need clearing!