The pathway will be on the abandoned railroad bed in the woods parallel to I-195 from the Mattapoisett Town line to Front Street in Marion. We are looking forward to the anticipated start of construction in early 2023.
News Archive
Funding for next phase of Quequechan River Rail Trail
Funding for next phase of Rail Trail
According to the Fall River Herald …the latest list of new ARPA projects reviewed by Coogan’s ARPA Task Force includes $4 million to complete phase 4 of the Quequechan Rail Trail project.
According to a website by the trail’s landscape architects, phase 4 will connect the existing rail trail to the recently renovated Father Travassos Park. The design for phase 4 is complete and the project has been awaiting funding to move ahead.
Pedal for the Path 2021
Cyclists Support South Coast Bikeway at Pedal for the Path
https://coastlinenb.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SeniorScope_Oct2021.pdf
Pedal for the Path 2020
If you couldn’t join us on Sunday the 13th, ride the route (details below) any time during Bike Month (September). Be sure to send a photo to thesouthcoastbikeway@gmail.com or Facebook. We will share the photos on Facebook. There is still time to Cycle and Celebrate September!
On Sunday, September 13, 2020 from 9 am to 3 pm
South Coast Bikeway Alliance members will be celebrating Bay State Bike Month and the South Coast Bikeway with our third annual Pedal for the Path ride by bicycling from Horseneck Beach State Reservation in Westport, through Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven and Mattapoisett before returning back to the start. Please join us! Ride the whole route or select a portion. The choice is yours. Just join us to show your support. Alliance representatives will be located along the route in each community to welcome you and share the news of the bikeway in their city or town.
We have a lot to celebrate!
We were recently awarded grants from MassTrails and BayCoast Bank to complete Phase 2 of a Feasibility Study to determine the best way to connect Fall River and New Bedford with pathways through Westport and Dartmouth.
Your input is needed!
Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) has been implementing Phase 1 of the Feasibility Study. SRPEDD staff will be on hand during the ride to share preliminary findings and seek your feedback. You can also participate online. Visit: https://scba-feasibility-study-srpedd.hub.arcgis.com/ and share your thoughts and comments.
The ride details!
This will be a socially distanced casual ride with no registration fee.
- Masks are required when we gather at stops and can’t maintain six feet of separation.
- Helmets are mandatory.
- Bring water and snacks.
We will NOT be able to offer ride support, traffic controls, or pre- and post-gatherings.
Instead, we encourage people to ride on their own, with the opportunity to meet SCBA representatives at key intersections. We have lots of news to share!
Please register, at https://www.facebook.com/events/846773802519550/ so we know how many to look for.
As always, you can donate here: https://www.facebook.com/southcoastbikeway/ or mail a check to South Coast Bikeway Alliance ℅ SRPEDD, 88 Broadway, Taunton, MA 02870.
All donations will be used as matching funds in our efforts toward designing and building the SouthCoast Bikeway. We have been successful getting grants, but funders expect us to provide matching funds. Your support is greatly appreciated.
If you can’t join us on Sunday the 13th, ride the route any time during Bike Month (September). Be sure to send a photo to thesouthcoastbikeway@gmail.com or Facebook. We will share the photos on Facebook.
The route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33707375
PICK YOUR STARTING POINT, DISTANCE, ONE-WAY OR ROUND-TRIP – YOUR CHOICE.
Distances are noted: One-way (Round-Trip)
Westport Horseneck Beach Reservation to Mattapoisett : 26.8 (53.6 RT) miles
- Starting at 9 am.
- Westport and Swansea Representatives, Fall River Mass in Motion will be on site from 8 am.
Additional starting points and distances:
Dartmouth YMCA to Mattapoisett: 16.8 (33.6 RT) miles
- Starting at 10:30 am
- SRPEDD and Dartmouth Representatives will be on site from 9:30 am.
New Bedford Pier 3 to Mattapoisett: 6.8 (13.4 RT) miles
- Starting at 12:00 pm
- New Bedford Representatives will be on site from 11:00 am
Fairhaven Phoenix Rail Trail to Mattapoisett: 4 (8 RT) miles
- Starting at 12:30 pm Phoenix Rail Trail at Main ST.
- Fairhaven Representatives will be on site from 11:30 am. Look for them on the Phoenix Rail Trail at Main ST and South ST.
Mattapoisett – At (current) end of Mattapoisett Rail Trail at Mattapoisett Neck RD.
- Mattapoisett Representatives will be on site from 11:30 am to share the latest news of the progress of the Shining Tide portion of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail. Marion and Wareham Representatives will be on site from 11:30 am on the Mattapoisett Rail Trail at Mattapoisett Neck RD.
Return: Route in reverse – Mattapoisett to Westport or your original starting point.
- Starting at approximately 1:30 pm to return
Start times are approximate. SCBA reps will be on hand one hour prior to the start times.
Have Fun, Be Safe, and Thank You for your support!
South Coast Bikeway receives MassTrails grant
Press Release
Principal Transportation Planner SRPEDD
88 Broadway, Taunton, MA 02780
jjones@srpedd.org
508-844-3661
SCBA AND SRPEDD RECEIVES 2020 MASSTRAILS GRANT FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY
Southeastern Massachusetts, July 31, 2020 – The South Coast Bikeway Alliance (SCBA) and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) are pleased to announce that they have been awarded a 2020 MassTrails Grant. The grant, totaling $40,000 will fund Phase II of a feasibility study examining routing of the South Coast Bikeway between Fall River and New Bedford, through Westport and Dartmouth.
The South Coast Bikeway, once realized, will be a 50-mile continuous system of paths and bike lanes that will connect Rhode Island to Cape Cod. Cities and towns included in this plan are Swansea, Somerset, Fall River, Westport, Dartmouth, New Bedford, Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Marion and Wareham. The Feasibility Study will help determine the best route to close a gap that has long existed in the East Coast and MA trail networks between the Gateway Cities of Fall River and New Bedford. It will also examine critical links within Dartmouth and Westport and with the anticipated South Coast Rail Commuter Rail Project.
This project will continue to build on the work being completed by SRPEDD under Phase I, which was funded by SCBA and the individual municipalities of Westport, Dartmouth and New Bedford through Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. The SCBA has also received a generous donation from Bay Coast Bank in the amount of $10,000 towards the study.
“We are very excited and grateful to the MassTrails Program and everyone involved for this opportunity to continue to work towards closing this very critical gap in the South Coast Bikeway network,” said Jackie Jones, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator at SRPEDD.
The SCBA is a non-profit organization made up of community representatives and groups that work with local leaders and organizations to advocate for and build the networks of bikeways throughout the South Coast region. The SCBA’s overall goal is to promote active transportation and recreation.
SRPEDD is the regional planning agency for the 27 communities that make up the Southeastern Massachusetts Region. Governed by a Commission of local officials and citizens, SRPEDD plans for the region’s land use, transportation, economy and environment while assisting member cities and towns to operate more efficiently. SRPEDD seeks to be a regional resource – a servant of local public servants and
community groups, connecting the dots between local municipal needs and the funding, community outreach, and proactive planning resources that can address them.
MassTrails grants support the state’s vast network of trails with projects dedicated to the construction, maintenance, and improvements for a variety of public trails, including hiking trails, bikeways, and shared-use paths. Funding for MassTrails Grants comes from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) capital budget, and from the motor fuel excise tax on off-road vehicles including ATV’s and snowmobiles, which is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Surface Transportation Act, in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). All MassTrails Grant applications have been reviewed in consultation with an inter-agency MassTrails Team and the Massachusetts Recreational Trails Advisory Board (MARTAB).
This is the SCBA’s second successful MassTrails grant, following a $6,800 Trails Education Grant in 2017
For more information please visit the South Coast Bikeway Alliance’s website, www.southcoastbikeway.com. More information on the project can be found at the project’s interactive workshop page - https://scba-feasibility-study-srpedd.hub.arcgis.com/.
The SCBA and SRPEDD would like to congratulate fellow South Coast MassTrails grant recipients including the town of Mattapoisett, the City of New Bedford and the town of Wareham.
Bike and Hike
Saturday, March 28, 2020
9:30am – 12:00pm
Join the South Coast Bikeway Alliance and the Buzzards Bay Coalition for a day of riding and hiking, to celebrate our local pathways and trails for bicyclists and pedestrians!
Start on bike at Fort Phoenix State Reservation and cruise the Phoenix Bike Trail/Mattapoisett Rail Trail to meet the Buzzards Bay Coalition at the new Carvalho Farm property. Park your bike at the trail head for a hike through woods bursting with spring wetland life down to the beautiful salt marshes that fringe Nasketucket Bay. After the hike, the group will bike back to the starting point.
Check-in for the ride begins at 9:30 am. Ride starts at 10:00 am.
RAIN DATE: Sunday, March 29
Cost: Free
REGISTER ONLINE