#kitteryme — Public Fediverse posts

‘The gap is gone!’ New stretch of #EasternTrail opens 15 months early

The 1.6-mile segment of the Eastern Trail linking #ScarboroughME and #SouthPortlandME opened Thursday.

by Salomé Cloteaux, August 7, 2026

SOUTH PORTLAND — "Finally, the gap is closed. After over a decade of planning, setbacks, fundraising and permitting, the 'Close the Gap' project opening a key segment of the Eastern Trail is finished, 15 months ahead of schedule.
The 1.6-mile section of the Eastern Trail connecting Scarborough and South Portland opened Thursday in front of a few hundred cyclists, walkers and runners who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"Closing the gap — between the Wainwright Sports Complex in South Portland and the Nonesuch River in Scarborough — created a continuous 16-mile trail without on-road gaps from Bug Light Park to downtown Saco. It was a long-awaited step to fully connecting the #EasternTrail, a 65-mile off-road trail from South Portland to #KitteryME.

" 'It’s also about more than just opening a section of trail; it’s about connecting communities and fulfilling a vision that has been years in the making,' South Portland Mayor Elyse Tipton said. “The gap is gone!' "

Read more:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/08/07/the-gap-is-gone-new-stretch-of-eastern-trail-opens-15-months-early/

Archived version:
https://archive.md/htxMX

#SolarPunkSunday #AccessibleTrails #MaineTrails #RailsToTrails #BikeTooter
#BikeTrails #MaineBicycleCoalition
#EastCoastGreenway #HikingTrails

#Maine - New section of #EasternTrail opens 15 months early

by Katie Delaney
Fri, August 7, 2026

"A new section of the Eastern Trail is now open.

"It's the final link connecting Bug Light in #SouthPortlandME and downtown #SacoME. The 1.6-mile addition to the trail goes through Scarborough and South Portland. Now people can walk, run, and #bike along 16 miles of uninterrupted #OffRoadTrail.

"It's part of the greater #EastCoastGreenway, which goes from #Maine to #Florida.

"Bit by bit, gaps between paths are being filled until it becomes a complete off-road journey along the coast. The new Eastern Trail section is the latest step toward that goal.

"At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, South Portland Mayor Elyse Tipton said it's about more than just connecting trails.

" 'It's about connecting communities and fulfilling a vision that has been years in the making,' she said.

"The project was completed 15 months ahead of schedule.

" 'Which is something frankly just unheard of,' Tom Hall, the town manager of Scarborough, said. 'All the credit in the world goes to this group of folks that got together to really deliver a first-rate project.'

"Avery Seuter, from Wells, was eager to try out the new trail.

" 'First reactions, this is just gorgeous, like you couldn't have picked a better area to come through,' he said, walking along the trail."

[...]

"The executive director of the #EastCoastGreenwayAlliance said their next goal to get closer to completing the Eastern Trail is to close the gap over the #SacoRiver and down to #KitteryME."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/section-eastern-trail-opens-15-155200326.html

#SolarPunkSunday #BikeTooter #BikeTrails #WalkingTrails #SpendTimeInNature #SpendTimeOutdoors #EastCoastUS #MaineTrails #RailsToTrails #MaineBicycleCoalition #EastCoastGreenway #AccessibleTrails

So, the news isn't all doom and gloom... The #SouthPortlandME to #SacoME portion of #EasternTrail is about to be completed (August 6th is the date). That means folks can walk / bike from #BugLight in South Portland, ME to #KitteryME! Wow!

Eastern Trail "Close the Gap" Project

"The Eastern Trail is a vital multi-use trail of state-wide significance in Maine. The trail extends 65 miles from South Portland to #KitteryME, and travels by scenic #woods, #TidalMarshes, and classic #MaineVillages. Since its Scarborough developments from 2004-2006, the trail has provided millions of people with a recreational and transportation resource that connects them to the beautiful Maine landscape.

"A key piece of trail is missing in Scarborough. A 1.6-mile 'gap' interrupts off-road travel between South Portland and Saco. The construction of this critical trail segment will close this gap and provide 16 continuous off-road miles reaching from South Portland’s Bug Light to Downtown Saco. The cost to close this gap is $7.1 million dollars. Funding was sourced from the Town of Scarborough, City of South Portland, Maine Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and #EasternTrailAlliance individual and corporate donors.

"After several years of work to raise the necessary funds, complete the project design, align stakeholders, and acquire the necessary permits and land rights, the project went out to bid in Spring 2025 and construction began in June."

Read more:
https://www.scarboroughmaine.org/stay-connected/municipal-projects/close-the-gap

#SolarPunkSunday #MaineTrails #RailsToTrails #BikeTooter #BikeTrails #MaineBicycleCoalition #EastCoastGreenway #AccessibleTrails #HikingTrails

Fort McClary in Kittery, ME. Not something I'd usually plump for but I'm trying things that don't, at first sight, grab me. #watercolor #watercolorpainting #landscape #watercolorlandscape #kitteryme #fortmcclary

#BicycleCoalitionOfMaine - Fix-A-Bike - #KitteryME

May 1 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

"Be your own mechanic! Learn how to maintain your bike, fix a flat, pump up a tire, change a chain or cable, make shifting adjustments, and more in a hands-on learning experience. Please bring your bike and be willing to get their hands dirty. Class may take place outside, weather permitting."

Thursday, May 1, 5:00-7:00 pm

Registration Fee: Free, prior registration required, class limited to 15

Traip Academy
12 Williams Ave.
KITTERY, ME 03904

Register here:
https://kittery.maineadulted.org/course/fix-a-bike/

#ReuseRepair #SolarPunkSunday
#BicycleRepair #BicycleMaintenance #DIY #Bikes #BikeTooters #BikeRepair
#RightToRepair #ReuseRepairRecycle #TraipAcademy

[Thread] FINAL UPDATE! Note new events and venue changes!

#Maine and #NewHampshire #HandsOff Mass Mobilization Events

handsoff2025.com - #NationalDayofAction events as of 4/4/2025

April 4th - #BiddefordME, Friday, 4-5:30pm (& every Friday), Mechanics Park, Water & Main Street - #StopTheCoup - Indivisible/Biddeford Saco Area SURJ.org https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/770382/

April 5th - #FreeportME, 134 Main St., St. Jude's, Corner of Main Street and School Streets. #HandsOff - #FreeportFightsBack

April 5th - #KitteryME, 9:00-11:00am, Memorial Bridge, Rt 1, Maine/NH (Listing says "event at capacity")
https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/event/767860

April 5th - #PortsmouthNH, 10:00-1:00pm (& every Sat 10-11am), #Tesla showroom, 2454 Lafayette Rd. #TeslaTakeDown & #HandsOff - Do NOT park in the sopping center. For parking info: https://www.mobilize.us/event/769783/

#BridgtonME, 10:00am-12noon, Shorey Park, Main St. Bridgton joins the fray!

#LovellME, 10:00am-12noon, Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, 227 Main St.

(cont'd)

Source:
https://bsky.app/profile/pinetreeactivism.bsky.social/post/3llyufxcau22x
#April5Events #April5th #HandsOff2025 #HandsOff #Antifascism #Events #MaineResists #BadDOGE #ResistAuthoritarianism #NHResists

[Thread] UPDATE! Note new events and venue changes!

#Maine and #NewHampshire #HandsOff Mass Mobilization Events

handsoff2025.com - #NationalDayofAction as of 4/3/2025

Maine and New Hampshire Hands Off Rallies

#FreeportME, 134 Main St., St. Jude's, Corner of Main Street and School Streets.
#KitteryME, 9:00-11:00am, Memorial Bridge, Rt 1, Maine/NH (Listing says "event at capacity")
https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/event/767860

(cont'd)

Source:
https://bsky.app/profile/pinetreeactivism.bsky.social/post/3llwcc6zibk25
#April5Events #April5th #HandsOff2025 #HandsOff #Antifascism #Events #MaineResists #BadDOGE #ResistAuthoritarianism #NHResists

#Maine #HandsOff Mass Mobilization Events
handsoff2025.com - #NationalDayofAction as of 3/24/2025 at 7:00AM

#KitteryME, 9:00-11:00am, Memorial Bridge, Rt 1, Maine/NH
#OxfordHillsME, 10:00-12noon, Fair St. & Main St. #SouthParisME
#WellsME, 10:30-12noon, Wells Public Library, 1434 Post Rd
#PortlandME,11:00am-12noon, Monument Square, 456 Congress St
#FarmingtonME, 11:00am-12noon, 196 Main St
#SouthPortlandME, 11:00am-1:00pm, GE Erskine Park, end of bridge
#AuburnME, 12noon-1:00pm, Longley Bridge, Court St
#CherryfieldME, 12noon-2:00pm, Rt 1 Bridge, River Road & Rt 1
#BangorME, 12noon-1:30pm, Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St
#AugustaME, 12noon-2:00pm, Maine State House, Capitol & State Streets
#PortsmouthNH, 12noon-2:00pm, Market Square
#SkowheganME, 2:30-4:00pm, US 201 & Water Street Bridge

Source:
https://bsky.app/profile/pinetreeactivism.bsky.social/post/3ll4myt36bs2w
#April5Events #April5th #Maine #MainePol #HandsOff2025 #HandsOff #Antifascism #Events #MaineResists #BadDOGE #ResistAuthoritarianism