#mainetrails — Public Fediverse posts

#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