Eastern Trail project will ‘close the gap’ between South Portland and Saco

SCARBOROUGH – Construction will soon begin on an Eastern Trail project to create a seamless trail from South Portland to Saco.

The Eastern Trail is a pedestrian and bicycle trail that spans 65 miles from Kittery to South Portland along the former Eastern Railroad Corridor. The trail is well used by outdoor and fitness enthusiasts of all ages, though there are some gaps in the trail that prevent it from running continuously off-road from Kittery to South Portland.

One of these gaps is a 1.6 miles stretch in Scarborough. The Eastern Trail Association recently received the final trail easement needed to move forward with a project to create a trail on this stretch, said Eastern Trail Alliance President Jon Kachmar in a statement earlier this month. The proposed “Close the Gap” project would include a pedestrian bridge over the Nonesuch River and a 350-foot pedestrian bridge over a rail yard near Pleasant Hill Road in Scarborough.

When completed, this will create a continuous, completely off-road trail from Bug Light in South Portland to Thornton Academy in Saco, said Kachmar.

The Eastern Trail Alliance will soon be seeking bids for the project, which is estimated to take 18 to 24 months, according to Kachmar.

The proposed project is estimated to cost around $6.1 million. The Maine Department of Transportation is providing $2.05 million toward the project, and Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System is contributing $1.15 million, according to information provided by the Eastern Trail Alliance. The rest of the money has been secured through fundraisers and donations.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.