A few weeks ago and then again on Saturday I headed toward the southern end of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail to explore the Massachusetts Central Rail Trail.
Those working on the Mass. Central hope to build a 104-mile bike path connecting Boston and Northampton. They’ve got a long way to go. On Saturday I turned left at the end of the Bruce Freeman and rode east along about a mile and a half of recently paved pathway before hitting the end in Sudbury. I understand that if I’d wanted to snake my way around I could have picked it up again and headed toward Wayland.
Instead, I turned around and rode west, pedaling about six and a half miles from the Bruce Freeman’s southern terminus to where the paved section ends at a parking lot in Hudson. From there I picked up the Assabet River Rail Trail and rode a half-mile, turning around on Main Street just outside downtown Hudson. All told, I rode a bit more than 21 miles, including a short stretch along the Bruce Freeman starting at the Broadacres Farm parking lot in Sudbury.
Heading west along the Mass. Central is an interesting ride, taking you past McMansions, followed by more modest homes, and then finally an industrial area. You’ll head through wooded areas and open fields, too. It looks like a paved stretch from Boston to Northampton is some time off in the future, though. As advocates say, “It won’t be easy. While much of the old right of way is passable to a dedicated traveler today, in part the ownership is not clear.”
But they also say that 63 miles are now open, including the final stretch to Boston, which begins at Brighton Avenue in Belmont, runs southeast along the Fitchburg Cut-Off, crosses the Minuteman Bikeway, and then follows the Alewife Linear Park and the Somerville Community Path most of the way to the Museum of Science. From there you can pick up the Charles River bike paths, which can take you as far as Waltham.
What’s nice about the Bruce Freeman and Mass. Central is that they are not as crowded as the Minuteman, which tends to be choked with bikers, scooters, skateboarders and pedestrians. Since they’re newer, they’re also in a better state of repair. On the other hand, I can ride my bike from my house to the Minuteman. If I want to head out west, I have to drive there.
