Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rail trail? Rail trails are multi-purpose public paths created from former railroad corridors. They are ideal for many uses including walking, bicycle riding, in-line skating, non-motorized scooters, and electric wheelchairs/scooters. Rail trails are extremely popular as recreation and alternative transportation corridors.
Rail trails also serve as conservation corridors, linking isolated parks and natural areas, and creating greenways through developed areas. They are often used to help preserve historic landmarks.
Who owns the trail corridor?
The State of NH owns the 4.5 mile section of the Eastern Rail Road Corridor from the Massachusetts state line to the center of Hampton (which is called the Hampton Branch). The Seabrook section is approximately 2.45 miles. The NH Department Of Transportation supports the development of the rail trail.
How will the trail be funded?
The majority of trail funding will come from federal and state grants, with additional assistance from corporate grants and private donations. Federal and state grants typically require a 20% - 50% match.
That match could be partially covered with in-kind donated material, labor or funds provided by the town; or by corporate and individual donors and volunteers.
How much will it cost to develop the trail?
Many trails have been built with mostly donated money and labor. A local example is the 1.5 mile Salisbury Point Ghost Trail. Volunteer labor from private citizens & regional businesses, as well as donated time & equipment from SPS Heavy Construction Equipment Co. of Salisbury made this a reality.
But construction costs can vary significantly, depending on design decisions and donated services. Estimates could range from the low side of $80,000 to as high as $400,000 per mile for crushed stone trail, as to compared to $200,000 all the way up to $1,000,000 for an asphalt paved trail.
This high side costs may include additional improvements such as major road crossings, bridges, barriers, and screening. Also drainage, timber guardrails, and signage etc.
The Seabrook Rail Trail from Hampton Falls to the MA State line/Route 286 is 2.45 miles. If we do it in stages, we could spread the cost out. It just depends on what we, as a community, decide to do. If we get enough in-kind, volunteer and donated services & money, it will greatly help to off-set the costs.
What kind of surface will the trail have?
Since this RR corridor through Seabrook is actually a double wide track, we could have half paved for wheelchair, roller blade, baby stroller usage, and hard packed gravel for walker and runners. We would like to provide the best possible recreational experience to the public that can be reasonably afforded.
In most cases, that translates to a hard or paved surface, which while costing up to two or three times as much as a softer surface, is much less expensive to maintain and provides for a greater diversity of uses.
On the other hand, a softer surface like crushed stone, while more limiting in terms of uses and more expensive to maintain, is substantially more affordable to build.
Based on a review of existing rail trails, it is apparently not uncommon for some trails to have multiple surfaces, with high-use portions having a hard surface and low-intensity sections constructed with a crushed stone surface.
No decision has been made at this time, but public preference and the expert opinion of a consultant will contribute to this important design decision.
Will I have an opportunity to provide input into the project?
Yes! Public involvement is important to the success of the rail trail development. There will meetings and hearings at various steps in the process for gathering feedback from the public. We hope to create a town Rail Trail Study Committee. Right now you can become involved with the Seabrook Rail Trail Coalition.
Who will manage and maintain the trail?
Typically when trail is developed on a State-owned rail corridor, local towns take on management and maintenance responsibilities. Often local volunteers (rails groups, scouts, service organizations, corporate volunteer groups) handle routine clean up and trail maintenance. We are looking to develop a shared approach of this sort in Seabrook, and also envision that the NH Seacoast Greenway Advisory Committee will also play a role in coordinating management of the trail across multiple communities.
Will motorized vehicles be allowed?
Use of most motorized vehicles in the existing rail corridor is already illegal, prohibited by the State of New Hampshire under the terms of the federal funding that they used to purchase the corridor. An exception to this is use of the trail by snowmobiles during the winter when there is adequate snow cover. Also allowed are motorized wheel chairs and necessary access by emergency vehicles.
We hope to upgrade and fix the railroad corridor through Seabrook and make it a non-motorized recreational trail for everyone in town. At this point there is substantial illegal use of ATVs on the abandoned corridor. We would like the trail to become a community asset and resource where walkers and bicyclists can freely use the trail to exercise or otherwise enjoy this scenic natural section through our town - an area where our children have a safe place to walk or bike to the recreation center, library, school or proposed park at Cane’s Mill Pond.
Will the trail connect to other trails?
Yes, To our south, the trail will connect with Coastal Trails Network, a 30 mile trail connecting Salisbury, Amesbury, Newburyport and Newbury. Beyond that, there is Border to Boston, a 28 mile, 8 community multi-use trail from the border of NH to Boston's North Shore.
To our north is Maine's Eastern Trail, a trail from Memorial Bridge in Kittery, to Bug Light Park on Casco Bay in Portland, Maine.
Then ultimatley the East Coast Greenway, which is an ambitious project of connecting 2500 miles of traffic free trails, linking East Coast cities from Calais,Maine to Key West, Florida.
Cyclists will certainly be one of the largest groups of users. However, a rail trail is meant as a community path that accommodates all kinds of users. In many communities, walkers are the largest users of rail trails. In the winter, cross-country skiers use the trails.
Well-trained cyclists who log lots of miles at high speeds are unlikely to use the rail trail. Such cyclists generally prefer to use the roads. The cycling users of the rail trails are more likely to be families with children, recreational users and commuters.
There has been talk of the commuter rail coming back?
There was a study done in 1999, then updated in 2004, and it was found that the projected ridership of a rail service from Newburyport to Portsmouth would not be high enough to be competitive for Federal New Starts funds, the main federal funding source for new rail service. If it ever became viable, it would take 20 to 30 years for the back log of current rail service projects to clear up, before we could even get on that list.If that ever changed, the corridor is a double wide rail and may provide enough room for a rail service and trail separated by a fence.
If there are other questions, pleas email us and we will do our best to answer them.
Adjacent Landowner and Resident Concerns
- Will trail users trespass on my property?
The vast majority of trail users are law-abiding citizens not interested in trespassing. Straying onto private property is usually accidental, and is reduced where there is a clear trail boundary. Trail signs remind users to respect private property. If you experience trespassing problems with people currently using the abandoned rail corridor, call the police.
- Will being adjacent to the trail reduce my privacy?
According to a National Park Service study, most adjacent owners experience a minimal loss of privacy from the establishment of a rail trail. Rail trails often already have established trees and shrubs along much of their edges. In some cases, adjacent landowners have already taken steps to ensure their privacy from trains, their crews, and other former corridor users. Trail design specifications call for additional vegetative screening to be added to the trail corridor in a number of areas to protect privacy. Fencing is expensive and not usually necessary, although some landowners do erect fences, often with a gate so they can access the trail. The design process of the trail has included meetings with adjacent property owners and residents to address their concerns.
- Do rail trails attract crime and vandalism?
There is no evidence that developed rail trails cause an increase in crime. In fact, trail development may actually decrease the risk of crime in comparison to an abandoned and undeveloped rail corridor. Several studies show that most people prefer living along a rail trail rather than an abandoned corridor. Typically, lawful trail users serve as eyes and ears for the community, discouraging unlawful activity. Police patrols are also conducted on the trail to discourage illegal activities and uses.
- Will being adjacent to the trail affect my property value?