The Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail
has been awarded a $990 grant from the Environmental
Community Grant Program of Northeast Utilities (parent company of
PSNH). This grant will be used to construct a small bridge in the fall.
(photo)
May 2008
The Goffstown Main Street Program agrees
to serve as the fiscal sponsor for the Friends of the Goffstown Rail
Trail while the the group seeks federal 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.
April 2008
The Town of Goffstown and the Friends of
the Goffstown Rail Trail receive preliminary
approval for a second NH Recreational
Trails Program grant.
The "Friends of the Greenway" changes its name to
"Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail".
The purpose and goals of the group remain unchanged.
June 2007
The town awards a contract for surveying
the bounds of the entire trail corridor.
Tour of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack
county (see photos). This trail has been
primarily financed by NH Recreational Trails Program grants like the
one recently received for the Goffstown Rail Trail.
The Town of Goffstown and the Friends of
the Greenway receive preliminary
approval for a NH Recreational
Trails Program grant. This money will be used for the "First Mile" project.
January 2007
The Town of Goffstown and the Friends of
the Greenway submit a joint application for a NH Recreational
Trails Program grant, to be used to improve a portion of the trail.
October 2006
The Rail Trail is selected
to receive technical assistance from the Rivers
and Trails Program of the National Park Service. Read the press
release and read more about the program.
Watch a video introduction.
May 2006
Goffstown is not chosen to receive a CMAQ
grant, despite being identified as the highest priority for the program
by the Southern NH Regional Planning Commission.
The town submits an application for the
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant program. This grant
would be used for trail design and construction.
June 2005
The Selectmen establish a new trail use ordinance.
April 2005
The town's new Rail Trail Steering
Committee is formed.
Reauthorization
of funding for land acquisition passes.
August 2002
Acquisition of railroad corridor listed in
Regional Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program
FY2003-2005
(Southern NH Planning Commission).
March 2001
The Friends of the Greenway officially
becomes a New Hampshire corporation.
Article 9 passes!
"To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate Three Hundred
Ninety Thousand Dollars and no cents ($390,000) for property acquisition and
master plan development for an alternative transportation path (non-motorized)
in the Town of Goffstown. This project will be funded 20% ($78,000) by
local property taxes, and 80% ($312,000) by the Federal Transportation Enhancement
Program. The path will follow along the abandoned B&M rail line (98-48
TE), from the former town dump site and future athletic fields site in Pinardville,
paralleling both the Piscataquog River and Mast Road, to Goffstown Village
approximately 5.7 miles. When the design is complete, then the construction
project, and its costs will be presented as a Special Article to the taxpayers
for vote at an annual town meeting."
December 2000
Friends of the Greenway formed to advocate for the conversion of the rail corridor into a trail for the town.
1997
Goffstown Master Plan states the objective:
Develop a "Rails-to-Trails" system which would extend Manchester's
existing rail trail, through Goffstown, to the Weare town line.
Planning Department submits application
for the Transportation Enhancement Program for land acquisition and
trail design.
1995
Planning Department contacts
Guilford Transportation for information on purchasing the railroad corridor.
1993
Goffstown railroad corridor identified
in Southern NH Planning Commission's Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan
.
