2026 MassTrails Grant Projects on the MCRT
The Mass Central Rail Trail Alliance is thrilled with the level of support the MCRT is receiving from the MassTrails grant program. In 2026, The Healey-Driscoll administration awarded a total of $8.6 million through the MassTrails grant program to support the creation, expansion and maintenance of public trails throughout Massachusetts. $1,272,860 of that funding is being directed to MCRT projects. Here is a complete breakdown of the 2026 grantee projects.
Belchertown
This project extends the trail northward from Maple St. for approximately 1.2 miles to a parking lot at Austin Gaughan Memorial Field. The proposed design includes a new trail bridge over George Hannum Street, extension of the sidewalk along Maple Street, and updated parking and trail user facilities at Austin Gaughan Memorial Field. This project will provide an accessible path and is a critical link in the MCRT network. Funding from the MassTrails grant will be used to complete preliminary design. Grant recipient is the Town of Belchertown.
Berlin
This project aims to complete 25% MassDOT Design Level for the Phase 1 project along the former Mass Central Railroad (MCRR) rail bed, covering approximately 2.3 miles of the MCRT Berlin section between the Hudson Town Line and Colburn Road. The Town of Berlin Conservation Commission will manage the grant.
Clinton
The MCRT Clinton Build Phase 3 will complete the construction of the trail between Rauscher Farm and the Berlin Town line. It will also set up the next phase of the project, which is the remediation of the tunnel and the crossing of Route 70. This grant was awarded to the Clinton Greenway Conservation Trust and the Town of Clinton.
Hardwick,
New Braintree
This project, managed by the East Quabbin Land Trust, will complete a multi-year effort for bridge engineering and permitting along the five miles of the MCRT that are bisected by the Ware River. (The original railroad bridge was damaged during the 1938 hurricane.) Once design and permitting are completed, the next step is to establish the scope for bridge construction and installation.
Northampton
This project seeks to design a universally accessible connection from one of the more dense, historic neighborhoods in the city to the Norwottuck section of the MCRT. The location has been informally used by the neighborhood as a path, but is available only in ideal conditions and only to those who have unhindered mobility. This connection will open up more direct access to hundreds of residents. The grant is being managed by the City of Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability.
Grant Projects on Connecting Trails
MassTrails grants in 2026 will also benefit trails making important North-South connections to the MCRT. Here’s an overview of these projects.
In Easthampton, the Manhan Rail Trail is a key North-South connection to the MCRT. This year, the city of Easthampton received a MassTrails grant for maintenance repairs to the Easthampton section of the Manhan Rail Trail, including pavement improvements to repair cracks, divots and bumps along the entirety of this shared use path. Current pavement conditions in these areas are hazardous to users. The type of pavement repairs anticipated are asphalt repairs, full depth trench repairs and root barrier installations.
In Southampton, the Southampton Greenway connects to the MCRT through the Manhan Rail Trail. The Town of Southampton was awarded a MassTrails grant to support the continued design, engineering and permitting of a new 3.1-mile rail trail (“Greenway”) along an inactive railroad corridor in Southampton, acquired through a railbanking agreement in 2022. This trail will extend from Coleman Road to College Highway (Route 10), significantly narrowing the gap between Easthampton’s Manhan Trail and Westfield’s Columbia Greenway. The funding will help finalize the design for this critical segment of the New Haven and Northampton Canal Greenway, addressing a key gap in the regional trail network that spans from Belchertown to Connecticut. Construction is expected to begin in FY2029.
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, which intersects with the MCRT in Sudbury, received MassTrails funding to reach the final phase of design for Framingham. This will allow the City of Framingham to move forward with its final phase of the rail trail. These funds will make it possible to determine the best path forward in designing and completing the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, which will provide a critical pedestrian and shared use trail connection to the regional trail system. Seeing the completion of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a top priority for Framingham's Mayor, City staff, leaders, and the community.