by Breanna Edelstein, Eagle Tribune
Walk, run, bike or roller blade: The Methuen Rail Trail is officially open for whichever recreational activity you prefer.
The long-sought community offering was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.
Officials have touted the 2.4-mile trail as a place for people of all ages and abilities to incorporate exercise into their daily routines and a safe transportation alternative for residents, workers and tourists by connecting them with places they want or need to go.
The Methuen Rail Trail connects Lawrence’s Spicket Greenway with the Salem, New Hampshire, Bike-Ped Corridor and the rest of the growing Granite State Rail Trail System.
The trail was not possible until a $1.95 million Gateway City Parks grant was awarded for design and construction. The trail runs along the former Manchester and Lawrence branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad.