Despite an unusual October snowstorm, BSC was on-site for the ribbon cutting of a new tunnel linking portions of the Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Conservation’s Southern New England Trunkline Trail. Our team provided design, permitting, and survey services under this DCR contract, allowing us to showcase a variety of skills and build our trail portfolio. Completed under budget and ahead of schedule despite construction during the pandemic, this tunnel links Bellingham and Franklin and paves the way for future connections and expansion.
The new concrete culvert rail-trail tunnel creates an important connection for the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, a 10-mile trail system that includes a 10-foot wide, shared-use path along an abandoned railroad right-of-way. The new underpass links previously unconnected trail segments and allows trail users to continue on the path without climbing a steep hill or having to travel across private property. Construction was funded through a $1.3 million grant through DCR’s Recreation Trails Capital Program.