The Friends of the Bourne Rail Trail is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to bringing a multi-use pathway to the Town of Bourne. Once complete, the trail will fill the 6.5 mile “gap” between the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway and the Shining Sea Bikeway, connecting the towns of Sandwich, Bourne, and Falmouth, and creating 24 miles of uninterrupted multi-use pathway on the Upper Cape. Since the establishment of the Friends in 2016, there has been tremendous support for the project from local residents, elected officials, and regional planning and transit authorities.

The Friends have long promoted the construction of a “rail-to-trail” pathway, with the removal of the Falmouth Secondary and placement of the path in its stead. Until now, the Town has planned for a “rail-with-trail,” where the path is built alongside the track. In March 2023, the Select Board voted unanimously to pivot to the “rail-to-trail” approach. If Commonwealth officials concur, the development of the project will be accelerated by decades at a significantly reduced cost.

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