2024 – Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

June 19, 2026 – Summer Solstice Bike Ride

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:34:00 GMT

Join us for a walk or ride on the BFRT, then join the Friends for post-ride/walk pizza.

Friday, June 19, 2026, 5:30 p.m. (Rain date, June 20)
Pedal Power Bike & Ski, 176 Great Road (Rte. 2A), Acton
Parking available at 179 Great Road
Contact Tom Michelman: tmichelman@gmail.com

Photos from 2025 Summer Solstice Bike Ride

May 3, 2026 – Carlisle Route to Sustainability Day

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:22:00 GMT

Route to Sustainability Day 2026

Sunday, May 3, 2026, 1:00 pm -4:00 pm

Carlisle Public School Gym

83 School St. Enter by the solar canopy parking lot on Church St.

This Earth Day event will be chock full of environmental information, activities, live wildlife, crafts, tasty treats, and fun for all ages!

November 23, 2025 – Annual Friends of the BFRT Meeting

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 01:37:00 GMT

Join us on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at 2 p.m. for the Friends’ Annual Meeting. We will present the latest news about the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail.

Location: Pedal Power Bike and Ski, 176 Great Road, Acton

Light refreshments will be served.

November 10, 2025 – Public Information Meeting in Framingham

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 01:26:00 GMT

For Immediate Release:
The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail invites everyone to attend a public information
meeting to learn the latest on the development of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail Extension in
Framingham. The meeting will be held on Monday, November 10, starting at 7:00 pm at the
Costin Room in Framingham’s Main Library, 49 Lexington St.

The City of Framingham purchased the 3.4-mile remnant of the Framingham and Lowell
Railroad in 2023, which runs from the Sudbury town line to Pleasant St. The City’s division
of Planning and Community Development is coordinating its development into a rail trail for
passive recreation.

When complete, the 26-mile rail trail will connect Framingham with Lowell and six other
communities along the way. The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT) is already open for use from
Sudbury to Lowell, where users enjoy peaceful walking, running, cycling and other non-
motorized mobility means through its natural environment away from streets and motorized vehicle traffic. Just as important, the BFRT will connect to other trails in Framingham, with
the potential for more connections to the growing trail network south of Route 9.

The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that
supports the creation of connections and access to, and maintenance and beautification of,
the BFRT. Its long-term plan is to promote connection to its ever-growing network of trails
that serve its surrounding communities with the benefit of peaceful recreation and healthy
alternatives to commuting.

Use of Framingham Public Library space does not imply Library or City endorsement.

Download a PDF of this press release.

October 29, 2025 – “Trek or Treat” Halloween Bike Ride

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:08:00 GMT

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 3 to 4 p.m. “Trek and Treat” Halloween Bike Ride. Meet at the West Concord Bike Share and bicycle to East Acton Village Green (1.9 miles on the BFRT).
Prizes for best costume and bike decoration. Sponsored by Community Bike Share.

The West Concord Bike Share is at the entrance to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail near the bridge over the Nashoba Brook adjacent to Brookside Square at 70 Beharrell Street.

October 25, 2025 – Adaptive Cycling Event – Sudbury

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:42:00 GMT

Join us on Saturday, October 25, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m for an Adaptive Cycling Event for people of all ages and abilities. Meet at Broadacres Farm Parking Lot (62 Morse Road), Sudbury.
Phone registration: 413-584-2052.

October 19, 2025 – Tails from the Rail Trail Presentation

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:38:00 GMT

Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 3:00 pm at the Sudbury Goodnow Library Community Meeting Room.
“Tales from the Rail Trail,” A slide presentation about the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail in Sudbury by Len Simon.

Download the presentation: https://bit.ly/Sudbury-Trail-Tales

June 20, 2025 – Summer Solstice Bike Ride

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 14:52:00 GMT

Friday, June 20, 2025 6 p.m. (Rain date, June 21)

Pedal Power Bike and Ski, 176 Great Road (Rte. 2A), Acton

Parking available at Pedal Power and across Great Road

Come walk or ride on the BFRT

Join the Friends for post-ride/walk pizza

Contact Barbara Pike: bbpike@AOL.com

November 24, 2024 – Friends Annual Meeting

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 03:36:00 GMT

Date: Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, 2 p.m.

Location: Pedal Power Bike and Ski, 176 Great Road (Rte. 2A), Acton

Come celebrate the progress of the BFRT and hear about trail construction in Sudbury and other trail news.

Parking is available at Pedal Power and additional parking is available at Patriot Square, across Great Road from Pedal Power.

Light refreshments will be served.

November 11, 2024 – Fall Friends of the BFRT Newsletter is here!

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 16:06:00 GMT

Sudbury construction progress (spoiler alert, great progress continues, but the trail is officially closed in Sudbury until construction is completed

Framingham design progress

Lowell Connector Trail to BFRT

Chelmsford Trail Count (lots of usage)

Daphne Freeman Memoriam

Award of grant for beacon crossing system to Westford DPW

Download Newsletter PDF here

June 21, 2024 – Summer Solstice Bike Ride

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 21:34:00 GMT

Come walk or ride on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail on Friday 6/21/24 at 6:00 pm.

Meet at:
Pedal Power Bike & Ski176 Great Road (Rt. 2A)
Acton, MA 01720 United

Additional parking available across Great Road at Patriot Square, 179 Great Road

Join the Friends for post walk/ride pizza.

Contact Tom Michelman tmichelman@gmail.com

May 7, 2024 – Nashoba Valley Pedalers meeting on May 13 with update on the BFRT in Sudbury & Framingham. All are welcome.

Wed, 08 May 2024 01:39:00 GMT

While this is short notice, we wanted the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT) to be aware of this meeting of the Nashoba Valley Pedalers on May 13, 2024 at Pedal Power in Acton. There will be a presentation on the extension of the BFRT and an opportunity to mingle with members of NVP, a long-established and active biking group in our area.

Please note the requested May 10 RSVP date.

NVP MEMBERS’ MEETING
Monday, May 13, 2024 ( SIGN UP BY FRIDAY, MAY 10 )
Pedal Power
176 Great Rd, Acton, MA 01720

6:30 PM – Pizza;
7:00 PM Presentation
Bruce Freeman Bike Trail Update

Join us for the NVP May Members’ Meeting at Pedal Power, Acton. Pedal Power will provide pizza. BYOB for Adult and other Beverages.

Space is limited, so sign up today at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hUb1siQCRZun4bycBmhHdTBwkuXgr0bMMfDv2_g5omA/edit?pli=1#gid=0 .

Questions or comments – contact Donald Kennedy, peloton75.cycle@gmail.com

Our speaker – Joyce Reischutz , one of the owners of Pedal Power, a well-known bike shop on Great Road in Acton. Joyce has been a key driver behind the construction of the now famous Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, a trail we all love. She’ll give us an update on the extension into Sudbury, and hopefully beyond!

See You There!

April 3, 2024 – Friends Meeting on Invasive Species on Thursday, April 18.

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:26:00 GMT

The Friends will sponsor a member meeting on April 18 at 7 p.m. at Pedal Power Bike and Ski, 176 Great Road (Rte. 2A), Acton, to focus on invasive species such as garlic mustard and buckthorn.

Jane Maloney, Land Steward of the Sudbury Valley Trustees, will share information on identifying and removing these plants from our neighborhoods and along the BFRT. Jane holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and has previously worked for the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston. As a Land Steward at SVT, she works to control invasive plants on SVT properties and to maintain hiking trails for public use.

Light refreshments will be served. The meeting is open to the public.

Update: Here is the presentation from the April 18th meeting, Invasives Indentification & Management (PDF, 14.8MB) .

January 2, 2024 -Construction of Phase 2D in Sudbury Moves Into High Gear

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 03:09:00 GMT

Phase 2D of the BFRT runs 4.9 miles north from Station Road near Rte. 20 in Sudbury to Powder Mill Road in Concord. Construction of this section of the rail trail started in January 2023, has made excellent progress and is moving ahead of schedule. Since construction began, vegetation has been removed, rails and ties have been taken up and the corridor has been widened to accommodate the 10-foot wide paved travel surface with 2-foot shoulders.

Between April and September the rail bed was leveled and graded, and sub-base was installed in preparation for paving. The first 2.2 miles of asphalt were laid during the last week of September, from Station Road at the diamond, which marks the intersection of the BFRT and the Mass Central rail trail, to Morse Road. An additional mile of paving was laid during the second week of October, from Powder Mill Road, Concord, to Rte. 117 in Sudbury. The remaining 1.7 miles, from Rte. 117 to Morse Road, likely will not be paved in 2023 due to high water conditions. After the initial 2 ½-inch base layer of asphalt is set, the top 1 ½-inch layer of asphalt can be installed.

The old railroad bridge over Hop Brook has been removed. In August steel girders were installed across Hop Brook to support the new decking. The new wood travel surface will enhance the historic character of the bridge. The old Pantry Brook Bridge has been removed, and work is underway to rebuild the south abutment for the new bridge. In addition to the reconstruction of the two bridges, work planned over the next several months will include installation of traffic and crossing signals, parking areas, screening for abutters, safety railings, signage and other amenities. Now completion of Phase 2D of the BFRT is now being measured in months.

Two presentations with photos of the progress of the trail in Sudbury

A Visual History of the BFRT in Sudbury (Phase 2D) PDF

Phase 3 Corridor South of Route 20 PDF