Support a Specific Project
Some of Manchester’s rail trails are now over 16 years old and in need of reinvestment. Some trails need additional safety equipment to make them safer and on par with trails in neighboring towns, some trails still need to be built, some trail segments need to be advocated for. Maybe there’s a project that is dear to your heart that you want to designate a gift for and help make it happen!
We aim to fix these problems in our trail network.
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Queen City Avenue- Pedestrian Bridge
Problem: The nearly completed, 125-mile, statewide trail, The Granite State Rail Trail comes to an end at Queen City Avenue. The abandoned rail corridor continues into downtown Manchester on the northern side of the 4-lane road.
Solution: Build a safe crossing of Queen City Avenue.
Our Actions: We contracted with Urban Lab Idea from Boston, MA to design 3 alternatives to cross Queen City Avenue.
Our Cost: $12,000
Commitments to date: $0
Funds needed to proceed: TBD
Timing: 2025- 2029
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Tunnel Art & Lighting
Problem: On the Rockingham Rail Trail, the new tunnel under I-93 is dark and feels unsafe to many. On the Piscataquog Rail Trail, the Parker St. tunnel has been vandalized with obscene graffiti.
Solution: Install solar-powered lighting and commission a local artist to beautify the tunnels with warm, welcoming Art.
Our Actions: We are pursuing appropriate permits from the City of Manchester & the State of New Hampshire. Once secured, we will publicly announce the project and solicit bids from area artists and art institutions. We’ve secured a private donor for $7,500 that requires a 50% match to fund the project.
Our Cost: $15,000
Commitments to date: $15,000 (100% funded). Thank you Richard & Barbara Maloney of Manchester!!
Funds needed to proceed: $0
Timing: April 2022
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South Manchester Rail Trail- "Nutt's Pond" Rehabilitation
Problem: This 1.2 miles of paved trail was completed 16-years ago with little investment since. It’s use by families and children decreases each year because of garbage, graffiti, overgrown invasive bushes, and pop-up homeless settlements.
Solution: In conjunction with the planned 2022 expansion of the trail from Gold St. to Perimeter Rd, this project will privately invest $100,000 to bring this segment up to date. Project to include heavy brush removal (leaving only trees >5 inches in diameter), installation of 8 fixed garbage recepticles, 20 solar-powered lights, and a nature playground near the historic “Archibald Stark Fort.”
Our Actions: We’ve identified a 50/50 matching grant with NH State Parks, Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The City of Manchester would need to apply for Grant Round 33 with its intent to apply by 4/20/22. We’ve secured a private commitment of $25,000 to launch the project and have started to accept donations for the remaining $75,000. This grant would allow us to double the investment to $200,000 and make it a Private/Public partnership.
Our Cost: $100,000
Commitments to date: $27,000 (27% funded)
Funds needed to proceed: $73,000
Timing: Fall 2022