Archive of Attractions and Events

2002: Bedford Depot Park

Bedford Depot Park (now mostly completed) enhances the Bedford terminus of the Minuteman Bikeway with improved landscaping, public sanitary facilities, new benches and lighting, and increased public parking. A retired Boston & Maine Railroad passenger car has already been brought on site for restoration. In addition, the 1870s Railroad Depot and Freight House structures have been purchased for historic preservation.

When completed, Bedford’s Depot Park is expected to be a model transportation enhancement project, funded with federal TEA-21 money. For more information, see the Friends of Bedford Depot Park website at www.bedforddepot.org.

2002: Lexington Center Depot

The Lexington Center Depot will soon become a Tourist and Exhibit Center, in association with the Lexington Historical Society. On the bikeway side, under the depot’s train shed, bikeway users can purchase drinks and snacks at the depot’s former “ticket windows.” In front of Depot Square, the reconstructed Emery Park will feature widened sidewalks, new public benches, and a loading area for local Lexpress bus passengers.

2002: Bikeway brochure

The brochure is a companion to this website and contains much of the same information, plus a large-scale printed map of the bikeway region. This map is now out of print but still available on this site (front side, back side with map). A new map and brochure are currently in the works.

New brochure and website dedicated to bikeway's "founding fathers"

 

 

 

The old Bikeway Map and Brochure

Andy Rubel & Madeleine Noland. Courtesy of Rubel BikeMaps. The bikeway map is in the Minuteman Bikeway brochure, Now out of print but still available on this site. A new map and brochure are in production (see Coming Attractions).

Minuteman Bikeway plowed in Arlington, Lexington and Bedford In the winter.

November 2009: During the winter season of 2009–2010, the towns of Arlington and Lexington began plowing their sections of the Minuteman Bikeway, followed by Bedford in 2012. Get more details on bikeway plowing program.

Minuteman Bikeway named to Rail-Trail Hall of Fame

June 2008: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has inducted the Minuteman Bikeway into the national Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

New banners installed in Arlington

Minuteman Bikeway Celebration in Lexington

October 2008: The Friends of the Lexington Bikeways hosted an exciting afternoon of events on Sunday, October 5th, noon to 4:00pm at the Lexington Visitors Center:

Bicycling skills courses

MassBike offers local bicycling skills classes. Click here for more information on these classes.

Bedford Depot Park construction completed

The new Bedford Depot Park enhances the Bedford terminus of the Minuteman Bikeway with facilities for pedestrians and cyclists in a surrounding that recalls the railroad history of the corridor. The park features improved landscaping, public sanitary facilities, period-style benches and lighting, and increased public parking. In addition, the 1870s-vintage Railroad Depot and Freight House structures have been purchased for historic preservation. Their exteriors will be renovated to better resemble original appearances. A retired Boston & Maine Railroad passenger car, of a type that once served the former commuter rail line, has been brought on site for restoration.

The Town of Bedford carried out the project with $1.35 million in funding from the federal and state governments' Transportation Enhancement Program.

Minuteman Bikeway tour held for Rails-to-Trails conference participants

June 28, 2003: The communities of Bedford, Lexington, and Arlington hosted a bicycle-tour workshop on the Minuteman Bikeway for participants of Rails-to-Trails' national conference. Click for more details and photos of this event.

Arlington bikeway stretch repaved

Summer 2002: The Town of Arlington has repaved its entire stretch of bikeway. For more information, see the town's press release. The bikeway in Arlington is now better than new!

Support for Mass Central Rail-Trail growing

Local support for the Mass Central Rail-Trail has been revived and is growing fast. This bike path would travel 104 miles – from Boston all the way to Northampton at the foot of the Berkshires. Speaking at the recent Golden Spike Rail-Trail Conference on June 21 at Bentley College, MassHighway Commissioner John Cogliano said, "The more bike projects we build, the more we realize how much they are needed."

The Mass Central Rail-Trail would connect to the Minuteman Bikeway at Alewife Station in Cambridge.