Our first project in Bradford is open for biking and walking.
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Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail Bradford

This section of trail was supported by so many from the community and serves as an example of what the trail will look like as we build more with your help.

Three local non-profits teamed up to make this project happen.  The  Friends of the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail partnered with the Lake Sunapee Snowmobile Club and the Rural Heritage Connection of Bradford to create this extension of the Tilly Wheeler Trail including a new bridge parallel to the Route 103 crossing over Lake Todd.

The bridge was completed in early December 2018 in time for use during the snowmobile season.   The bridge and trail will be open year round.  When snow covered its open for snowmobiles, cross country skiing, snowshoeing walking and biking.  During the warmer months the trail is open for walking, running, bicycling, walking the dog, and equestrians.

Because the trail is stone dust it is not open to motorized wheeled vehicles.

The Lake Sunapee Snowmobile Club was the official applicant on the Recreational Trails Program grant from the NH Bureau of Trails that provided partial funding for this trail.  All three groups shared the financial responsibility for raising the matching funds.

In October of 2018 friends of Robert Saturley drove by and saw the bridge under construction.  Robert was killed riding his bicycle on Route 103 in Newbury in 2011.  Many years earlier he worked on the Route 103 road bridge in Bradford while a student at UNH.  His friends were motivated to help us create this safe path for cyclists, pedestrians and snowmobiling.  They started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the project.  We can not thank them enough for taking the initiative.

So many people to thank for their support!

• Many people made cash donations.  Thank you!
• The NH Bureau of Trails provided funding.
• The Appleseed fed volunteers.
• Nate Kimball of Valley Excavating donated assistance setting bridge footings and was the contractor completing the trail surface.
• Chris Krol of Chris Krol Excavating helped set the bridge beams.

• Conway Scenic Railroad helped us obtain the wheels for the benches.

• Jeremiah Johnson of Bear Blasting in Manchester NH donated sandblasting of the railroad car wheels.

       

• Jason Allen of Merrimack County Customs donated welding services and bench delivery from his Bradford shop.

 

• Bradford Police provided traffic management.

• Eagle Scout Brady Lombard raised funds and built a fantastic kiosk.
• Central NH Bicycle Coalition, LSSC, RHC of Bradford and FCLSRT contributed to the bicycle fix station which has tools and a pump for making quick adjustments to bicycles.

• The Bradford Gardening Group placed planters, some of which were donated by Spring Ledge Farm.

• Tyler Lawn Care donated hydro seeding.
• Clark Roberge of Roberge Signs is creating the Robert D Saturley Memorial Bridge sign.

• Thanks also to the Bradford Selectboard, Bradford Planning Board, Bradford Conservation Commission and NHDOT for their guidance and support as we prepared for and built this project.

Please respect the boaters on Lake Todd by not fishing from the bridge. 

Future Plans

You can help us continue improving the trail surface from Gillingham Drive to Church St – The Tilly Wheeler section – and then on to Main St by donating to the Friends of the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail.

Winter 2018-2019 photos

New Multi Use Trail Bridge over Lake Todd

A sincere thank you to the Lake Sunapee Snowmobile Club for doing summer mowing on this section of trail. Thanks also to the folks in Bradford who plant and maintain the flowers along this section of trail.