WELLS — The Eastern Trail is one step closer to reaching Wells.

This month, the towns of Kennebunk and Wells both agreed to allocate funds and in-house engineering resources to design the next portion of the trail south, from Route 35 in Kennebunk through Wells to the North Berwick town line.

The Eastern Trail is a 65-mile bicycle route that starts at the Piscataqua River in Kittery and ends in South Portland. It is part of the East Coast Greenway bicycle trail that extends from Maine to Florida.

Although it crosses through 12 Maine communities, there are many places where the trail does not connect due to highways, rivers and railway lines that must be traversed. The Eastern Trail Alliance is working to fund bridges and construction projects to connect the trail system.

On June 10, Wells voters approved the use of up to $30,000 from the undesignated fund balance to create 7.35 miles of new trail along the Granite State Gas line. The money will be coupled with $25,000 the Town of Kennebunk set aside for the same purpose, to be used for an initial design, which will then require more funding to develop.

Kennebunk Town Manager Barry Tibbetts said that using in-house engineers and working collaboratively with Wells should accelerate the expansion of the project.

“For Kennebunk and Wells to pick up the ball and run with it to North Berwick couldn’t be better news, and we’re excited to see it happening,” said Bob Hamblen, president and treasurer of the Eastern Trail Alliance. Hamblen is also the Saco city planner.

The space, says Hamblen, is a trail developer’s dream. The property is owned by natural gas provider Unitel, and much of Cumberland and northern York counties have already been developed into a public bicycle route.

“When you see a utility line, it’s a natural place for trail to be developed, as it benefits both parties. The types of users who typically enjoy the trails are families and joggers. The result is less vandalism and partying on the property owner’s corridor, and the communities provide a positive place to recreate,” Hamblen said.

The development of the Eastern Trail began in 2001 and is managed and extended through the efforts of the Eastern Trail Alliance and the Eastern Trail Management District, a non-profit group of representatives from each Eastern Trail town that manages the construction and upkeep of the trail. It is also frequently supported by grants from Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System, a mechanism for federal transportation agency money to come into the area. The goal of both groups is to eventually establish a four-season recreational trail between Portsmouth, N.H. and South Portland.

“Wells’ support to funding the design of the Eastern Trail within its town limits is a watershed event in the history of the trail. As funding for off-road bike and pedestrian trails become scarcer at the federal and state levels, we must pursue alternative and innovative ways to complete construction of the trail southward from Kennebunk to Kittery,” said EMTD President and Tad Redway, who is also the Arundel town planner.

In addition to a design that will bring the Wells section of trail up to standards, the ETMD will need to negotiate a new, multi-community contract with Unitel.

Up until this point, Hamblen said, each time a municipality extended the trail they created an individual co-location agreement with Unitel. Now the gas company wants to create a blanket easement that would result in one single contract for the entire trail corridor.

“Unitel has successfully gotten a little tighter in their demands for easement rights and any new trail agreements would fall under more stringent requirements that will bear some discussion with communities like Scarborough,” Hamblen said.

Scarborough was the first to sign an easement contract with Unitel. Hamblen explained that Unitel must periodically conduct maintenance on the trail, which requires the closing of trail sections.

“It’s a question of safety and liability. In the past, they’ve notified us that they want people there directing traffic to keep people out of harm’s way during the work. We’ve always used volunteers, but this time Unitel wanted a paid police detail, which would be on ETMD’s nickel,” said Hamblen. “We’ve been doing this very successfully with trained volunteers. Unitel has had 10 years to view the trail in action. There have been no incidents and they’re thinking the same way, so I think everyone will come to a mutually beneficial agreement soon.”

In the meantime, the ETMD continues to work on funding and activities to move the project forward.

As for timing, neither Wells nor Kittery’s town managers could commit to a firm date, but Tibbetts hopes to spend time over the fall to create a plan that could receive preliminary sign off by Unitel this year.

— Tracey Collins can be reached via the Journal Tribune at [email protected].