PORTLAND, Maine — A multi-use trail loop connecting communities like Portland, Lewiston-Auburn and Brunswick is the mission of the Casco Bay Trail Alliance.
The nonprofit is working toward garnering support to help free up a key portion of the 72-mile trail it's proposing.
The group is hoping to use the discontinued Berlin Subdivision Rail Corridor stretching 26 miles from Portland to Auburn as part of the potential trail system.
"We learned from COVID, people want safe access to outdoor recreation," Ed Suslovic, a board member for the Casco bay Trail Alliance, said.
Suslovic said they are calling on Portland to back the idea. A city spokesperson was unavailable to comment on the proposal.
Regardless of what city leaders think, Suslovic said the State Legislature gets the final say because the rail corridor is owned by the state.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to recreate or transport in a car-free environment, it's a win-win for everyone," Paul Drinan with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. "The more we build these trails out the more we see community development and the statistics around health outcomes."