Saugus bike path proposal moving forward

SAUGUS – The Saugus Board of Selectmen met with members of Bike to the Sea Monday night and voted to allow the town?s environmental attorney George Hailer to further investigate a possible lease with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to turn 2.4 miles of abandoned railways into a bike trail.Bike to the Sea is a nonprofit group that has been working for close to 20 years to build a nine-mile bike trail starting in Everett and ending in Lynn using old MBTA lines.?From the town?s standpoint I think the trail itself seems to be a value added to the community,” said selectman Scott Crabtree. “I think what we?re trying to do is ascertain what risk the town has so we can make an informed, educated decision.”The main issue with the lease is that the town can only do environmental tests after the lease is signed with the MBTA. This would put any environmental issues, such as oil or any pollutants in the soil left over from when the railways was active, squarely on the town?s shoulders.Paving the trails would negate any liability because it would contain and seal off any potential contaminants, but Bike to the Sea board member Steve Winslow said a gravel or dirt surface is more likely because it is cheaper.?We?ve been working on this for 19 years,” said Winslow. “We?ve applied several times for paving money in Malden and Everett and it?s difficult to get that. That process can be a couple of million dollars a mile for paving.”Hailer said is goal is to reduce any liability to the town when negotiating the lease with the MBTA.?It?s a very beneficial use of a dormant piece of property owned by a governmental agency,” said Hailer. “Your biggest concern here is just basically exposure if there?s any contamination from the historical use of the rail path.”Bill Kramich lives on Emory Street near an abandoned rail line and spoke out against the project.?We?re inviting people from Everett, from Revere, from Malden, what do you think is going to be coming in here?” asked Kamich. “We have a problem with the kids now and the lines are all brush which is keeping them out of there. Now you open this up ? I think we?re opening the door to a whole problem.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @MattTempesta.