All rail trails lead to Manchester, but none through it.  Manchester is the most populous city in Northern New England.  The Granite State Rail Trail is a nearly contiguous 125-mile rail trail with a major gap between Manchester and Concord.   Why?  This segment hasn't been abandoned like many others and continues to run a freight train 1-2x per week.    

A solution to this problem is a Rail with Trail situation in conjunction with investments in the nearly contiguous Heritage Trail adjacent the railroad corridor.   This solution would require the railroad owner, CSX in May of 2022, to agree to such a setup.   Rail with Trail are increasingly common and have been proven to be safe when designed according to established standards.    

Manchester is positioned to become the Trail crossroads of New England with connections to the Granite State Rail Trail and the East Coast Greenway, stretching from Florida to Maine.   This will serve as an economic catalyst for Manchester and will enable residents in surrounding communities to commute to work or visit Manchester safely by bicycle.   This infrastructure investment will foster an active, healthy community.