What's New!

Welcome MRRTC!

Bike-Walk Alliance is pleased to welcome a new advocacy organization to its list of official “affiliates.” Being a BWA affiliate means that BWA serves as the fiscal sponsor to the organization. The affiliate organization receives its official 501(c)3 status through BWA’s 501(c)3 status. Among other duties, BWA sets up and monitors bank accounts and provides guidance and mentorship as needed. Other than these duties, the affiliate organization functions independently to achieve its stated goals.

The Monadnock Region Rail Trail Collaborative (MRRTC) was originally formed in 2019 by a local group of rail trail advocates who recognize the value in collaborating on shared goals and interests for improving the Monadnock region rail trails. The MRRTC mission is to reconstruct and maintain the Cheshire, Ashuelot, and Fort Hill rail trails throughout Cheshire County. This encompasses over 65 miles of trail. The group has an impressive website containing a wealth of information about the current trails and plans moving forward. Check out their website here.

The organization’s ultimate goal is to connect southwest New Hampshire, via the rail trails, with Brattleboro, VT, Bellows Falls, VT, and Winchendon, MA. BWA wholeheartedly supports these goals.

MRRTC is an active member of the NH Rail Trails Coalition, and also works closely with the local snow mobile clubs who currently manage significant portions of the trail maintenance duties, such as clearing brush cutting, bridge building and repair.

The group has formed three regional collaborative working groups: a.) The North: Walpole, Westmoreland Surry, and Bellows Falls section, b.) The South: Swanzey, Marlborough, Fitzwilliam, and Winchendon section, and c.) The West: Swanzey, Winchester, Hinsdale, and Brattleboro.

MRRTC has formally presented its mission, goals, and plans to numerous organizations in the region and around the state, including Cheshire County, NHDOT, NH Bureau of Trails, NH Parks and Rec, NH Rail Trails Coalition, Rails To Trails Conservancy, along with most Cheshire County municipality selectboards and/or conservation commissions, just to name a few.

The addition of the MRRTC to BWA’s list of affiliate organizations brings the total number of BWA affiliates to 6. You can view the list of affiliates here on the BWANH website. Please join us in congratulating this newly formed group as they embark on meeting their goals. If you have a desire to learn more about this group, or better yet, get involved, go to their website, click on “Contact” or “Get Involved.”