posted on: 6/8/2021
Dover Community Trail’s Phase III marked official completion with a grand opening ceremony with Mayor Robert Carrier last week.
Phase III included extending the urban section of the trail from the former terminus at Fisher Street to the new terminus at Central Avenue and Rutland Street. It also included formalizing the entrance to the rural section of the trail at Fourth Street with a paved, sloped ramp.
Much of the construction was completed last fall. This spring, the Phase III trail areas received a final coat of pavement, and the installation of benches, trash and recycling receptacles, and new signage.
While construction began last year, Phase III has been in development for more than six years. It began with receiving funding from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The TAP reimbursement program covered 80 percent of the original $400,000 cost of design and construction. Since first receiving the TAP grant in 2015, the project grew in scope with the final cost of $628,802. The City’s portion is funded through the Transportation Improvements Program portion of the Capital Improvements Program and Recreational Impact Fees.
In addition to grant funding, Phase III was also made possible by property owners. To create the Fourth Street entrance, new and revised easements from Downeast Energy and the Sixth Street Station Condominium Owners Association were obtained. For the urban section of the trail, Double Diamond Holdings South, LLC and Double Diamond Holdings North, LLC (principals Chad Kageleiry and Ray Martineau) granted easements to allow the trail to extend from Fisher Street to Central Avenue.
Since the mid-1990s, the City of Dover has been actively planning and acquiring rights-of-way for a community trail project. The Dover Master Plan recommends a community trail to provide both recreation and alternative transportation opportunities for Dover’s citizens.
The Community Trail first opened in 2011 with Phase I from the Transportation Center to Fisher Street, known as the urban section, as it is paved and runs close to the downtown. It follows the former track alignment of the Portsmouth to Dover Railroad.
The next section of the trail runs along the Cochecho River near Fourth Street, crosses Whittier Street, under the Spaulding Turnpike and continues to Watson Road. It is known as the rural section and provides opportunities for bicycling, hiking, bird watching, and fishing. Much of this portion of the trail follows the former alignment of the Cocheco Railroad Company.
Phase IV of the Community Trail is currently in the feasibility stage. The City has received another round of TAP funding to design and build the trail from Bellamy Road through Bellamy Park that would come out at Knox Marsh Road/Route 155.
The ad-hoc Dover Community Trail Advisory Committee assists the Dover Planning Department and the City of Dover in creating and maintaining the trail.
Those interested in being a part of the Dover Community Trail Advisory Committee should contact City Planner Donna Benton at 603-516-6008, or d.benton@dover.nh.gov.
