Marion has two on-going Shared Use Projects:
  1. The Marion Pathway Committee is overseeing the Town's contract with Foth Infrastructure and Environment for the engineering design and permit preparation services for the 3.8 mile Phase 1 segment of Marion's Shared Use Path (SUP) which is part of the South Coast Bikeway. Phase 1 is a paved path to be constructed on an abandoned railroad bed that will extend from the Marion/Mattapoisett Town line about a 1/2 mile east of the Mattapoisett Industrial Park westward to Point Road by the I-195 overpass. The project construction is to be funded by the Federal Highway Administration as administered by District 5 of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT). The Draft version of the Southeastern Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) indicates that the funding will be available in the fall of 2023 (FY 2024), however if the project which is currently in the 75% design and environmental permitting stage, continues to meet project milestones, it is possible construction could begin as early as the fall of 2022. The public can let the DOT District 5 know of its interest in seeing the project funded as soon as possible. 
  2. The Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission (MOSAC) obtained a $268,000 grant for the construction of a 0.76 mile compacted stone dust off-road Shared Use Path alongside Point Road in Marion. It will connect to the existing Creek Road Path which in turn connects to the Route 6 sidewalks into Marion Village. The recently completed Route 6 Study incorporated the interest of pedestrian use and safety in its suggested Route 6 alternatives. Additionally, the Point Road SUP will terminate on Point Road approximately 1 mile south of the eastern end of the Phase 1 SUP. The Point Road SUP is currently in the design and permit phase with construction anticipated to commence next fall.
The Marion Pathway Committee worked with the town for many years to finalize acquisition of the abandoned rail corridor for their segment of the South Coast Bikeway.  The engineering design is currently underway. The first phase of the construction is scheduled to be funded through MassDOT in Federal Fiscal Year 2023.

This phase  starts at Mattapoisett Town line, passes through Washburn Park after crossing Route 105 and will terminate at a proposed  parking lot on Point Road at the I-195 overpass.



South Coast Bikeway Committee member:
​Jeff Oakes, jwoakes@gmail.com
Alternate:  TBA
The Marion Pathway Committee is looking for an alternate member to assist the current Town of Marion's representative to the South Coast Bikeway Alliance.