Protecting the right to live peacefully in our own homes

Who are we?

We are residents who will be seriously affected by the creation of the Casco Bay Trail. We landowners along the proposed trail have been deliberately left out of the process by the State, and local governments have been reluctant to help us. Well-organized and well-funded proponents of the project have abused the public engagement process, and have hoped to push the project through before we property owners knew what was going on.

We created this website to help all those in our region affected by this unwise and unlawful project. Together we will defend our right to live in our homes and enjoy our privacy without excessive encroachment of our properties.

What is the Casco Bay Trail?

The Casco Bay Trail is a proposed 25-mile land grab of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail line (also known as Berlin Subdivision) corridor through Portland, Falmouth, Cumberland, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, Pownal, New Gloucester, and Auburn.

Private property rights are under siege by a government program called Rails to Trails

You can read about the government's Rails to Trails program to convert abandoned railroad tracks to recreational trails at Rails to Trails: A Train Wreck for Property Owners

What can you do?

Your input is valuable in helping us communicate the damage that will come from the Casco Bay Trail. The proponents of this effort and many local municipalities are running over our rights...and that's before a trail is built. News from other trail initiatives show that information put forward by proponents is often highly optimistic and grossly misleading. There are several ways to participate in our efforts to STOP the Casco Bay Trail.

Trails gone bad!

Here's a short video in Portland, Maine

We prefer Rail

The highest and best use of the corridor is for rail travel. Use for non-rail activities is not in the public’s interest. The town of Cumberland would receive no economic benefit from this trail as there are no public access points to the area. The only impact to Cumberland residents would be negative and a hardship to abutters. Current parking for Cumberland's existing trails have been targeted by vandals and auto break-ins are frequently being reported. The fact that parking areas are needed for walking/biking trails is a bit odd to begin with. I do not believe that this proposed trail would be used for commuting; the plan itself identifies that peak use would be in October and May; it would not meet the infrastructure needs to be a permanent solution for commuters. A rail corridor is really the only option, rail can run 12 months per year and parking areas for rail stations are very secure. Rail will bring economic benefit. It would be poor public policy and a waste of current and future public funds to pay for a trail instead of supporting an expansion of rail.

• Maine has a housing crisis that requires immediate attention and action. We need more public transit options and routes to other areas of the region to help alleviate Portland's severe housing shortage.
• While Cumberland isn't poised to have a rail station, stops in other communities can generate new economic activity to reduce residential property taxes and create new jobs.
• Rail is the most equitable option; trail use is intended for a small percentage of the population. Rail would be used by a wider population base and would be an excellent option for Maine’s aging demographic.
• Rail offers the best environmental option to connect suburban and metropolitan areas in the region.
• Investing in existing rail lines is the most cost effective way to reduce vehicle miles driven and emissions. Rail can succeed in removing vehicles from the roads.
• The demolition of Union Station is the perfect example of what happens when rail is underestimated. We can't afford to remove this rail line and repeat that mistake.
• Our area does not lack recreational opportunities we do suffer from a lack of transportation alternatives.