Regional Bikeshare Program Gets MassDOT Funding Boost

LINCOLN, MA — A new MassDOT grant will create a regional bikeshare program that will serve Bruce Freeman Rail Trail users.

Acton received a $187,450 Shared Streets and Spaces Program grant this week to operate a regional rideshare program along with Lincoln, Concord and Maynard. The new network will have seven bike stations with 42 bikes to rent, including seven adaptive bikes for riders with injuries or disabilities.

Acton previously had a bikeshare program in conjunction with Concord, but it ended after a one-year pilot. Concord still has its bikeshare program in place, offering bikes for rent at two locations along the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Concord's program offers bike rides at $1.50 per 30 minutes, or annual memberships for $30. The bikes can be ridden anywhere, but must be returned to a docking station.

The next phase of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail from the Concord line to near Route 20 in Sudbury is still under construction, but could open in the coming months. The new trail was initially projected to open in June 2025.

MassDOT awarded about $6.5 million in Shared Streets and Spaces grant to various projects across the state on Monday. The program was created during the pandemic as a way to quickly improve outdoor amenities like sidewalks, outdoor dining areas and public transit.