How far is it from the Oakdale trails to the Wethersfield trails? On a map it's a short hop across Pickerel Pond. On foot today it's about a mile and a half: up Oak Street and through an industrial park, because nothing crosses the water.
That gap of a few hundred feet is a good way into Natick's trail news this fall. The Cochituate Rail Trail already runs four miles and joins Framingham's finished section. Most of the big projects underway now don't add new miles. They close short gaps between paths and places Natick already has. Each gap is on its own schedule. One was close to done in September. One goes to a Town Meeting vote next week. Two along Route 9 run on MassDOT timelines that reach into 2028 and 2030.
195 feet in place of a mile and a half
The Pickerel Pond Connector Boardwalk is a floating walkway across the western side of the pond, in the Sunkaway Conservation Area. It's 195 feet long and 6 feet wide, with 4 feet 10 inches of walking space between the handrails. It sits on helical piles so it can rise and fall with the water level. Town Meeting first approved it in 2022.
In remarks to WBZ NewsRadio that CBS Boston reported, Natick environmental planner Claire Rundelli said that without the crossing, trail users "have to walk a mile and a half up Oak Street and into an industrial park to get between the two trail systems." The same report put the walk between the two trail systems at about 20 minutes now and about five once the boardwalk opens.
The cost matters too. CBS Boston reported that the $352,000 boardwalk is paid for with a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant plus existing town money for off-road connections. Officials said it costs $200,000 less than a standard wooden bridge over the pond would. Marlborough's well-known floating boardwalk runs 3,000 feet and cost $1.7 million. Natick's is a much smaller project with one narrow job: join two trail systems that already exist.
The opening date is less settled. CBS Boston's preview said work would start in August and could wrap up by the end of September if the schedule held. On Sept. 10, Natick Report went to walk it and found it closed off with caution tape and plastic fencing, with opening still planned for the fall. As of mid-October, we haven't found confirmation that it has opened. The town's project page is the place to check before you head out.
A $42,375 question for Town Meeting
The next link is in Natick Center, and it's much shorter. Friends of Natick Trails has proposed an accessible walkway, a native garden, seating and a historical panel to connect the Cochituate Rail Trail with Modera Natick Center. Modera is the apartment complex on North Main Street where the Natick Paperboard factory used to be. The group's September newsletter showed the current connection as an unimproved path.
The money would come from Community Preservation Act funds. Those requests fall under Article 8 of the warrant, and Natick Report lists this one at $42,375. According to Friends of Natick Trails, the Community Preservation Committee and the Finance Committee have both voted to recommend approval. The Fall 2026 Annual Town Meeting opens Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Two details in the proposal show how these small links come together. The walkway would sit on public land under the Conservation Commission and the Select Board, and both have voted to support it. And Mill Creek, which owns Modera Natick Center, has agreed to clear snow and ice from the new path in winter. If funding is approved, construction is planned for 2027. The town builds the link on public land, and a private neighbor takes on the winter upkeep.
It also adds to a link that's already finished. The rail trail connection to the Natick Center MBTA station is now open, according to Friends of Natick Trails. Put the two together and the Natick Center end of the trail would connect to the commuter rail station, the downtown apartments and the trail itself.
The slower links run along Route 9
Here's where each connection stands as of this month, from nearest to furthest out:
| Connection | What it joins | Where it stands | Next date on the calendar |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRT to Natick Center MBTA station | Rail trail and commuter rail | Open | None |
| Pickerel Pond boardwalk | Oakdale and Wethersfield trail systems | Fenced off as of Sept. 10; opening planned for fall | Not announced |
| CRT to Modera Natick Center | Rail trail and North Main Street | Recommended for $42,375 in CPA funds | Town Meeting opens Oct. 20 |
| Lake Cochituate Path | Archer Drive and the CRT along Route 9 | In design review | Construction listed for winter 2027/2028 |
| Route 9/27 interchange paths | CRT and MathWorks; Bacon Street and Rutledge Road | Interchange construction underway | Substantial completion listed for July 2030 |
The Lake Cochituate Path is a proposed 0.4-mile shared-use path along Route 9 between Archer Drive and the Cochituate Rail Trail. The latest status on MassDOT's project page is design plans received for resubmission as of April 7, 2026. The page lists construction starting in winter 2027/2028 and gives no completion date.
The Route 9/27 interchange project includes a Route 9 shared-use path from the rail trail to MathWorks and a Route 27 path from Bacon Street to Rutledge Road. A March 26 MassDOT presentation also describes a separate shared-use path bridge, with the next construction stage expected to start in January 2027 and last about a year. MassDOT's October 2026 update lists earthwork, paving and drainage on Route 27, median work on Route 9, and utility relocations. It doesn't mention path work yet. MassDOT's overall schedule runs from October 2025 to substantial completion in July 2030, and the agency says that schedule may change.
The local, volunteer-backed links move on schedules of weeks or a single Town Meeting vote. The Route 9 links follow state highway timelines, and those are measured in years.
The other open question is who rides them
Building a connection doesn't settle who can use it. At the Friends of Natick Trails annual meeting on Sept. 28, the topic was micromobility. The panel included Galen Mook of MassBike, Brendan Kearney of WalkMassachusetts, Kara Oberg of The RideCafe and Natick Police Chief James Hicks. Oberg's slides said e-bikes now make up 20% of the bikes coming in for service at her shop, with more e-motos showing up.
The Natick Police slides listed three local concerns. Some riders under 16 are on devices more powerful than they can handle. Speed and sudden moves lead to close calls with cars and pedestrians. And riders often don't know which rules apply on sidewalks, paths and roads. The slides called for clear rules and education first, with enforcement after that.
Those rules are still pending at the State House. The panel walked through e-bike provisions in the state Economic Development bill, which has to be voted on by Dec. 31. As presented, the bill would:
- Create speed-based tiers and treat Tier 0 and Tier 1 e-bikes, with a top speed of 30 mph, as bicycles
- Allow Class 3 e-bikes on shared-use paths
- Set a possible default speed limit of 20 mph in the Senate version, while leaving room for local rules
- Set a minimum age of 14 for Class 1 and 2 e-bikes and 16 for Class 3
- Require helmets for riders under 16, plus lights and horns
None of this is law yet. If it passes, the boardwalk, the Modera walkway and the Route 9 paths would open under statewide rules on who can ride where and how fast.
This Saturday at the Mechanic Street lot
If you want to see the rail trail up close, Saturday, Oct. 17 is a good day. Friends of Natick Trails is holding its Fall Trails Day from 9 a.m. to noon, starting at the Mechanic Street lot. Volunteers will pick up litter, rake leaves, clean benches, do stone work and plant native species, with a rain date of Oct. 18. The same lot is home base that day for All Aboard, the town's adaptive cycling program run with All Out Adventures. It's free for riders of all abilities, but you need to register through the town.
The rest of the weekend:
- Natick Artist Open Studios runs Oct. 17 and 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at studios around town, with demonstrations and work for sale.
- TCAN's annual benefit with Josh Ritter is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at 14 Summer St.
- Town Meeting opens the following Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m., with the Modera link under Article 8.
Trail connections like these affect how a home feels day to day, whether it's a five-minute walk to the other side of Pickerel Pond or a paved path from your street to the train. If you're thinking about a move within Natick or nearby, Darlene & Company can show you which streets connect to which trails, and set your free home valuation and move plan around the routes you actually use.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
