Extending the Greenway
The vision for the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway is still growing. The Friends of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway (FoMEWG) are working on extending the Greenway further to the north to Revere and east to Winthrop, allowing more people to enjoy this amenity and access the open space and safe, beautiful, low-stress corridor for active transportation that it affords. There are several proposed extensions to the existing Mary Ellen Welch Greenway. Four proposed extensions include:
- Winthrop Extension: Mary Ellen Welch Greenway to Winthrop
- Revere Extension: Constitution Beach to Revere
- Chelsea Creek: Chelsea St to Revere Beach Parkway
- Chelsea Spur: Wood Island Station to Chelsea
The extensions to Winthrop, Revere, and Chelsea will create a regional greenway network that connects Lynn, Everett, and Malden. With the greenway extensions, residents and visitors alike will be able to walk and bike to beaches, wetlands, and destinations throughout these nearby but currently disconnected communities, while also gaining new levels of access to East Boston (and beyond).
For more information please email us.
Winthrop Extension
The vision to create a “Winthrop Greenway” has existed for a couple of decades. There has been a strong interest from East Boston and Winthrop residents, the Greenway Council, Bike Winthrop, the Winthrop Transportation Advisory Committee, and Friends of Belle Isle Marsh to extend the Greenway to Winthrop through an off-road multi-use path.
Concept Design Development (2022- 2023)
As part of the MassTrails Grant, a 10% concept design was created the Belle Isle Marsh section to Morton Street in Winthrop. The Concept Design was presented at a Community meeting in May 2023.
Mary Ellen Welch – Winthrop Greenway Concept Design Presentation (5-16-2023)
Feasibility Study (2020-2021)
The Mary Ellen Welch Winthrop Greenway Extension Feasibility Study has assessed the feasibility of extending the existing Mary Ellen Welch Greenway, which currently connect Jefferies Point to Constitution Beach in East Boston, to Winthrop and the Belle Isle Marsh Marine Ecology Park. The objective of the Winthrop Greenway Extension is to provide a safer and more pleasant multi-use connection between the existing Greenway, Orient Heights Station, and Winthrop for both transportation and recreation. Specifically, the Winthrop Greenway Extension will provide critical last-mile connectivity to Orient Heights station for both the EastBoston and Winthrop communities, provide access to a variety of water-front view and unique natural habitat, and serve as a crucial link in a regional trail loop connecting users to beaches, marshes, and other destinations from East Boston all the way to Lynn.
The study was initiated through interest by East Boston and Winthrop residents, the Greenway Council, Bike Winthrop, the Winthrop Transportation Advisory Committee, and Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, leading to funding through the Commonwealth’s FY2020 budget, and distributed to the Friends of Mary Ellen Welch Greenway (FoMEWG) to conduct the study by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
- Community meeting presentation slides (12-07-2021)
- Mary Ellen Welch Greenway Winthrop Extension Feasibility Study (Spring 2021)
Revere Extension
An extension of the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway to Revere is also actively being discussed. The two greenway extensions will need to be connected at Orient Heights Station. The developer of Suffolk Downs, HYM Investment Group, has committed to building the Greenway connection from Constitution Beach via Bennington and Walley Street as a part of the mitigation package for the Suffolk Downs Development. Coordination between the consultants and the community will be beneficial to ensure that extensions link together seamlessly for walkers and bikers.
Planning process starting soon.
Chelsea Creek Extension
Planning process starting soon.