LYNNFIELD — As the Lynnfield Rail Trail project continues to move forward, the town has officially announced that MassDot has initiated the construction bidding process for Phase 1, which is scheduled to commence by the end of this year and to be completed by the middle of 2028.

According to the town’s website, the construction completion date is specifically listed as July 2028.

The vision for the rail trail project is to create a safe, 2.8-mile long path and boardwalk that will be used to travel from Peabody through Lynnfield and into Wakefield, as well as for recreational activities like walking, jogging, biking, and taking in the scenery of Reedy Meadow.

Phase 1 of the project entails creating 1.8 miles of paved trail from Nichols Lane in Peabody to Ford Avenue in Lynnfield. According to the town’s website, 75% of the design process for Phase 1 was completed in 2024 and then later finalized last year.

In June, the Select Board passed a vote for the acquisition of temporary easements by eminent domain for the Rail Trail at 127 Summer St. and 130 Summer St., which is what allowed them to proceed with the bid process. Select Board member Rob Dolan referred to it as the “critical final pieces” in the process.

In that same meeting, Director of Public Works and Lynnfield Center Water District John Scenna had also stated that the bid process would take around three months and could begin as early as the end of July. Now, the town has revealed that the project was first advertised for bidding on July 25 and has been scheduled to open on Aug. 25.

The town expressed their gratitude and appreciation to MassDOT, as well as the Federal Highway Administration teams for their “commitment, support, and funding.”

“This is a historic moment, decades in the making, for the Town of Lynnfield, the Friends of the Lynnfield Rail Trail, and the project team,” said Chairperson Alexis Leahy in the announcement. “This milestone now officially transitions us from design into the preconstruction phase of the project. We hope to have a contractor on board by November and a construction schedule shortly thereafter.”

Phase 2  will then include 1 mile of combined paved trail and boardwalk from Ford Avenue in Lynnfield to Fosters Lane in Wakefield. The Wakefield section of the rail trail will then extend another 1.6 miles to Galvin Middle School.