Haggetts Pond Rail Trail

The goal of the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project is to improve the existing trail along the railbed near Haggetts Pond to make it more welcoming and usable to all town residents. The paved trail proposed at the site will be fully accessible, providing opportunities for persons of all abilities to enjoy Haggetts Pond and the serene environment that surrounds it. When completed, the trail will be the first Town-sponsored accessible and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant trail in Andover, making it a cornerstone of accessible recreational opportunity in the community. 

The project consists of two phases which, when completed will span approximately 1.6 miles, from Bellevue Road to High Plain Road. Phase one, which will enter the permitting process this fall, includes the section from Haggetts Pond Road to High Plain Road, including parking lots with handicap spaces at each end, and a fully accessible 8-foot wide asphalt pathway between the two. Other amenities included are interpretive signage, benches, and a new boardwalk that will offer a scenic vantage point at the pond. 

Phase two will be the continuation from Haggetts Pond Road to Bellevue Road with a small parking lot on Bellevue Road. The details of this phase and timing are still in the planning phase. 

All parking lots are proposed to be constructed with porous pavement to reduce parking lot runoff. Trash barrels and dog waste stations with regular pickup will be placed at each parking lot. Paths are currently, and will continue to be, for non-motorized travel, except in the case of a motorized wheelchair.

Site Selection Process
The selection process of Haggetts Pond as the location for the first Andover accessible trail began in the fall of 2015, when members of the Andover Commission on Disability asked the town to create a trail they could access with friends and family. Representatives from both Conservation and Department of Public Works reviewed all town trails for a location, noting that Haggetts Pond Rail Trail offered the best potential. In 2016, after Town officials and community members representing Andover Recreation, Department of Public Works, Conservation, Planning, Conservation Commission members and members of the Andover Commission on Disability reviewed the trails, the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail was selected due to the ease of grade inherent in rail trails that allows for less disruption to the land in order to create an accessible trail, plus the desire to share this premier beautiful natural area with persons of all abilities.

In 2016 the Institute for Human Centered Design, which also runs the training and educational New England ADA Center, was hired to help the Town envision how to develop an accessible trail at Haggetts Pond Rail Trail. A study was produced in January of 2017 which has served as a guide for the design of the current trail. The study included reaching out to residents with disabilities and inviting 24 residents representing a broad range of ages and abilities to participate in a hands-on research study. The Andover Commission on Disability has advocated for the funding and implementation of this trail ever since. In 2022 the Commission on Disability voiced concern that the Town continued to be out of compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that the Haggetts Pond accessible rail trail project had not yet been advanced.

The Andover Planning Department then hired BSC Group to develop a conceptual preliminary design for a trail from High Plain Road to Bellevue Road in order to get an idea of what the cost may be to start working on development of sections of the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail. Departments of Public Works and Facilities worked with BSC Group to further define the plans, bringing in the section of the trail that was identified in the IHCD report, and submitted a MassTrails grant with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Current Status
The majority of construction on the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail was completed in 2025, and the trail was paved in the fall. The trail has remained closed to the public while final project elements are completed. Remaining work includes installation of an ADA-compliant railing along the new boardwalk, as well as bike racks and benches. 

This work has been delayed throughout the early months of 2026 due to weather and wet conditions The Town’s contractor, Bates and Son, is expected to begin this work on March 23, 2026, with work continuing for approximately two weeks.

The trail is expected to open to the public in April 2026, once this remaining work is complete.

Project Funding 
In June, the Town was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through the MassTrails Grant Program. The Town has also allocated funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for the project.

Conservation Commission Approval
Permitting for the Haggetts Pond Rail Trail project was approved by the Andover Conservation Commission on October 10, 2024 under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act and the Andover Wetlands Protection By-law. 

Click here to watch a recording of the October 10, 2024 Conservation Commission meeting.