Events

• Sunrise Trail Coalition Meeting:
  Tuesday, February 21th, 4:00-6:00 PM
  Helens Restaurant, Route 1, Machias

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News

• MaineDOT Launches Washington Juntion to Ellsworth Trail Completion Project

• Winter's Glow: Maine's Down East Sunrise Trail By Seth Levy
  Sunrise Trail featured in Rails to Trails 2012 Winter Edition
  Read the short summary here!
  Be sure to follow the link on to the full article or click here.

• Winter Construction: TRANSMISSION PROJECT WORK ALONG SUNRISE TRAIL NEARS COMPLETION: Some Plowing Still Necessary

  Bangor Hydro is building the Downeast Reliability Project to improve the reliability and capacity of the electric system in the coastal Washington and Hancock region.  This new 43 mile line will strengthen and provide redundancy in the system.  The construction of the project has been underway throughout 2011 and is progressing well.

  A portion of the route for the new line is within an existing transmission corridor and is adjacent to the new Down East Sunrise Trail. This older line is also being rebuilt as part of the new project.  Bangor Hydro has worked closely with the Maine Dept. of Conservation and the Down East Sunrise Trail Coalition to arrange for the safe use of the Trail for access during construction.  Trucks and equipment have been using the trail during the summer and fall from Cards Crossing Road in Franklin to the Unionville Road in Steuben. 

  Construction along the trail is nearing completion and should be wrapped up by mid-January.  The last section of work is a two-mile area from Cards Crossing Road (Mile Post 11.5) to a point just west of General Cobb Road in Franklin.  If significant snow does come before this section is completed, the snow will be managed to attempt to keep some snow on the trail, while allowing trucks to safely travel through the two-mile area for access to the work zone.  While vehicles are on the trail, snowmobile traffic may be stopped briefly for several-minute periods to allow the equipment to safely exit the trail.  We ask for your patience during the final few weeks as this important project is completed to serve the Downeast region.         

  To check the status of the trail you can call DEST manager Charles Corliss at 546-2730.Please pass with caution. (Click map for details)
  
  
• Down East Sunrise Trail receives 2011 Maine Association of Planners
  Project of the Year Award
  
• The Spring, 2011 Newsletter If you want to receive future newsletters, please join the Sunrise Trail Coalition. Read this edition online
• Sunrise Trail Coalition publishes Spring, 2011 Newsletter.
• Bangor Daily News: Snow Boosts Trailside Business (01/24/2011)
• Ellsworth American Photo: ATV's in a Post Fossil Fuel Era
• Photo Journal Article by Susan Shaw, Have you heard about the Sunrise Trail?
• WABI Posts Inauguration News Broadcast online
  
  

View Down East Sunrise Trail in a larger map

Sunrise Trail Brochure A+B
(3.6 MB PDF)

Sunrise Trail Brochure Side A
(269 KB JPG)

Sunrise Trail Brochure Side B
(363 KB JPG)

2010 Annual Meeting
Award to Charlie Corliss

Sunrise Trail Offers new business signage options

We encourage special events on the trail. Be sure to fill out an event request form.

Find the Down East Sunrise Trail on Facebook

Jim Fisher, Webmaster
Hancock County Planning Commission
395 State Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
(207) 667-7131