Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026.06.03 Transit To Parks Initiative Memo - Open Space - Revised To: Barnstable Open Space Committee From: Brady Hill, Barnstable Conservation Agent Date: June 3, 2026 Subject: Barnstable Transit to Parks Initiative The Fare-Free Era In 2022, voters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed what would become known as the Fair Share Amendment. This amendment imposed a tax on households bringing in over $1 million annually, with the funds being distributed to causes involving education and transportation. Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) in the Commonwealth have begun to take advantage of the funding opportunities provided by the Fair Share Amendment by making their bus systems fare-free. Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA), operating throughout the entirety of Barnstable County, is one of the most recent RTAs to move to a fare-free model on their fixed bus routes, doing so in the summer of 2025. Five of CCRTA’s fixed routes run through the Town of Barnstable and connect to the Hyannis Transportation Center, allowing access to all seven villages. This movement towards free or reduced-fare public transit is a national trend and has increased interest in the use of public transportation in other initiatives. Connecting to Open Space Recent literature has emphasized the importance of “nearby nature” for mental and physical wellbeing, especially in urban settings like neighborhood parks or green space, but studies have also considered the importance of connecting urban populations to large tracts of open space unavailable in the city. This issue is faced by the village of Hyannis daily, an Environmental Justice community where available Town of Barnstable Planning & Development Department Conservation Division Edwin Hoopes, Administrator 230 South Street, Hyannis, MA 02601 https://barnstable.gov/departments/Conservation/ James S. Kupfer, AICP, MPA Director open spaces rarely expand beyond a few acres. Cities facing similar issues like Los Angeles, California, have begun exploring opportunities to harness their public transportation system to allow access to parks outside of the city. These are often dubbed “Transit to Parks” or “T2P” initiatives. This memo proposes that the Town of Barnstable and CCRTA undertake a T2P initiative, connecting its Environmental Justice community to the vast open space across each of Barnstable’s villages via newly accessible and affordable bus routes. In relation to the Town’s overarching open space goals, this initiative aligns with objective 14.4 of the Town’s newly updated Open Space and Recreation Plan: “Develop an outreach and communications plan to ensure Environmental Justice populations are aware of open space and recreational facilities located throughout town.” Reciprocal Benefits for the Land While the benefits of more accessible green space for riders are numerous, it may be surprising to learn that connections to bus routes can benefit these natural areas as well. Major habitat grants, such as the MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program, have begun awarding more points to proposals that include a connection to an Environmental Justice community, even by public transportation. This would allow the Town of Barnstable and other organizations to pursue funding for the management of protected land with more success, thus improving those lands for both visitors and the wildlife that live there. Existing and Proposed Connections Attached to this memo are ten locations identified for new stops or route extensions to be submitted to CCRTA as options for the connection of trailheads to their current fixed routes (labeled in green, yellow, and orange, decreasing in feasibility). Also identified are three existing connections to trails (labeled in blue) that have not been advertised as such but would require no changes on the part of CCRTA to allow for open space access. In the attached table, extra information is provided for each location labeled on the map. A letter of support for this initiative from the Open Space Committee, to be presented to CCRTA, would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Brady Hill Conservation Agent Email: Brady.Hill@barnstable.gov Town of Barnstable Proposed and Existing Trail Connections Trailhead/Bus Stop Address Conservation Area Village Bus Line Ownership Street View of trailhead/bus stop Notes 1590 Race Lane West Barnstable Marstons Mills On Sandwich Line Town Conservation A primary access point to the town's largest conservation area, this parking lot is one of the best areas to connect the busses to open space 970 Race Lane Danforth Marstons Mills On Sandwich Line Town Land Bank Connected to Airfield (and by extension the greater WBCA) via trail and cow tunnel under Race Ln 521 Old Stage Road Andrews Property and Coombs Bog Centerville On Sandwich Line Town Land Bank and Barnstable Land Trust Unassuming trailhead but opens up into a decent length trail, should be open enough for a bus to stop 2509 Main St/Route 6A Seabury Farm Barnstable On Barnstable Villager Town Land Bank and Conservation Already a hard to access conservation area due to limited parking and hidden location, also provides access to Old Jail C.A., hard for a bus to stop here 321 Old Jail Lane Old Jail Barnstable Near Barnstable Villager Town Conservation Significant detour off route necessary Off Mary Dunn Road Hyannis Ponds WMA Barnstable Near Hyannis Crosstown Commonwealth of Massachusetts Would require slight extension of route, but would also connect soon-to-be finished bike path to the bus system 1431 Phinney's Lane Hathaway's Pond Barnstable Near Barnstable Villager and Hyannis Crosstown Town Recreation and Conservation Would be a detour from current fixed routes, but would also provide dog park and beach access 1340 Old Stage Road Whelan Marstons Mills Near Sandwich Line Town Conservation Slight detour to northern portion of Old Stage 9 Nye Road Lumbert Pond Centerville/Osterville Near Sealine Various Town departments Significant detour off route necessary 544 Bumps River Road Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuary Osterville Near Sealine Mass Audubon Slight detour to end of small dirt parking area on Bumps River Rd 3195 Main Street Cape Cod Pathways Barnstable Barnstable Villager Various public landowners Current Courthouse Complex bus stop allows access to various trails near or through Barnstable's village center as part of the Cape Cod Pathwyas, also connecting to the nearby Trayser Trail, can be marketed as such 2240 Iyannough Rd Cape Cod Pathways West Barnstable Barnstable Villager Various public landowners Current Cape Cod Community College bus stop allows access to various trails near or through the campus as part of the Cape Cod Pathways, can be marketed as such 752 Main Street Armstron-Kelley Park and Bansfield Meadow Osterville Sealine Trustees of Reservations, Cape Cod Horticultural Society, and Barnstable Land Trust Current Osterville (Tower Hill Road & Main Street) bus stop lets out near two small natural areas in Osterville's village center: Armstrong-Kelley Park (~600ft away) and BLT's Bansfield Meadow (~1400ft away) in a highly walkable area, can be marketed as such Town of Barnstable Transit to Parks Initiative Planning Map Green On current route and accessible by bus Yellow On current route (challenging area to stop a bus) Orange Near route but route would need to be reconfigured to reach it Blue Current stop with trail connection Key