Bowdoinham receives $750K for Merrymeeting Trail

TIMES RECORD • May 7, 2026

A small town sitting along the Cathance River has received a large federal contribution to a nearly two-decades-long trail project that officials hope will boost tourism and outdoor recreation in central Maine. Bowdoinham’s $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is meant to improve connectivity on the 26-mile Merrymeeting Trail that runs through Topsham, Bowdoinham, Richmond and Gardiner. Yvette Meunier, Bowdoinham’s director of planning and development, said, “This is a major milestone for the Merrymeeting Trail. It’s going to allow Bowdoinham and Richmond to complete the full design and engineering work to move the trail forward.”