Description: Although MassGIS has served trails information from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) for many years, this new Trails layer is MassGIS’ first attempt at a statewide, multi-sourced dataset. This layer was created from two primary sources, DCR Trailsand the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Trailmap. Additionally, a few other trail networks were added from Open Street Map (OSM), municipalities, and conservation organizations, but the amount of information from these sources is relatively small.This trails dataset was created for use in the State 9-1-1 Department’s mapping application Response Assist and is intended to assist telecommunicators with lost hikers as well as potentially responding to emergencies within remote areas. Because the layer is primary being used by 9-1-1, it was decided to focus on those trails found in wilderness areas and used as hiking trails. This resulted in the omission of many arcs from the source data. Examples of these include cart paths on golf courses, the network of paved paths on school campuses, sidewalks, and many other arcs that could functionally serve as trails but were in relatively open and developed areas.MassGIS will maintain the Trails data as part of the 9-1-1 project and refresh it weekly. The number of updates will vary depending on the frequency of inputs from 9-1-1 staff and public sources.There are many missing trails from this layer and it is hoped that it becomes more complete over time. If you would like to submit trails for inclusion in this dataset, please email MassGIS at Notify911Address@mass.gov.MassGIS stores the data as MAD.TRAILS_SV_PUBLIC. It is a spatial view based on MAD.TRAILSwhere FOR_VWP = 'Y'.
Copyright Text: MassGIS, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC), Open Street Map (OSM), municipalities, conservation organizations
Description: This layer represents named passenger, commuter and freight train stations, as developed by the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS). The data include the MBTA Commuter Rail stations. Stored in ArcSDE and distributed as a shapefile, the statewide layer is named TRAINS_NODE. Other related datasets include TRAINS_ARC (railroad lines) and TRAINS_RTE_TRAIN (MBTA Commuter Rail Routes).Data are current as of November 2, 2023.
Copyright Text: Central Transportation Planning Staff, MassGIS
Description: 2020 Census tracts are small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a county or equivalent entity, and are reviewed and updated by local participants prior to each decennial census as part of the Census Bureau’s Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP). The primary purpose of census tracts is to provide a stable set of geographic units for the presentation of decennial census data.Census tracts generally have a total population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people with an optimum size of 4,000 people. The spatial size of census tracts varies widely depending on the density of settlement. Ideally, census tract boundaries remain stable over time to facilitate statistical comparisons from census to census. However, physical changes in street patterns caused by highway construction, new development, and so forth, may require boundary revisions. In addition, significant changes in population may result in splitting or combining census tracts. State and county boundaries always are census tract boundaries in the standard census geographic hierarchy, but tracts can cross the same kinds of boundaries that block groups can. Census tract numbers have up to a 4-character basic number and may have an optional 2-character suffix. The census tract numbers (used as names) eliminate any leading zeroes and append a suffix only if required. The 6-digit census tract codes, however, include leading zeroes and have an implied decimal point for the suffix. Census tract codes (000100 to 998999) are unique within a county or equivalent area.
Copyright Text: US Census Bureau 2020 TIGER/Line data from MAF/TIGER database (MTDB).
Massachusetts Bureau of Geographic Information (MassGIS), Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS)