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Recreational Trails across Connecticut to receive State Grant

Governor Ned Lamont and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes announced that approximately $9 million in state grants are being released through the Connecticut Recreational Trails Program to plan, build, expand, and improve a total of 50 multi-use trails across Connecticut.

The program is administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). Funding for this grant round was allocated by the State Bond Commission in July 2022. Governor Lamont serves as chairman of the commission.

“I am thrilled to announce funding for these 50 projects, which will improve and expand recreational trail opportunities around Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “The incredible response to this grant round shows the high demand for outdoor recreation in our state. Our residents and visitors continue to explore state parks, forests, and municipal open spaces and land trust preserves at record levels.”

DEEP has seen demand for outdoor recreation increase dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Annual visits to locations in the Connecticut State Parks and Forests system reached an estimated 17 million in 2022 – a 75% increase from pre-pandemic visitation levels of between 9 and 10 million in 2019. Additionally, the economic value of hiking, climbing, and tent camping increased by 50% from 2019 to 2021. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the value of outdoor recreation in 2021 contributed nearly $4 billion to the state and supported more than 40,000 jobs.

“These projects are timely and will improve our state’s connectivity and accessibility to open space, which benefits our residents and visitors physically and mentally, enhances our state’s outdoor economy, and makes our state such an attractive place to live,” Commissioner Dykes said. “Investing in projects that support sustainable commuting opportunities, that reduce pollution from transportation, and provide safe, enjoyable alternatives to car travel are the type of projects we’d love to see in more communities across the state. My thanks to Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for supporting these important investments in our state-wide trail systems.”

A total of 28 of the awarded projects are within or serve Connecticut’s distressed municipalities and environmental justice communities, improving equitable access to outdoor recreation. Many of the awarded projects are bicycle paths that can support both commuting and recreation, including Naugatuck Greenway Projects in Naugatuck, Ansonia, Thomaston, Waterbury, and the Greenwich-Stamford multi-use path, among others. The grant money can be allocated for a wide variety of purposes, including planning, design, land acquisition, construction, construction administration, and publications for bikeways, walkways, and greenways, as well as for equipment and trail amenities, such as parking lots, toilet buildings, signs, and benches.

The Connecticut Greenways Council assisted DEEP with the competitive grant selection process. Funding for program administration of 5%, pursuant to state statutes, is also included in the grants. DEEP anticipates most of the awarded projects being completed by 2026.

The following is a list of projects receiving grants under this round:

Connecticut Recreational Trails Program

May 2023 Grant Round

 

Applicant

Project Title

Project Type

Grant Funding

Borough of Naugatuck

Naugatuck River Greenway Trail – Phase II

Planning/Design

$352,800

Branford Land Trust

Branford Land Trust Handicap Accessible Braille and Sensory Trail

Planning/Design

$15,000

City of Bristol

Bristol Recreational Trails Grant Planning

Planning/Design

$320,000

City of Hartford

Keney Park Trail Connectivity

Planning/Design, Outreach, Education

$186,320

City of Meriden

Brookside Park to Giuffrida Park Multi-Use Trail

Planning/Design

$179,000

City of Shelton

Shelton Housatonic Riverwalk

Planning/Design

$113,000

City of Torrington

Red Mountain Trail Design and Construction – Torrington, CT

Planning/Design, Construction, Amenities

$396,100

City of Waterbury

Waterbury Naugatuck River Greenway Trail Mad River Spur Design

Planning/Design, Outreach

$390,000

City of West Haven

Hubbard Park Interpretive Trail

Planning/Design, Construction

$26,196

City of West Haven

Plainfield Community Trailway Project

Planning/Design, Construction

$32,020

Connecticut Forest and Park Association

CT Forest and Park Association Public Engagement and Stewardship

Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Education, Equipment, Outreach

$445,412

Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development

12 Town Airline State Park Trail Regional Association Formation & Marketing

Planning/Design, Amenities, Publications, Outreach

$75,000

Friends of the Litchfield Community Greenways, Inc.

Litchfield Greenway – Phase 4 – Bantam Connection

Planning/Design, Construction, Amenities

$241,125

Goodwin University

Goodwin University Trails Expansion – Phase VI

Planning/Design Construction, Maintenance

$123,204

Hop River Trail Alliance (Town of Coventry Fiduciary)

Hop River State Park Trail Signage and Wayfinding

Amenities, Publications, Outreach

$44,793

Newtown Bridle Lands Association Inc.

Improving Multi Use Access to Newtown Trails

Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Amenities

$44,080

Parks & Point with DEEP Outreach & Education

Words from the Trails: Poetry and Nonfiction Inspired by Connecticut’s Recreational Trails

Education, Publication

$13,840

Riverfront Recapture, Inc.

Hartford and East Hartford Riverwalk Trail Counting Initiative

Equipment, Amenities

$66,800

Shoreline Greenway Trail

Shoreline Greenway Trail Extension in Hammonasset State Park

Planning/Design

$120,000

Town of Ansonia

Naugatuck River Greenway (Ansonia Riverwalk)

Planning/Design

$272,000

Town of Canton

Extension of Farmington River Rail Trail, East, Additional Design Funds

Planning/Design

$60,000

Town of East Haddam

Lower Connecticut River Valley Heritage Trail/ Bike Path – East Haddam

Planning/Design, Outreach

$32,000

Town of East Hampton

Air Line Trail Gap Phase 4

Planning/Design, Construction

$404,800

Town of Greenwich (Stamford as Partner)

Greenwich-Stamford Multi-Use Path

Planning/Design

$270,400

Town of Manchester

Hop River Trail Extension to Cheney Trail

Construction

$440,000

Town of New Hartford

New Hartford Multi-Use Trail Phase 1

Planning/Design, Construction

$616,000

Town of Newington

Newington Greenway Expansion

Planning/Design

$75,000

Town of Newtown

Al’s Trail Greenway Feasibility Study

Planning/Design

$80,000

Town of Norfolk – Rails to Trails

Proposed North Brook Trail Section

Planning/Design, Construction

$399,725

Town of Old Lyme

Multi-purpose Trail and Bridge at Lieutenant River

Planning/Design

$28,500

Town of Oxford

Rockhouse Adaptive Trail Network

Planning/Design, Construction, Equipment, Amenities

$278,500

Town of Plainfield

Kate Downing Rd Open Space

Planning/Design

$10,000

Town of Preston

Poquetonuck Cove and Village Heritage Trail

Planning/Design, Construction

$59,400

Town of Putnam

Air Line Trail Connection and Improvements Project

Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Publications, Outreach

$175,000

Town of Thomaston

Naugatuck River Greenway

Planning/Design

$150,000

Town of Thompson

Thompson, CT – STILL More Than Just a Train Wreck

Construction, Amenities

$457,500

Town of Watertown

Naugatuck River Greenway – Frost Bridge Rd. to Branch Brook, Watertown

Planning/Design

$299,935

Town of Wethersfield

Heritage Way Trail Improvements at Cove Park

Planning

$95,000

Town of Wilton

Norwalk River Valley Trail – WII Walk Extension

Construction

$243,000

Town of Winchester

Mad River Recreation Area Phase 1

Construction

$60,000

Town of Wolcott

Scovill (Mill Pond Way) Trail Improvements

Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Equipment, Amenities

$72,000

Trust for Public Land

Mono Pond State Park Master Plan

Planning/Design

$76,725

University of Connecticut

UConn Connecticut Trails Program

Education, Outreach

$392,724

Wyndham Land Trust

Parking for Bull Hill Preserve

Planning/Design, Construction, Outreach

$24,000

Mooween State Park

Mooween Trail Parking Lot

Construction

$120,000

Harkness Memorial State Park

Harkness Boardwalk Renovation

Construction

$16,000

George Waldo State Park

Improve Access to Housatonic River

Construction

$23,090

Bennett’s Pond State Park

Green Trail Restoration

Maintenance

$34,125

Kettletown State Park

Boardwalk Replacement

Construction

$16,000

Statewide Trail Systems

Statewide Trail Maintenance & Materials

Maintenance, Equipment

$120,000

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