(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes today 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 |
|||
|
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 |
