GEARS TURN FOR BIKE PATH PLAN
State is ponying up $270K to build trail between Greenwich, Stamford
GREENWICH — Stamford and Greenwich have teamed up to get a $270,400 grant to design a new multi-use path that will connect the two cities, but cyclists and walkers will have to wait a few years to hit the trail.
The new path is expected to be about two miles long, connecting Binney Park in Old Greenwich to Boccuzzi Park in southwest Stamford, but the exact route has not been set yet. The grant money comes from the state’s Recreational Trails Program and the funds will be used specifically for planning and design, not construction.
A slew of elected officials, including Gov. Ned Lamont, gathered at Binney Park on Monday to talk about the new trail.
“What this trail program means is how we try and interconnect our towns and cities with each other and to other outdoor recreational space,” Lamont said. “We’ve got to really be careful about preserving what we got and rebuilding what we’ve got.”
Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo called Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons a “good friend” and said the two cities work well together. Greenwich approved the trail partnership with Stamford last year.
“We’ve started ... the bike task force together, we’re working hard on that and making progress. We’re also looking at some other ventures shortly to do together.
So this really seems appropriate that Greenwich and Stamford would be the recipients of this grant,” Camillo said.
Simmons said recreation projects like this can help achieve other goals too.
“This project is a great example of ways we can collaborate between our cities and towns to promote more equity, to promote more pedestrian friendliness, to promote more access to quality parks and open space. I think this is one of our state’s greatest assets,” she said.
State Reps. Rachel Khanna, Stephen Meskers, Hector Arezno, Matt Blumenthal and Corey Paris gave brief remarks during the event as did State Sens. Ryan Fazio, Ceci Maher and Greenwich Land Trust Executive Director Will Kies,
Last week, the state announced $9 million in new grants to fund 50 projects across the state, including the trail planned between Greenwich and Stamford.
“There are a total of 28 awarded projects from this
“There are a total of 28 awarded projects from this year’s grant that are within or serve Connecticut’s distressed municipalities and environmental justice communities, improving equitable access to the outdoors.” Mike Lambert, outdoor recreation bureau chief with the state Department of Energ y and Environmental Protection
year’s grant that are within or serve Connecticut’s distressed municipalities and environmental justice communities, improving equitable access to the outdoors,” said Mike Lambert, outdoor recreation bureau chief with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
DEEP received 105 trail grant proposals this year, Lambert said. This new trail is expected to become part of the East Coast Greenway one day, which aims to connect cyclists from Maine to Florida over some 3,000 miles of bike paths and roadways.
There are still lots of variables and unknowns to consider before trail construction starts.
Jim Michel, Greenwich’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Works, said the initial planning and design phase will take two to three years to complete.
The grant may also head to the Representative Town Meeting for approval, depending on how the funding comes through and how Greenwich and Stamford coordinate. The Recreational Trails Program offers reimbursements to grant receipts, so the RTM may need to approve an appropriation to start design work before the town seeks reimbursement.
Additionally, the grant does not fund construction, so Stamford and Greenwich would need to find the money to actually build the trail in the future once the design work is complete.
Michel said the Greenwich end of the trail is expected to start near Wesskum Wood Road in Binney Park.