The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘A beautiful addition to our city’
Plan for trail aims to increase safety, access
MIDDLETOWN — City officials have begun the design phase of a multiuse trail that would be constructed near Veterans Memorial Park, a project long sought to provide better access to the park and other nearby walking and biking trails.
The new trail would provide greater access and safety for children who use the pool and other facilities at Veterans Park, said William Russo, the city public works director.
The new multi- use trail, pushed by cycling and trail advocates in several local towns, would include significant improvements to an informally used trail
that runs beneath a bridge on Route 3, near Veterans Park. That portion of the trail would allow cyclists and walkers to access the park without having to cross Route 3, known locally as Newfield Street, a busy state road.
The 10- foot wide trail would extend from another multi- use trail on nearby Tuttle Road and would interconnect with three town schools in the city’s North End.
“There’s been a lot of support for that type of stuff,” Russo said. “It’s an important project for access from the North End. We’re going to build that trail so you can walk to that park.”
The trail under Route 3 would connect to Jackson Street, which leads to the park. It will include a pedestrian bridge over the Coginchaug River, Russo said. Some of the security measures that would be installed include security cameras along the length of the trail “to deter any unwanted activity,” he added.
“The 24- hour surveillance will give people a sense of security,” he said.
The trail work is part of a larger proposed $ 2.3 million Veterans Memorial Park improvement project that will go to voters Nov. 3 in a bonding refer
endum. The park improvements include the rebuilding of the pool and splash pads at the park. Russo said the work would begin after the pool closes for the summer in 2021 and would be completed in time for the 2022 season.
The city strongly backs the project, he said, because of the popularity of the summer camps and other programs at the park.
“Our pool is 60- plus years old and we want to get one more summer out of it. But we don’t want to have that pool open and not have access for a kid riding his bike to it.”
“We’re thrilled that these projects are all lining up properly, it’s going to be a beautiful addition to our city,” said Alderman Gene Nocera. “It would be fabulous that kids will have access to the trail and not have to cross (the road).”
“The multi- use trail from the beginning was an important piece in this entire bond package. It will be beautiful when it’s done.”
John Hall, founder of the Jonah Center for Earth and Art, which advocated for the trail improvements, said the project is important because it’s part of a larger effort by local cycling enthusiasts to create a network of trails around the region.
“We need to make our society more accommodating for people who want to travel by bicycle, we can’t keep doing everything by fossil fuels. We’re trying to get all parts of the city connected to the downtown and it’s all part of a network we’re trying to build to improve conditions for bicycle travel and recreation.”