Awards of $7 million in Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) grants have been announced for 38 projects to build, expand, or enhance greenways and multi-use trails in more than 27 communities across the state. The DEEP will host a “kick-off” meeting April 7 at the headquarters of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA) on Route 66 to brief grant recipients on next steps in the project process. Most projects are expected to be completed by fall 2017.

DEEP expanded the scope of its recreational trails program under terms of Public Act 15-190, which allowed the agency to provide funding for a full range of multi-use trails and greenways projects. Legislation also expanded eligibility for grants so that non-profit organizations are able to receive funds under this program. At the January 29 meeting of the state Bond Commission, $7 million was authorized for grants. The Connecticut Greenways Council is serving as an advisory committee for grant selection and recently met to select the first round of grant recipients under the newly constituted program.

Here is the list of projects receiving grants under DEEP’s Recreational Trails Grant program, including applicant, project title, description, and requested amount.

Statewide multi-use trail user study to “develop a trail user survey, work with experts in economic analysis and community development at the CCEA and UConn Extension to design a survey and methodology that will accurately and thoroughly assess multi-use trail usage across the state.” Pilot project for statewide utilization; $57,050.80.

Berlin: Pistol Creek trail upgrades. Addition of handicapped accessible parking. Conversion of .25 miles to handicap accessible; repaving and erosion repair to 1.7 miles; new .07 mile paved bypass; interpretive signage and wayfinding. $125,580. Burlington: Farmington River Trail. Purchase of maintenance equipment. $20,608. Colchester: Design of Link Trail to ASPT. Connection to the Goodwin Trail in Babcock Wildlife Management Areas then to the system of trails in Day Pond, which in turn connects to the Air Line State Park Trail. $43,200. Coventry: Mill Brook Greenway, 2,800 foot extension; stonedust trail and on-road sections connecting town open space with the Willimantic River. CT Designated Blueway, $57,560.

CT Forest & Park: BBHT system & CT Trails Weekend. Start up of CT Conservation Corps that will also work on multi-use trails on state property; trails weekend booklets, marketing, data collection; conservation easement research; walk book, trail educational materials for distribution, signage, kiosks, maintenance equipment and materials; chainsaw training; $298,100. DEEP Forestry: Nehantic multi-use trail, improvements to a washed-out section of multi-use trail, $79,350.

DEEP State Parks: Larkin State Park Trail resurfacing, parking improvements and drainage repairs. Survey, design, materials and installation costs, $500,000. Note: The Larkin Bridle Trail is a state treasure – the pathway is in Middlebury, Southbury, Oxford, Naugatuck. Multi-use trails are shared by horseback riders, walkers, joggers, bicyclists, more. Maps of each town's sections are available at this link to the CT DEEP site.

Gillette Castle pedestrian bridge, restoration of bridge and trail, $250,000. Statewide trail maintenance assessments; repairs to drainage; bridges; wayfinding; equipment; materials; parking; amenities (restrooms, water, benches); communications/publications including maps; $500,000.

Derby: Pedestrian bridge construction at PFC Frank P. Witek Park, ADA bridge to be installed on existing abutments connecting existing walkways and creating fishing access. $24,000. East Hampton: Air Line SPT Phase 2 connection to Portland to extend from Phase 1 funded by last grant round. $583,800. Hamden: Center Park Spur Trail, creation of a 1,000-foot paved connector (with 40-foot bridge) between the Farmington Canal Heritage trail and the Town Center Park. Benches and signage. $184,000. Hebron: Church Street Park, Air Line SPT connection. Design universal access trail to link to existing trails in Burnt Hill Park; first phase in connection to ASPT; includes a bridge. $62,000.

Killingworth: Sheldon Park accessible trail, a complete, 860-foot long by 5-foot wide, paved trail through Sheldon Park to provide opportunity for “people who cannot negotiate the rocky, uneven woodland trails to walk or ride in fresh air and participate in community activities.” $52,000.

Manchester Land Trust: Hop River SPT-Cheeny Gap closure. Acquisition of 2.4 acres and development of 1 mile link to connect the Hop River and Cheney Rail trails. $152,000.

Mansfield: Bicentennial Pond Universal Access Trail, a 0.7 mile trail around pond, spurs to handicapped parking for school and bath house. $253,471. Marlborough: Blackledge River Greenway Trail Enhancement Project.
Construct two elevated boardwalks to cross a small unnamed stream with a high flow width of approximately 7 feet, and to cross a wetland area. $24,000.

Middletown: North End peninsula landfill re-use trail, 1.25 mile six-foot wide stonedust trail across closed landfill. Two kiosks, six benches and wayfinding; $103,197. Naugatuck: Naugatuck Andrew Mountain property trails. Develop a managed trail system in 130 acres of recently acquired open space, with a welcome kiosk, trail signs, way-finder signs, natural diversity description signs, benches; parking lot and Portapotties, dog park. There will be a couple of small stream crossings that will require wooden bridge crossings; $80,000. New Britain: A.W. Stanley Park multi-use trail completion. Extend the existing 3,415-foot paved trail by paving an additional 1,138 feet, creating a complete 1.13 mile long loop around the pond. Also establish a 200-foot long connector path will provide easy non‐automotive access to the park from the Village Square Road area. $94,000. New Haven: The Mill River trail, design and construction of a multi-use riverine trail adjacent to the Mill River in Fair Haven. Planting and trailside/trailhead facilities will also be added. $289,151.

New London: Multi-use path. Structural engineering and survey to provide the project site plan, permits, land survey, and design work. One mile multi-use path connecting Waterfront District (transportation center) with Fort Trumbull, etc. $49,320. Orange: Ewen Preserve trail system, 70 feet of elevated wooden walkway across a wetland area to provide access to the preserve’s interior through an environmentally sensitive area that has the potential for educational studies and public enjoyment; $8,000.

Portland: Air Line State Park trail extension, 2.27-mile extension trail with 10 car parking lot; $685,932.

Shoreline Greenway Trail, East Haven: Farm River State Park section, reconstruction of trail to “better align with multi- use especially bike trail standards. This will allow the trail to better meet the needs and be incorporated into the SGT system.” $94,346. Shoreline Greenway Trail, Guilford: Construction of new trail segment in coordination with a DOT project in the area; $269,816. Somers: South Forest view trail improvement, including repair of deteriorating 20-foot bridge and upgrade to accommodate equestrian use; repair trail sections that have suffered erosion, and connections to Shenipsit State Forest; $5,476. Torrington trails network: Construct 2.6 miles of the Naugatuck River Greenway. Survey and construct a 2.6-mile of the Naugatuck River Greenway from Franklin Street in downtown Torrington to Bogue Road near the southern border of the city; $278,272.

Note: While out and about with your dogs, do be aware of Connecticut's leash laws, as well ordinances in state and local parks. Common sense is shared space requires a person to have control of their animals and respect others enjoying the great outdoors – you may know your dog is “nice” but others do not. Some people are terrified of any size dog. Enthusiastic dogs may knock a child or elderly person down, tangle up dogs that are on leashes, and generally be a nuisance to those enjoying a quiet outing. Snap a leash on your dog (or choose to acquire property for their unrestrained freedom). All dogs are required to have current rabies vaccination – it's the law. “Connecticut has a variety of laws aimed at controlling dogs. Regarding leashes, it is illegal to allow your dog to roam; create a disturbance; or growl, bite, or otherwise annoy anyone using the highway. (Local governments may create leash ordinances.) A 14-day quarantine is required when a dog bites a person. An animal control officer (ACO) or the Department of Agriculture commissioner may also order a biting dog restrained or killed. A dog's owner or keeper is liable for any damage caused by his dog. Dog bite victims are immune from civil and criminal liability for killing the dog during the attack.”

Wallingford: Trails for Fresh Meadows at Cheshire Road, with 3,320 feet of new trail; constructing a new trailhead parking area; installing amenities at the glacial erratic boulder; and additional plantings and interpretive signage; $227,228.

Waterbury: Fulton Park trail renovation, renovating and reconstructing 2,000 linear feet of paved trails throughout the southern half of historic 70-acre Lewis Fulton Memorial Park; $103,320.08. Watertown: Steel Brook Greenway Pedestrian Bridge, installation of a paved trail from the northerly side of Main Street (Connecticut Route 73) to a new pedestrian bridge over Steele Brook and then to the Steele Brook Greenway segment located easterly of Unico fields; $199,485. Wolcott: Wolf Hill walking trail extension with some boardwalk, fishing access and bridging; $66,360.