This is National Bike to Work Week. Taking two wheels to get around New Haven has been a growing trend for years. Leaving the car at home has never been easier.
“There are so many different ways that people can get around by not driving alone to work,” Yale’s Director of Sustainability Amber Garrard said. “Actually, we know from our surveys that people who don’t drive alone and much happier and more satisfied with their commute.”
On Friday, May 9th at 11 am, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and other elected and community leaders will ceremonially cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand opening of Phase IV of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. This section is particularly interesting because it includes a lighted tunnel with informational signage and an adjacent below-grade section that connects via stairs and a ramp to the “Park of the Arts,” a gem of a pocket park where you can refresh your trail trek at a café.
The event will take place at the Grove Street entrance to the trail, which is located between Orange and Church Streets. Note that Church St becomes Whitney Ave as it crosses Grove St.
Please attend this celebratory event if you’re free!
Ribbon cutting is at the crude asterisk and P shows nearby parking garages (see map). There is also limited on-street metered parking. While you’re in the area, you may want to visit the Yale University Art Gallery, the Yale Center for British Art or the Yale Peabody Museum (all have free admission). Many places to get lunch are in the area.
Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes today announced the release of a series of grants totaling $10 million that will support the planning, building, expansion, and improvement of 45 multi-use trails located in towns and cities throughout Connecticut.
The grants are being awarded through Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program, which is administered by DEEP. Funds to support the grants were approved by the State Bond Commission at its October 2023 meeting. Governor Lamont serves as chair of the commission.
“The Connecticut Recreational Trails Program and Connecticut Greenways Council are continuing to serve a vital role in providing funding for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of trails across Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “The funding for these 45 projects represents a significant investment in our state’s outdoor economy, and our trails and proximity to nature are a big part of why Connecticut is an attractive place to live and work. I am thrilled to announce funding for these projects, which will improve and expand recreational trail opportunities around our state.”
The following is a list of local projects receiving grants under this round:
To read the full announcement including a complete list of grants, please click here.
On May 9, 2024, the Farmington Valley Trails Council and the Farmington Canal Rail-to-Trail Association were joint recipients of the Harlan Griswold Preservation Award, given by the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office and Preservation Connecticut. The full text of the presentation can be found here:
**Update posted Dec. 7, 2023: Eversource has informed us that additional work hours will be scheduled on Sunday, Dec. 10, between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.**
Eversource has notified the FVTC that there will be upgrades to power lines that cross the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail near where the trail crosses Rt. 189.
“This project is set to begin in mid-October and is expected to conclude by the winter of 2023. The [trail] intersects the right of way access at 118 Hartford Avenue in East Granby CT. We are committed to ensuring the safety of pedestrians and bikers who utilize the trail. We will be placing caution signs on Hartford Ave to alert users about the increase in traffic as we bring in the necessary materials on to Eversource parcel. Our project team does not believe it will be necessary to shut down any portions of the [trail] during this period, because the overhead power line does not physically cross the trail itself. The working hours for this project will be from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday.”
Many of you are aware that the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail doesn’t end at the Massachusetts border. The trail continues into MA as the Southwick Rail Trail and into Westfield as the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail where the completed section ends at the Westfield River. The rest of Westfield, and almost all of Southampton until just before the Easthampton town line remains to be completed. The trail is complete in Easthampton and Northampton, where it is called the Manhan Rail Trail.
The Friends of the Southampton Greenway reported on a recent public meeting on the initiative to close the gap in that town:
“On Wednesday November 15th engineers from Tighe & Bond led a Southampton Greenway information session and public forum at the Norris Elementary School. We were thrilled that more than 125 members of the community attended, and there was lots of enthusiasm for the project, along with questions and great suggestions.
“On Friday the 24th the Hampshire Gazette ran a long and very positive article about the event. For those of you who didn’t see it, the full text [can be found here.]”
The ultimate goal of advocates is to have a fully developed rail-trail that goes from the shore of New Haven, CT into the center of Northampton, MA with a unified name. For more information on this effort, check out nhncg.org.
The Town of Canton is holding a public meeting to discuss the goals, scope, and schedule of the U.S. 44 Corridor Study. The meeting is open to all, and will be held in person and via Zoom.
When: Thursday, December 7, 2023, 6:00-7:30 PM
In-person location: Canton Community Center, 40 Dyer Avenue, Canton, CT, Meeting Room F
Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/cantonmeeting
For more information on the study: https://crcog.org/rt44/
The Town of Canton has posted the following notice of construction and a detour on a small section of the Farmington River Trail:
The 50 Old River Road Boat Ramp Construction Project behind the DPW Building will begin November 1, 2023 and continue through December 8, 2023. The gravel parking area will be closed for the duration of the project. A small section of the Farmington River Trail will be closed, with a temporary trail utilized in the gravel parking area during construction. Please be aware that the property to the north of the gravel lot is private property on both sides of the trail and cannot be used for parking. Thank you for your patience. Please call DPW at 860-693-7863 with any questions.
CRCOG and the Town of Canton are conducting a corridor study of the Route 44, in the Town of Canton.
The purpose of the study is to:
The study is being done from Summer, 2023 to Fall, 2024. To get involved, you can take their survey at:
https://tinyurl.com/cantonctstudy
For more information see: https://crcog.org/rt44/
Construction has begun to fill a gap in the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Southington. When completed, the new segment of about 1.3 miles will extend north from Lazy Lane to Aircraft Road, bringing the trail under I-84 via a refurbished rail tunnel. Read more in this story from WTNH: https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/hartford/construction-underway-to-close-gap-in-farmington-canal-heritage-trail-in-southington/
© 2024-2025 The Farmington Valley Trails Council & The Farmington Canal Rail-to-Trail Association. All rights reserved. 