Route 7 Greenway

Residents will have their say on what route the Norwalk River Valley Trail will take.

2012-01-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

WILTON, Conn. - Wilton residents will have their say on what route the Norwalk River Valley Trail will take. There will be a public hearing on the trail on Feb. 16, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Gilbert & Bennett School located at 49 New St. in Georgetown.
The proposed 27-mile trail will take cyclists, hikers, walkers and equestrians from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk to Danbury. It would pass through Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding.
A release from the committee said the meeting will include:

A north-to-south "tour" of the entire trail using slides and large maps
Conditions along the proposed trail and the options in each community. Routes that are most "trail ready" will be identified and design challenges such as streams and steep slopes will be reviewed.
Small group workshops to discuss the options and identify the preferred route and trail characteristics such trailheads

Meetings also will take place at the Norwalk Public Library, Main Branch, located at 1 Belden Ave., on Feb. 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. A second meeting will take place in Danbury City Hall, Room 3C, located at 155 Deer Hill Ave., Danbury, on Feb. 9 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
This is the second round of public meetings regarding the trail.

Norwalk to Receive Assistance for River Valley Trail

2012-01-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

Norwalk to Receive Assistance for River Valley Trail

The National Park Service announced today that it will work with the Friends of Norwalk River Valley Trail, Inc., to build a trail along the Norwalk River connecting the Long Island Sound to Danbury. The assistance comes as part of the agency’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program.
This 27-mile, multi-use trail will provide a scenic route for cyclists, hikers and walkers and connect rail stations, schools, offices and the Weire Farm National Historic Site. The RTCA will help a Steering Committee prepare early actions to be implemented as soon as a routing study has been completed.
Under the RTCA program, the National Park Service helps communities and neighborhoods to preserve valuable open spaces, revitalize nearby rivers, and develop trail and greenway networks in order to reconnect Americans to nature. This year’s projects were selected from the most competitive field of requests ever received by the agency.
To read more about this and other Connecticut projects benefiting from federal assistance, click here.

A look at th next steps in developing the widely anticipated Norwalk River Valley Trail.

2011-04-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

Norwalk River Valley Wilton Patch

Someday, when cyclists, hikers and walkers take to the Norwalk River Valley trail, they just might want to thank an off-road enthusiast or two.
So with warmer weather coming, The Hub takes a look at the long-anticipated project where non-motorized vehicles will be the only mode of transportation allowed. The 27 mile-long trail will stretch from Calf Pasture Beach, Norwalk along the Norwalk River valley to Danbury.
In many ways, the NRVT project owes its existence to exasperated dirt bikers and snowmobilers.
Because these hobbyists buy gasoline, they pay the gasoline tax. Many felt cheated because the tax to supports federal and state highways, not off-road paths. After intense lobbying, Congress passed the Sims Act several years ago, which authorized the Recreational Trail Program, an arm of the Federal Highway Administration. The program helps develop and maintain trains and trail related facilities for non-motorized and motorized use.
“Thanks to them a small percentage of the money used for off highway trails,” said Laurie Giannotti, of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection’s Recreational Trails and Greenways Program.
Last year, the state DEP awarded the NRVT Steering Committee a $180,000 grant toward finishing the project, which is projected to cost $225,000. The grant will fund a routing study to define the best route for the trail as it passes through five towns: Norwalk, Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield and Danbury.
The grant comes with a matching component. However, that can come from in-kind services.
“There is no expectation that the town’s will have to put in any money for this,” said Pat Sesto, Wilton’s director of environmental affairs. “All of the volunteers’ time goes toward this. And that’s recognition of the value of volunteerism.”
There are about 22 people on the steering committee alone, Sesto said. And the number of volunteers likely will increase as the project moves forward.
The 80-mile long Farmington Canal Trail, which extends from near New Haven up to Massachusetts, is the closest relative to the Norwalk River Valley Trail, Giannotti said.
However, unlike the Farmington trail, the NRVT presents more topographical challenges. The terrain from Norwalk to Danbury is decidedly hilly, Sesto said.
If, as John Muir once said, in every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks, then area residents will be greatly rewarded. But like Muir’s beloved trees, the project won’t be completed overnight.
“I don’t want to say it’s anybody’s guess, but it’s anybody’s guess,” Sesto said.
The trail will link two existing trails. The first in Norwalk now ends at Union Park. The second, the Ives Trail, is located in Danbury. Along the way other trails can join it like tributaries on a river.
This year, the NRVT will also get technical assistance from the National Park Service's Rivers and Trails Program. This program helps community groups and municipalities to conserve rivers, preserve open space and develop trails and greenways.
John Monroe, an outdoor recreational planner with the National Park Service, said he looks forward to the planned series of workshops next month. Residents from the towns are invited to offer their ideas and ask questions about the project.
Next month, residents from all five towns in the Norwalk River corridor are invited to attend a series of community workshops to help to plan the trail. They’ll work in small groups to decide how best to connect the trail to schools, town centers and train stations. Monroe will be on hand to answer questions.
“I’ve mostly taken windshield tours of the area because it’s been such a tough winter,” Monroe said. For now he’s only worked with Google Maps and Google Earth.
A complete 3-mile loop around Norwalk Harbor is nearly finished.
“Trails will help increase economic development and raise quality of life. There are a lot of economic benefits to developing trails. It’s a great time to be doing this,” said Monroe who has worked on trail projects throughout New England for 19 years. “There is still funding out there because trails are seen as an economic benefit.”
The Connecticut Greenway’s research shows that businesses are attracted to projects such as NRVT and homes along such trails see an increase in property values.
Sesto seconded that notion.
“It’s kind of funny, people express a lot of the same fears at the start of these projects,” Sesto said. “They worry the crime rate will go up that property values will come down. Then, when the trail is built they realize it’s a huge asset.”
When the NRVT is finished it will connect to rail stations, schools and offices and offering clean, green transportation as well as recreational opportunities, Sesto said.
The project now has a Facebook site with 123 "friends." That number grows daily.
"We've been cruising right along, people are enthusiastic," Sesto said. "Momentum has not been a challenge for us."

$180K grant to extend River Valley Trail

2010-09-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

Posted on 09/14/2010

By ROBERT KOCH

Villager Staff Writer

NORWALK -- Officials gathered at Union Park in Norwalk on Monday morning to announce the award of a $180,000 federal grant which they said marks a "new beginning" for the Norwalk River Valley Trail.

The proposed 27-mile bicycle/pedestrian trail from Norwalk to Danbury currently comprises a one-mile stretch that ends at Union Park in Norwalk. Another section has been opened in Wilton, between Merwin Meadows and Wilton High School.

"This is the end of the trail in its current form, and from here, we're looking to go roughly 27 miles north. So that is a big task to undertake and today marks the first major step," said Patricia Sesto, director of Wilton's Department of Environmental Affairs and chairwoman of the Norwalk River Valley Trail steering committee. But first "we need a clear sense of what is logistically feasible, and what the towns and the cities want."

On Monday morning, Sesto and officials from towns along the proposed trail announced the receipt of the $180,000 grant from the National Recreational Trails Program and approved by the Federal Highway Administration. Confirmation of the award was received this month, according to officials.

The federal money will be used to develop a study, which will serve as the foundation for construction of the trail northward. As part of the study, the steering committee will seek public input on design, routing and other aspects of the trail.

Sesto told the Wilton Villager that the NRVT steering committee will issue a request for proposals seeking a firm to prepare the study. She hopes to see the study completed within 18 months.

Officials from towns along proposed trail route stood in Union Park at the edge of the current trail and in front of a banner reading "Norwalk River Valley Trail. Five Towns. One Vision."

"I think that this, again, speaks to regional cooperation to solve many of our problems," Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia said. "It's an example of when big cities and small towns can work together."

Also present were state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-26; state Sen. Bob Duff, D-25; state Rep. John W. Hetherington, R-125; Ridgefield First Selectman Rudi Marconi; and Gail Lavielle, a member of the Wilton Board of Finance and chairwoman of the NRVT public outreach subcommittee.

Lavielle, a Republican who is challenging state Rep. Peggy Reeves, D-143, this November, credited Sesto with leading the "mammoth task" of assembling the grant application last year within a two-week window -- a deadline was looming. She said construction of the trail has broad support.

"It's rare that you find something that has such universal support. The Norwalk River Valley Trail benefits every one of the communities," Lavielle said. "A number of families have told us they are so happy this is moving along."

Silvermine residents Lance Zimmerman and Deborah Lewis rode their bicycles to the grant announcement. They told The Hour Newspapers that they ride the trail regularly.

"One of my dreams, before my kids graduate from school, is they can safely ride their bikes to school," Lewis said.

Duff, himself a bicyclist, said he enjoys riding the trail, but not having to leave it at Union Park and ride on streets alongside vehicles. Boucher thanked the office of Gov. M. Jodi Rell and the state DEP for shepherding the grant application. Marconi said talk of the trail began many years ago. He credited those early talks and all who've helped advance the concept since. Hetherington said the trail will draw attention to the Norwalk and Silvermine rivers and other wetlands along its route.

"These rivers are really treasures," Hetherington said.

Norwalk River Valley Trail

2010-05-31T11:38:00.000-07:00

THE NORWALK RIVER VALLEY TRAIL

The Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT) is planned to be a Multi-Use Trail; where the trail can be used by different users which include walkers, bikers, runners, joggers, those on roller blades, those wheeling strollers, and people in wheelchairs. The NRVT will enhance both the wellness and quality of life of Norwalk residents and visitors. Bicycling is an enjoyable, inexpensive, efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. It can be enjoyed by all, regardless of gender, age, and social, economic, or ethnic background.

The District 95/7 development project will be accessible from the NRVT. Hotel guests at 95/7 will have recreational access to the trail. Ultimately, commuters may bicycle to work, from north Norwalk or from Wilton. There will be access to the Norwalk River for canoers or kayakers. The immediate plan is for the NRVT to begin at Calf Pasture Beach and extend northward the entire length of Norwalk and into Wilton. When complete to Wilton High School the length will be about 12.8 miles. Eventually, the trail may be extended as far north as Danbury. The length of the trail from Calf Pasture Beach to the Norwalk-Wilton line is approximately 8.1 miles.

The trail currently has a section in Norwalk from Matthews Park to Union Park which has been completed. Another short section from New Canaan Avenue to Broad Street is completed. . The next trail section which is scheduled for construction will extend from Union Park, north along Riverside Avenue to Route 123. It is presently necessary to design this section, obtain the necessary permits, obtain funding, and then select a contractor for construction. In this 4600 foot section of the NRVT, it is necessary to cross the Norwalk River, which will be on the new Route 123 bridge which is currently being reconstructed by CONNDOT. When this trail section is completed, it will be possible to go from the Maritime Center to Broad Street on the NRVT. This section may be completed in 2011.

Group Brainstorms Improving Ridgefield's Route 7

2010-05-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Group Brainstorms Improving Ridgefield's Route 7

Amenities were added and eyesores eliminated with the swipe of a marker.

By Harold F. Cobin | Email the author | 12:30pm

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"Be a king," prompted Susan VanBenschoten. "Forget about money or zoning, or anything man made as constraints."

So empowered, 17 residents of Ridgefield, including town officials and business owners, used felt-tipped markers of various colors Wednesday night to recast a segment of Route 7 into how they envisioned it should be developed to meet the needs of the surrounding community.

Separated into three groups, the workshop paricipants hunched over large prints of an aerial photograph of the "focus area" and debated where new office buildings, condominiums and shopping centers should go, interspersed with bike paths, green space and other amenities.

Being king also granted the ability to scribble over existing structures deemed blemishes or eyesores, subjecting them to demolition by pen.

The segment of Route 7 that was under discussion Wednesday night runs from Little Pond, south of the Route 35 intersection, to the locations of the Pamby Motor's dealership and Ullman Devices Corporation to the north.

VanBenschoten is chief operating office and project manager of Fitzgerald and Halliday, a Hartford consulting firm hired by the state to create a development plan for the Route 7 corridor between Norwalk and Danbury. Intended to be implemented by 2030, the study seeks to improve traffic flow and meet the development needs of the communities the highway passes through: Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding.

The evening's program resulted from the consulting firm's decision that three areas of Route 7 corridor should receive special attention for improvement. In addition to the Route 35 intersection, they are the Branchville area of Ridgefield and Wilton Center.

Besides marking the aerial prints, the participants also were shown a series of photographs projected on a screen that depicted scenes of streets, outdoor dining areas, retail stores and wooded, undeveloped locations.

Using keypads that enabled them express the degree to which they liked or disliked each image, they selected scenes they felt depicted models of what should be included along the Route 35 intersection segment.

The evening concluded with a representative from each group describing what proposed improvements and changes were selected.

The 20-month-long study is sponsored by the South Western Regional Planning Agency and the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials.

A workshop for the Wilton Center area will be held May 11, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Wilton Libraryand for the Branchville area May 13, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., in Branchville Elementary School.

The current results of the study can be found at www.route7study.org.

bike and walking trails, including the proposal to develop a trail linking Norwalk and Danbury

2010-04-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

Transportation heads want to hear from you

Written by Gail Lavielle
Thursday, 15 April 2010 00:00

Every year, the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission tours the state to listen to residents and public officials discuss how they get from place to place or, often, how they wish they could. The commission holds a series of public hearings both in the spring and in the fall, and there is usually one within easy reach of Wilton. This spring, it’s at Danbury City Hall, on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. Everyone who is interested in mass transit and related subjects is invited to come and raise issues, express concerns or contribute new ideas.

If public transportation is important to you, this is an opportunity to raise awareness of our region’s issues and to influence policy. Drawing on input from its hearings, the Public Transportation Commission presents a set of recommendations on transportation priorities in its annual report, which it circulates to the Department of Transportation, the governor, and the Transportation Committee of the General Assembly. For matters it considers more urgent, the commission can also pass resolutions at its monthly meetings and communicate them immediately.

How do these recommendations and resolutions influence decisions about transportation on the state and regional levels? Last May’s hearing in Norwalk is a good recent example. Testimony by Wilton residents and public officials led the commission to pass a resolution the following month urging the DOT to open the Wilton station as soon as possible. This provided valuable support for First Selectman Bill Brennan’s persistent and successful efforts to convey the importance of the situation for our community to the DOT and to obtain its commitment for opening the station this fall. Earlier this year, another recommendation in the commission’s annual report led the City of Waterbury to rethink plans for its bus system and intermodal transit center.

Although the commission does not set an agenda for its hearings, it does provide guidance by identifying issues that are especially relevant for specific regions. At our Danbury hearing, we invite you particularly to share your thoughts about electronic highway tolls at the state’s borders; further improvements to the Danbury branch line, including electrification and extending the line to New Milford; bike and walking trails, including the proposal to develop a trail linking Norwalk and Danbury; rail station parking; existing and potential area bus service; and transit-oriented development.

The April 20 public hearing in Danbury is your chance to be an advocate for Wilton’s and Fairfield County’s mass transit needs. Your ideas can help the DOT and our elected representatives develop transportation solutions that can alleviate congestion on our roads, reduce fuel emissions, improve the commuting experience, and make Wilton and our surrounding towns even better places to work and live.

Even if you can’t attend the hearing, the commission would be very pleased to hear from you. You may submit your comments and ideas in writing to Dennis J. King, CPTC Liaison, P.O. Box 317546, Newington, CT 06131-7546. Or send me an e-mail at cptcsw@aol.com .

Ms. Lavielle is a member of the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission.

On Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a trail improvement party along the Norwalk River on the south side of Rt. 123.

2010-04-08T11:37:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a trail improvement party along the Norwalk River on the south side of Rt. 123.

Help the Norwalk River Watershed Association and its partners prepare a section of proposed trail along Riverside Avenue and the Norwalk River that will connect existing trails at Union Park (just west of Norwalk Public Library) to existing trails on the north side of Rt. 123.

The focus of this event will be trash cleanup as well as invasive vine removal along the riverbank to prepare the trail for fall plantings and signage. On-site training on how to identify the invasive plants will be provided. There are jobs for a variety of age levels. Meet at the north side of Casatelli Marble & Tile (34 Riverside Ave.). Bring your own tools if possible. Through the generosity of a grant from Recreational Equipment Inc. to NRWA for trail improvements, some tools will be available and lunch will be provided for volunteers.

Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) has donated $5,000 to the Norwalk River Watershed Association to help implement this section of the Norwalk River Valley Trail System, as well as to develop a comprehensive trail map of the entire watershed area from Norwalk to Ridgefield. This section of trail is being planned as a collaborative effort between the Norwalk River Watershed Association, Norwalk River Valley Trail Committee, Norwalk League of Women Voters, City of Norwalk and ConnDOT to develop a significant multi-use trail that would extend approximately 8 miles from Calf Pasture Beach to the Norwalk-Wilton line. The existing section of trail in Norwalk links together a number of attractions, including the Maritime Aquarium, the Lockwood-Matthews Museum, the new Heritage Park, and Union Park. Another short section of completed trail extends from New Canaan Avenue (Route 123) to Broad Street. The next proposed section will extend from Union Park, north along Riverside Avenue to Route 123. When this section of trail is completed, it will be possible to go from theMaritime Center to Broad Street via the Norwalk River Valley Trail.

Anyone interested in helping should e-mail us at info@norwalkriver.org or call NRWA at 1-877-NRWA-INFO (877-679-2463),) to sign up or for further directions.

The Norwalk River Watershed Association, Inc. [NRWA], is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the water quality and quality of life in the region. Through fostering education, cooperation, and action on the part of individuals, businesses, community groups, and government agencies, NRWA is a catalyst for positive environmental change that benefits fresh water supplies, Long Island Sound, and the residents of the watershed, which includes the municipalities of New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Wilton, and Lewisboro, N.Y. For information on free programs, research, volunteer opportunities and membership visit www.norwalkriver.org.

A trail for pedestrians and other non-motorized traffic, running the length of the Norwalk River Valley from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk all the way to Danbury.

2010-03-13T03:35:00.000-08:00

Editorial: A Danbury-Norwalk hike-and-bike trail

Written by Macklin Reid, Press Staff
Saturday, 13 March 2010 05:53

The vision is ambitious, but should quicken the heartbeats of walkers, joggers, bicyclers, car commuters, environmentalists and greenies: A trail for pedestrians and other non-motorized traffic, running the length of the Norwalk River Valley from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk all the way to Danbury.
A walk-bike trail of that length, through such varied neighborhoods and terrain, wouldn’t be cheap, or easily done. But it’s a great idea.
A working group with representatives of Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton, Norwalk and Danbury is looking into the concept, which has roots going back decades — talk of a “linear park” along the Route 7 corridor dates at least to the 1970s. In recent years, groups in the different towns along the Norwalk River Valley have built trails, often with the notion of someday linking them into a grand trail that would benefit the entire region.
The working group is chaired by Pat Sesto, a Ridgefielder who heads Wilton’s Department of Environmental Affairs, and Ridgefield is also represented by Conservation Commission Chairman Dr. Ben Oko. The group hopes to build on the largely dormant support for the concept and get the project off the ground. The state has begun selling off properties it purchased for the dead-in-the-water Super 7 highway project, so it makes sense to get the trail project going before possible links in the chain are sold off.
The working group has applied to the federal Recreational Trails Program seeking grant money to finance a routing study that would include seeking input from municipalities, businesses and, yes, people.
People, most likely, will like the idea. While towns like Ridgefield and Redding have a good supply of woodland trails for hiking, there’s a very real shortage of decent safe places to bike, jog, run, or in-line skate. A walk-bike trail from Norwalk to Danbury would fill that need and could prove a boost to some businesses along the route.
And the trail would have a huge public safety benefit by reducing the number of bicyclists and joggers who now, sometimes suicidally, populate the shoulders of Route 7, getting their exercise three or four feet from cars and trucks that whiz by at 50 miles an hour.
A well-designed trail would be a magnet for joggers and bikers, vastly improving road safety in every town along its path.

Group studies walk-bike trail linking Norwalk to Danbury

2010-03-09T04:40:00.001-08:00

Group studies walk-bike trail linking Norwalk to Danbury

Written by Gail Lavielle
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 06:20

A working group comprising representatives from Norwalk, Wilton, Ridgefield, Redding and Danbury has formed to explore the development of a multi-use trail for bicyclists, pedestrians and other users of non-motorized transportation. The proposed trail, which would extend from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk through the Norwalk River valley to Danbury, would, where possible, incorporate existing trails in Norwalk, Ridgefield and Wilton.
Since the early 1990s, groups that have successfully constructed trails in the individual towns have been exploring the possibility of linking them to form a trail that would benefit the entire region.
Because of this history, the working group believes that there may be significant public support for the project. The group will, however, seek confirmation of this support through an appropriate process of public consultation. It will also seek public input on design, routing, and other aspects of the trail.
The trail would aim to offer a number of benefits to residents and visitors:

An alternative to automobile transportation: convenient and safe pedestrian and bicycle travel between rail stations and local businesses, schools, town shopping areas, and parks;
A scenic route that links already existing multi-town trails and open space areas and that helps residents and visitors to the region enjoy and appreciate its natural attributes;
Encouragement of mass transit ridership by facilitating multi-modal transportation;
Reduction of carbon emissions by displacing automobile travel by commuters and local motorists;
Recreational and fitness uses; and
Expansion of regional tourism.

The working group was assembled during the summer of 2009, with the support of the chief elected officials of Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, and Wilton. Representatives from Danbury joined the group soon after. While the group is chaired by Patricia Sesto of Ridgefield, director of Wilton’s Department of Environmental Affairs, most of its members are volunteers.
In the fall of 2009, the working group applied for a grant from the federal Recreational Trails Program, which is administered in Connecticut by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The grant would be used to conduct a routing study for the project, including extensive solicitation of input from members of the public, regional planning agencies, municipal boards and commissions, and businesses and other organizations. One of 57 applications submitted this year to the DEP, the working group’s grant request is now on a list of 18 projects awaiting review and authorization by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Federal Highways Administration. A decision on the grant may be made as early as this month.
In its 2009 annual report, the Connecticut Public Transportation Commission expressed its support for the working group’s exploration of the project. According to the report, “The Commission supports the serious consideration of this project as one which: 1) fits the Department of Transportation’s objective of developing multi-modal transportation solutions, and 2) provides citizens with alternative commuting options beyond automobile reliance. The development of a public multi-use trail and corridor would also promote the planned use of the corridor for transportation purposes.”
“This project is a genuine regional undertaking,” said Ms. Sesto. “It offers significant benefits to everyone — residents of the towns directly involved and visitors alike — who would be served by the trail, and at the same time does not preclude any other transportation initiatives.”
The groups hopes that approval of its grant request will enable it to begin a routing study soon, and, in the process, to begin seeking public opinion and ideas.
For more information, e-mail Dr. Ben Oko, benoko@comcast.net , who is chair of Ridgefield’s Conservation Commission and a member of the group.

Discuss this story on The Ridgefield Forum.

New Times: Route 7 towns exploring idea of multi-use trail

2010-03-03T16:41:00.000-08:00

Linking a network of pedestrian and bike trails from Norwalk north to Danbury would not only improve access to the Norwalk River Valley's wooded shores, but also serve residents by allowing them to ride bikes to rail stations, stores and other destinations, said Patricia Sesto, director of environmental affairs for the town of Wilton.
The network, called the Norwalk River Valley Trail, would extend about 17 miles from its start in South Norwalk, linking with other existing and future trails in Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding into Danbury, though a routing study is needed to determine the specific location of the path, Sesto said.
"This is a long-running desire of the community that has been long-standing, but we need to know what this trail could look like," Sesto said. "It could serve to get people better connected to the natural environment or change the way they commute."
A coalition led by the towns of Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding, with assistance from officials and activists in Norwalk and Danbury, recently received approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection for its application seeking a grant of $180,000 in federal funds to conduct a feasibility and route study for the trail.
The request, made this fall, is now being considered by the Federal Highway Administration and state Historical Commission alongside requests from other towns seeking some of the more than $1.4 million in highway funds expected to be awarded this year by the DEP to various trail construction and maintenance projects in Connecticut.

Active Transportation celebrated a milestone today with the release of Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s (D-Ore.)

2010-03-03T13:48:00.000-08:00

Groundbreaking ACTion on Active Transportation in Congress

RTC TrailBlog » Groundbreaking ACTion on Active Transportation in Congress

New Legislation Will Build Healthy, Clean, Cost-Effective Transportation Options
Washington, D.C., March 2, 2010 — Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Campaign for Active Transportation celebrated a milestone today with the release of Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s (D-Ore.) Active Community Transportation (ACT) Act of 2010 [H.R. 4722].

This landmark legislation promises to launch a new era of investment in building complete systems of facilities that make it safe and convenient for Americans to choose to walk or bicycle instead of drive for routine, short trips. The ACT Act creates a competitive fund to which communities can apply and receive funding to build these active transportation systems. In the process, tens of thousands of jobs in construction and small businesses will be created, invigorating local economies, while also saving Americans money at the pump.

“This is possibly the most important legislation to come down in the last 20 years for those who value trails, walking and biking, and we applaud the visionary leadership Representative Blumenauer and his colleagues have shown through the creation of this bill,” says Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) President Keith Laughlin. “In 2007, when we launched our Campaign for Active Transportation at RTC’s Portland conference, we knew it would take a focused, smart investment plan to make active transportation systems commonplace. The ACT Act is that plan, and we’ve never been more ready.”

ACT Act Findings
Americans are hungry for safe and convenient opportunities to walk or bicycle to work, school, shops, transit and other daily destinations. Respondents in a national poll said they would spend 15 times current levels on walking and bicycling (currently, less than two percent of all transportation dollars) at the expense of what they view as lopsided spending on roads. ACT Act states that:
•    Nearly half of the trips taken in the United States today are within a 20-minute bicycle ride, and half of those trips are within a 20-minute walk;
•    Further, 90 percent of transit trips begin with walking or bicycling;
•    There is huge potential for an increased role for active transportation to these nearby destinations, and;
•    The ACT Act is can maximize mode shift by providing “intensive, concentrated funding of active transportation systems rather than discrete piecemeal projects.”

“Everywhere we go, communities are eager to pull the pieces of their active transportation systems together so the public can safely walk and bike,” says RTC Vice President of Policy Kevin Mills. “It is essential that we give Americans the means to achieve their dreams of livable communities by offering healthy, clean, affordable and enjoyable ways to get around. The ACT Act provides the missing piece of our transportation puzzle; ironically, we have left the simplest and most cost-effective investment for last.”

RTC and the ACT Act
RTC has been the lead advocate behind the creation of this bill, organizing more than 50 communities around the country, and soliciting case statements from these communities that detail how, if the funding were available, they would create active transportation systems in their area. Most of these communities have been engaged for years, committing local resources to their organizing and planning efforts, earning support from mayors, city and county councils, advocacy and business leaders. Additionally, a national letter of support has been signed by representatives from more than 300 national, regional and local groups and more than 30 mayors and other elected officials.

The introduction of this bill, which would be a part of the larger transportation reauthorization, represents opportunity knocking. Current original co-sponsors of the bill include Representatives Capuano (Mass.), Carnahan (Mo.), Cohen (Tenn.), Filner (Calif.), Lipinski (Ill.) and Moran (Va.).

Take ACTion
RTC is calling on its supporters and coalition members to contact their members of Congress and encourage them to become co-sponsors of the ACT Act.

For more information on RTC and the ACT Act, visit www.railstotrails.org/act.

Posted Wed, Mar 3 2010 3:56 PM by Todd Christopher (RTC) Filed under: congress, 2010 Campaign, active transportation, legislation

SWRPA: A Greenway, More Business, No Super 7

2010-03-03T05:56:00.001-08:00

SWRPA: A Greenway, More Business, No Super 7

Analysts find more multi-family housing and retail service businesses are needed on that corridor.
By Harold F. Cobin |
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Email the author | March 2, 2010
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About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. new
About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. Credit Harold F. Cobin
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About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. Credit Harold F. Cobin /assets/photos/000/241/805/241805_collapsed.jpg?1267500931 600x311 311,311,144,0 0.25 88,88 2400x1244
The completed portions of the Route 7 corridor study "Vision For the Future and Existing Conditions" can be found at www.route7study.org. Credit Harold F. Cobin /assets/photos/000/241/806/241806_collapsed.jpg?1267500998 338x450 338,338,0,55 0.1404821280133 88,88 2406x3200
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About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. new
About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. Credit Harold F. Cobin
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About 60 people attended the Route 7 corridor program in the cafeteria in Wilton High School. Credit Harold F. Cobin /assets/photos/000/241/805/241805_collapsed.jpg?1267500931 600x311 311,311,144,0 0.25 88,88 2400x1244
The completed portions of the Route 7 corridor study "Vision For the Future and Existing Conditions" can be found at www.route7study.org. Credit Harold F. Cobin /assets/photos/000/241/806/241806_collapsed.jpg?1267500998 338x450 338,338,0,55 0.1404821280133 88,88 2406x3200
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Six months into a study of the Route 7 corridor between Norwalk and Danbury, analysts Monday night reported on existing conditions there and on their intent to recommend both traffic flow improvements and community-tailored development.

The study, intended to create a plan for the corridor that should be implemented by 2030, is scheduled to be completed in March 2011. It's sponsored by the South Western Regional Planning Agency and the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials.

Project manager Craig Lader of SWRPA said the study will cost about $375,000, 80 percent of which will be funded by the federal government and 20 percent by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Lader noted that neither of the sponsoring organizations has the power to force implementation of the study's results, so they will be presented as recommendations to the corridor's communities and to the state.

The study is being conducted by the consulting firm Fitzgerald & Halliday of Hartford.

In her remarks opening the session before an audience of about 60 people, Susan VanBenschoten, chief operating office and project manager of Fitzgerald & Halliday, said the ultimate purpose of the study is to "enhance the quality of life in the corridor."

Highlights of the presentation, "Vision For the Future and Existing Conditions," held in the cafeteria of Wilton High School, included:

* Ridgefield is a "significant (destination) attraction" for trips emanating from Norwalk and Danbury.

* The existing conditions along the northern (Danbury) end of the highway work well in handling traffic demands.

* The worst traffic problems are in the south end of the corridor between Grist Mill Road and the I-Park office complex in Norwalk. (The highest number of vehicles per day in the corridor is approximately 37,000, the lowest about 18,000.)

* There is public interest in riding bicycles along stretches of Route 7, but it is unsafe for that purpose. Also, facilities for safely storing bicycles would be needed at train stations along the Danbury Branch of Metro North Railroad.

* The size and character of the residential population along Route 7 is mostly stable, which makes planning easier.

* There is an insufficient amount of multi-family housing along the corridor, which creates difficulties for young families. Also, more workforce housing is needed.

* The vacancy rate of office buildings along the corridor is 14 percent, including the Merritt 7 complex in Norwalk. Without that complex, the vacancy rate is 9 percent.

* There is a demand for "big box" retailers, but there are few parcels of available land large enough to build them.

* There is a large demand for service retail establishments that can be reached in short trips.

VanBenschoten emphasized the study will not consider construction of a multi-lane expressway between Norwalk and Danbury, an idea that has been proposed since the 1960s.

She said two more public sessions will be held during the course of the study, with the next sometime in October. At that time, she said, the analysts will present proposed future conditions for the corridor with a draft of a plan to implement them.

The current results of the study can be found online at www.route7study.org.

I am at a meeting for the Route7 land use study

2010-03-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

Route 7 land use. There appears to be about 90 people here. Study is to evaluate what the community wants.

Ct Trails

2010-02-26T12:41:00.001-08:00

Don’t See the Trail You’re Looking for? Submit a New Trail here.

Trail Name	State	Counties	Length (miles)	Activities
Airline North State Park Trail	CT	Windham	27	Walk, Horseback, Snowmobile, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Airline State Park Trail - South	CT	Hartford, Middlesex, New London, Windham	22.40	Walk, Horseback, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Branford Trolley Trail	CT	New Haven	1	Walk, Mountain Bicycle
Charter Oak Greenway	CT	Hartford	9.80	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Inline Skates, Wheelchair
Derby Greenway	CT	New Haven	1.70	Walk, Bicycle, Inline Skates, Wheelchair
Farmington Canal Heritage Trail	CT	Hartford, New Haven	40	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Inline Skates, Wheelchair
Farmington River Trail	CT	Hartford	8.50	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Inline Skates, Mountain Bicycle, Fishing, Wheelchair
Hop River State Park Trail	CT	Hartford, Tolland	15.60	Walk, Horseback, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Housatonic Rail-Trail - Trumbull (Pequannock Valley Greenway)	CT	Fairfield	3.40	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Housatonic Valley Rail-Trail - Monroe	CT	Fairfield	3.80	Walk, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Larkin State Park Trail	CT	New Haven	10.40	Walk, Horseback, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Middlebury Greenway	CT	New Haven	4.40	Walk, Bicycle, Inline Skates, Wheelchair
Moosup Valley State Park Trail	CT	Windham	5.80	Walk, Horseback, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle, Fishing
Putnam River Trail	CT	Windham	2	Walk, Bicycle
Quinebaug River Trail	CT	Windham	4	Walk, Bicycle
Railroad Ramble	CT	Litchfield	1.70	Walk, Horseback, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski
Ridgefield Rail Trail	CT	Fairfield	2.30	Walk, Cross Country Ski, Wheelchair
Stratton Brook State Park Trail	CT	Hartford	2	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle, Wheelchair
Vernon Rails-to-Trails	CT	Tolland	4	Walk, Bicycle, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Wilton Trail	CT	Fairfield	2.70	Walk, Cross Country Ski, Mountain Bicycle
Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail (WIndsor Locks Canal Towpath)	CT	Hartford	4.50	Walk, Bicycle, Fishing

Railstotrails.org Trail-Building Toolbox:

2010-02-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

Trail-Building Toolbox:

Learn the basics of trail-building and find the help you need for your trail. Be sure to also take a look at all of RTC's full suite of online Trail Building resources.

Corridor Research >>
Active vs. Abandoned Corridors
Environmental Contaminants

Railbanking >>
History of Railbanking
Railbanking: What and Why?
How to Railbank
Example Railbanking Agreement

Acquisition >>
Corridor Valuation
Acquisition Methods
Salvaging Material
Financing/Funding

Outreach >>
The Railroad
Opposition & Neighbors
Public Agencies and Officials
Supporters
Making the Case for Rail-Trails

Plan, Design, Build >>
Tunnels
Accessibility
Construction
Crossings
Design for User Type
Surface
Rail-with-Trail

Management & Maintenance >>
Liability/Trail Insurance
User Surveys

	Hot Topics
	RTC's Early Warning System: Sign up to be informed about upcoming railroad abandonments in your area and receive resources to help you take advantage of railbanking. Rail-with-Trail: Communities across the country are finding ways to share the right-of-way. Learn more about how trails and trains go hand-in-hand. Urban Pathways Initiative: Connect with advocates and professionals working on the challenges of obesity, congestion and scarcity of open space in low-income urban neighborhoods. The initiative provides a space to share innovative resources and best practices that encourage physical activity through trail use in America's cities. Interested? Sign up to participate! Trail Photos: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy group on Flickr National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse (NTEC) Image Library Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Image Library American Trails Photo Galleries
	RTC Resources
	RTC Library: A complete collection of manuals, reports, and fact sheets produced by RTC and external sources. Ask Our Listserv: Join our listserv and connect with over 1,000 trail advocates, managers, and builders. Share your experiences and learn from the experts Trails Glossary and Acronyms
	Additional Resources
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land use study of Route 7 between Norwalk and Danbury Meeting Postponed

2010-02-25T04:26:00.001-08:00

http://www.route7study.org/html-PI/public_meetings.html

Public Meetings

This study will look for ways to improve and interconnect the various components of the transportation system: the roadway, commuter rail, bus travel, walking, and biking. The study will also evaluate how land is currently used in the corridor and how it could be used in the future to work with the transportation system serving it. The study will focus on Route 7 within Danbury, Ridgefield, Redding, and Wilton. The study will not evaluate the need for an expressway from Danbury to Norwalk, but will instead investigate ways to maximize the efficiency and safety of all modes of the existing transportation system.
MEETING RESCHEDULED TO NEW DATE SHOWN BELOW!!!
Date:
Monday, March 1, 2010
Location:
Wilton High School Cafeteria
Address:
395 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897
Informal Open House:
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Presentation:
7:00 pm
Directions:
www.wilton.k12.ct.us/whs/adm/contact.php
Snow Date: In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be held at the same location and time on Monday, March 1, 2010

land use study of Route 7 between Norwalk and Danbury. Route 7 is a critical

2010-02-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

Wilton Library Notification:

PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

Public Meetings

This study will look for ways to improve and interconnect the various components of the transportation system: the roadway, commuter rail, bus travel, walking, and biking. The study will also evaluate how land is currently used in the corridor and how it could be used in the future to work with the transportation system serving it. The study will focus on Route 7 within Danbury, Ridgefield, Redding, and Wilton. The study will not evaluate the need for an expressway from Danbury to Norwalk, but will instead investigate ways to maximize the efficiency and safety of all modes of the existing transportation system.

MEETING RESCHEDULED TO NEW DATE SHOWN BELOW!!!
Date:	Monday, March 1, 2010
Location:	Wilton High School Cafeteria
Address:	395 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897
Informal Open House:	6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Presentation:	7:00 pm
Directions:	www.wilton.k12.ct.us/whs/adm/contact.php
Snow Date: In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will be held at the same location and time on Monday, March 1, 2010

The South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) along with the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO) is conducting a transportation and land use study of Route 7 between Norwalk and Danbury. Route 7 is a critical transportation connection for life in southwestern Connecticut. This segment of Route 7 has been studied for years and some portions have been rebuilt over the decades in order to improve travel. Likewise, commuter rail on the Danbury Branch is currently being studied to determine the best way to improve rail service in the corridor.

Still, there are gaps in the transportation system both on the roadway itself and with options to better connect to the public transportation system that serves the corridor.

This study will look for ways to improve and interconnect the various components of the transportation system; the roadway, commuter rail, bus travel, walking, and biking. The study will also evaluate how land is currently used in the corridor and how it could be used in the future to work with the transportation system serving it.

The study will focus on Route 7 within Danbury, Ridgefield, Redding, and Wilton. The study will not evaluate the need for an expressway from Danbury to Norwalk, but will instead investigate ways to maximize the efficiency and safety of all modes of the existing transportation system.

The first of three public information meetings is being held to present and discuss the study scope, status, the vision for the corridor, and to review existing transportation and land use conditions.
Area residents, business owners, commuters, and all interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend this meeting to share your views about issues and opportunities for improvement in the Route 7 corridor. For study and meeting information, please visit www.route7study.org or contact:

South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA)
Craig Lader (Study Project Manager)
203-316-5190
lader@swrpa.org

A New Greenway Along our Route 7 in Wilton!

2010-02-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

A New Greenway Along our Route 7 in Wilton!

A New Greenway Along our Route 7 in Wilton! There is substantial rumoring about a new "Greenway" along Route 7 here in Wilton. Years ago, the state bought up, using eminent domain, a lot of land along the old Route 7. The intention was to build a huge Super 7 the whole way from Danbury to Norwalk. Norwalk approved the state's building a Super 7 through most of the town, to the Wilton border. There it stopped, as Wilton wasn't so sure that this was what was in the best interest of its residents. Law suits ensued for many many years, environmental issues were raised, etc. Now, it appears that there is no money left, even if the highway were to be approved, so the residents are fighting for the "Greenway" to be located on the empty land. This will be a fabulous, long, flat wide strip along the Norwalk River all the way up to Danbury, where all can walk, bike, run, rollerblade, or anything else you would like. I think that this could perhaps also be beneficial to our real estate values, and increase our home prices. How fabulous would that be? I cannot wait for the New Greenway Along our Route 7 in Wilton!

Information and content in this blog is original to Dagny Eason.

Click here to subscribe to my blog for more real estate information about the Wilton and Fairfield County Areas.

Proposed trail clear major hurdle

2010-01-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

By KARA O'CONNOR

Villager Staff Writer

WILTON -- A proposed recreational trail that would run through Wilton, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield and Danbury has cleared it's first major hurdle, according to Pat Sesto, head of Wilton's Inland Wetland Department.

Last Friday, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection approved an application for a $180,000 grant for the greenway, a nature trail intended for use by pedestrians and bike riders.

"We are not done with this process yet, but I will say that we passed our first very large hurdle," said Sesto. "The state DEP said this project has merit and that is a good sign."

In July 2009, at a General Assembly veto session at the State Capitol, legislators overrode Gov. M. Jodi Rell's transportation bill, which lifted land use restrictions on 890 acres specifically designated for a "Super 7" highway from Norwalk to Danbury. This past August, the greenway idea was proposed for the "Super 7" land when DEP officials and representatives from Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield met to discuss different approaches to use the property, according to Sesto.

The recreational trail would be 17 miles long and run from the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk to the south portion of Danbury. According to state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-26, the project is finally in a place that will get somewhere.

"There had been some work done some time ago with this greenway idea," she said. "Now it finally has been taken off the shelf and has been re-energized with a wonderful array of stake holders that are very enthusiastically behind it."

Boucher said the greenway will be beneficial to any resident who lives in the area.

"This greenway will allow folks to get from point a to point b in a better, healthier way," she said. "It will also give people the opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful environment and scenery that is right in our own backyard."

In the near future, a greenway commission will start a study to gauge what the public wants out of the greenway, Sesto said. The study will also include any land restrictions that the commission might come across while building the greenway, she said.

"We definitely want public participation, to make sure that we are building what the public wants to use," said Sesto. "This study will try to combine the public's wants with the land's needs."

The Federal Highway Administration and the state Historical Commission still need to review the grant application, and a final decision is expected in March, she said.

Sesto is hopeful the grant will be approved.

"I feel responsibly confident," said Sesto. "But the truth is, funding is a tenuous thing and you really don't know if your going to get the money until the check is in your hand."

Merritt Parkway Trail

2009-12-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

* What is the Merritt Parkway trail?
* Why should we support the trail?
* How will the trail be maintained and who will pay for it?
* What are the economic benefits?
* How will the trail cross roads and interchanges?
* What kind of safety barriers will be used between the trail and the roadway?
* How wide will the trail be and will there be room for horses?
* How many trees will be cut?
* Where will people park?
* What hours will the trail be open and will it be lighted?
* How will graffiti be prevented?
* Will people living along the Merritt right-of-way lose their privacy?
* What is the role of Regional Plan Association?
* What is the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance?
* Whom can I contact for more information about the trail?

Q: What is the Merritt Parkway trail?
A:The Merritt trail is a proposed non-motorized multi-user path along the entire 37.5-mile length of the Merritt Parkway right-of-way from the New York border to the Housatonic River.

Q: Why should we support the trail?
A: The trail will contribute significantly to an improved environment, a healthier community and an enhanced quality of life by encouraging people to get out of their cars and onto their feet. It will help ease the traffic congestion on our roads by providing an opportunity for safe recreation and access to shopping, schools, the work place, waterfront and parks for bicyclists, walkers, and the handicapped. It will preserve open space, improve air quality, provide an up-close opportunity to enjoy and examine the specimen plantings and the 36 varied and unique bridges along the Merritt.
The trail is a critical link in the East Coast Greenway, a planned urban trail that will run from Maine to Florida. It will also give access to planned and existing intersecting trails including the Housatonic River Greenway and the Norwalk River Trail. It will give meaning to the bicycle/pedestrian lane that is a component of the new Housatonic River Bridge.
According to The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, more than 60 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. This leads to over 300,000 deaths a year. So making our communities pedestrian and bicycle friendly is simply smart planning.
Q: How will the trail be maintained and who will pay for it?
A: The demonstration segment that is planned for Stamford will be maintained by the city. As the trail is developed and expanded, the best approach is to establish a dedicated fund to maintain the trail in a consistent manner.

Q: What are the economic benefits?
A:The Impacts of Rail-Trails a 1992 study conducted by the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service and Pennsylvania State University found that trails bring significant benefits to communities, such as preservation of open space and increased business for bike shops, restaurants, inns and other local establishments. The study determined that users spent an average of $9.21, $11.02, and $3.97 per person per day during their visits to the Heritage Trail in Iowa, the St. Marks in Florida, and the Lafayette/Moraga in California, respectively. And many studies show that trials not only enhance the quality of life in a community but also raise property values of the adjacent homes.

Q: How will the trail cross roads and interchanges?
A:At-grade-crossings would be appropriate where the trail crosses secondary, lightly-used roads. Tunnels or bridges would be used at busy interchanges and at Routes 7, 8 and 25.

Q: What kind of safety barriers will be used between the trail and the roadway?
A: ConnDOT purchased approximately 300 feet of land for the Parkway but constructed on only one-third to one-half of the northern portion of that land leaving the rest free of development. The trail will be constructed within this remaining southern portion of the right of way. Rock outcroppings and plantings will provide a natural safety buffer along much of the trail. Where necessary, safety fencing will be used. The minimum amount of separation recommended by AASHTO is five feet of horizontal separation, or forty-two inches of vertical separation, provided by a barrier or railing

Q: How wide will the trail be and will there be room for horses?
A:According to AASHTO guidelines, a multi-use trail should be a minimum of 10 feet. Designated lanes could provide protection for walkers but some trails have a soft shoulder for their use. In communities with equestrian use, a separate but adjacent trail is recommended.

Q: How many trees will be cut?/b>
A: This, of course, will depend on the topography, but the trail will be sited to cut as few trees as possible while maintaining good sightlines for all users.

Q: Where will people park?
A: TMany users will actually bike or walk to the trail. Others may use existing commuter lots and local nearby lots. For example, the Italian Center has offered the use of its lot for the proposed demonstration segment between High Ridge Road and Newfield Avenue. In some areas, commuter lots may be expanded or new lots built.

Q: What hours will the trail be open and will it be lighted?
A: Most trails are opened dawn to dust but because the trail is intended for commuting as well as recreational use, winter trail hours might require some form of safety lighting, for example reflectors.

Q: How will graffiti be prevented?
A: Currently, there is no trail or access along the Parkway but somehow graffiti appears on the bridges. Once a trail is in place with regular bicycle and pedestrian traffic, there should be less vandalism.

Q: Will people living along the Merritt right-of-way lose their privacy?
A: Because the existing road uses only a portion of the 300-foot right-of-way, a trail would be surrounded by a wide buffer, allowing continued privacy for the neighborhood residents and presenting minimal conflicts with possible future improvements to the Parkway. A Rails-to-Trails study of 82 suburban trails stated that only 3 percent reported any incidents of trespassing on adjacent property.

Q: What is the role of Regional Plan Association?
A: More information about RPA on the website at www.rpa.org

Q: What is the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance?
A: More information about this initiative can be found at www.merrittalliance.org
You can support the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance, a group of organizations, corporations, elected officials, and individuals dedicated to building healthy communities where bicycling and walking are encouraged, by becoming a member. You can also contact your local officials and state legislators to ask for their support to build a Merritt Parkway Trail. State legislators can be reached free of charge.
Senate Democrats, (800) 842-1420.
Senate Republicans, (800) 842-1421.
House Democrats, (800) 842-1902.
House Republicans, (800) 842-1423.

Q: Whom can I contact for more information about the trail?

Linda Hoza, Project Manager, Regional Plan Association
Two Landmark Square, Suite 108,
Stamford, 06901, CT.

Telephone: 203-256-0390
FAX: 203-356-0392
e-mail: linda@rpa.org

Big News on the Merritt Parkway Trail!

2009-12-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

________________________________________

Big News on the Merritt Parkway Trail!
Late October witnessed a landmark moment in the development of the East Coast Greenway. At the Fairfield County/East Coast Greenway Bicycle & Pedestrian Summit, ConnDOT Deputy Commissioner Albert Martin announced that the Department of Transportation would no longer oppose development of a Merritt Parkway Trail!
While there were the expected provisos about funding, department policy on fencing, etc, the switch of ConnDOT from roadblock to partner in development of this long-fought-for trail is the biggest step forward we've seen in years.
The Merritt Parkway, built in the 1930s, was originally designed with a bridle path in the extra-wide (300 feet!) right-of-way. The trail was never built, however. What was initially designed to be a road for pleasant Sunday driving has since devolved from being a PARKway into just another commuter highway, an alternative to Interstate 95 in southeastern Connecticut.
Click here to read a bit more about this announcement. Click here for the website of the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance, to learn more about the trail project, and the history of the roadway.

The Merritt Parkway then... and now.

Norwalk River Valley System

2009-11-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

Norwalk River Valley Trail System

On October 15, 2000, Rudy Marconi, First Selectman of Ridgefield, cut orange surveyor's tape to open the first leg of the Norwalk River Valley Trails System. This portion traversed trails on new and existing open-space lands owned by the towns of Redding and Ridgefield and the State of Connecticut.

Guided by the new trail blaze of white with a vertical blue line down the middle, Lillian Willis, NRWA President, led a large group of hikers along this retrofitted route that features woodlands, mill ponds, streams, old dirt roads, and a remarkable old stone causeway through wetlands.

Midway, participants were met by Eagle Scout Nick Chizzonite of Ridgefield, who explained how he created a section of the trail on open space at the junction of Route 7 and Great Pond Road in Ridgefield. Other sections were created by a Student Conservation Intern, Town of Ridgefield summer workers, and Eagle Scout Spencer Sherman and Girl Scout Silver Awardee Caitlin Helgesen - both of Ridgefield.

Starting at Aldrich Park in Ridgefield, the trail has Redding sections, goes back into Ridgefield along old dirt roads lined with stone walls, and ends presently at the River Study Site at Simpaug Turnpike and Route 7. Plans are afoot to have the trail extend farther south and hook up to other parcels.

Another long section from Route 33, South Main Street in Ridgefield, into Wilton and back into Ridgefield, ending near the Weir Farm National Historic Site, was previewed in two spring 2001 hikes.

In spring 2002 a Ridgefield leg that incorporated three open spaces and the refurbished CL&P railroad path was also previewed. That trail is the subject of another Eagle Scout project.

NRWA is working on extending this interlocking trail system and on creating a map that will clarify locations and parking areas for this system, which includes a connected parks tour in Norwalk. In the meantime, additional guided hikes along this system are listed in our Events Calendar.

Eagle Scout Projects Improve Trail System

Three magnificent structures have been completed in the watershed on land under the jurisdiction of the Ridgefield Conservation Commission, which paid for all supplies. Ian Lipsitz built a 46' x 30" raised walkway that connects Town land with land owned by the National Park Service at the Weir Farm National Historic Site. DJ Wolff built two bridges, 26' x 36" and 29' x 36", to replace lighter structures at Aldrich Park, the top end of the Norwalk River Valley Trail System. Celebratory hikes to inaugurate all three structures took place in January 2003.

Meanwhile, three Scouts have volunteered for new watershed projects. One will construct a bridge at the Georgetown Park NRWA is creating with four other partners (Town of Redding, Redding Garden Club, Georgetown Village Restoration, Inc., and Overbrook Associates) at the junction of routes 107 and 57 in Georgetown under a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Five Star Grant to NRWA. Another Scout will extend an existing trail, install erosion bars, and mark the old rail line and two adjacent Town of Ridgefield open spaces with the NRWA trail blaze. Subject to secure easements, the third Boy Scout will construct the missing off-road link in the trail from Route 33 in Ridgefield through Wilton and back into Ridgefield at Weir Farm.

Mr. Brennan also spoke about efforts being done to improve pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the area.

2009-11-19T06:09:00.000-08:00

New Year's revelry to include cheers for finished Route 7?

Written by Justin Reynolds
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:49

Ever since the Route 7 widening project began in September 2006, many Wiltonians shared one sentiment: I can’t wait until this is finished.

Thirty-nine months later, the finish line appears to be in near sight.

In a formal statement First Selectman William Brennan issued Tuesday, Wiltonians might have to wait just six more weeks.

“If all continues to go well, Wilton will also have a four-lane Route 7 to celebrate in addition to the new year,” Mr. Brennan said. Department of Transportation “project management initially planned to open the road in the spring, but we prevailed on them to get it open prior to the heart of winter and they are doing their best to do so.”

Mr. Brennan said that he was tempted to write an information piece to the community indicating the forecasted completion date — “for several weeks” — but did not want to jinx the target date.

Residents, including Doug Fechter, whose letter to the editor appeared in the Nov. 5 edition of The Bulletin, might have noticed — and gotten frustrated over — the appearance of four completed lanes on Route 7, with orange barrels blocking the outer lanes of both the northbound and southbound sides of the road.

“Currently, contractors are working diligently to pave driveway entrances, add guardrails, plant trees and finish sidewalks along the road,” Mr. Brennan said. “They need to work safely. Therefore, DOT has been required to keep the two-lane road in place.”

Mr. Brennan said the last phase of the project is the installation and programming of new traffic signals.

“Progress is being made as indicated by blinking light signals, which means new signals are powered,” Mr. Brennan said. “Programming and testing will follow to complete the installation.”

When finished, the $35-million project will have added two lanes for 2.81 miles from Wolfpit Road to Powder Horn Hill Road and from Powder Horn Hill Road 1,000 feet north to Olmstead Hill Road. Other features of the project include a sidewalk installed on the road’s west side, the installation of more “high-tech” traffic signals, work on walls and the bridge on Ridgefield Road and landscaping.

Trains, walkways

Mr. Brennan also commented on what he called “significant transportation progress that has been made in the last year in our area.”

“Construction work has already started on the Norwalk to Danbury line signalization project made possible by a $30-million stimulus plan investment,” Mr. Brennan said. “When this work is completed, service on the branch line will be substantially improved. New rail cars are currently being tested and soon deliveries of the long awaited new passenger cars will start arriving on a monthly basis, first on main line routes, but eventually on the branch lines, too.”

Mr. Brennan also spoke about the upgrades at the Cannondale Train Station, which include the installation of restroom facilities and a newly painted station.

“This historic station looks very atractive and the vendor now has running water in the station,” he said.

The Wilton Train Station — an issue that has irked Wiltonians for many years — is scheduled to get a facelift as well, Mr. Brennan said.

“Two weeks ago, we announced that a definitive argreement has been reached with the Department of Transportation to have the Wilton Train Station completely renovated and reopened,” he said. “The work will be completed by October 2010, and, hopefully, an agreement with a vendor will be concluded to operate a food service facility at the station.”

Mr. Brennan also spoke about efforts being done to improve pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the area.

“Good progress is being made to reinvigorate a bike and pedestrian trail from Norwalk to Danbury that has been discussed for several years,” he said. “This greenway project has been stimulated by the potential availability of lands originally acquired by the DOT for a Super 7 highway, which is virtually a dead, dead project at the DOT due to the strong resistance of citizens and public officials from Wilton to Danbury.”

Mr. Brennan said “the trail — currently dubbed the ‘Norwalk River Valley Trail’ — is in the initial stages of organization and that a “regional planning committee has been formed with strong support from public officials from Norwalk to Danbury.”

“Progress comes slowly,” Mr. Brennan said, “but progress has been made and benefits are coming.”

Dear CT NEMBA Member:

2009-11-13T04:27:00.000-08:00

Dear CT NEMBA Member:

Connecticut DEP has contacted us about several complaints received during a recent trail ride on DEP Property. The complaints appear to be centered around unleashed “trail dogs” and discourteous behavior with other users on DEP lands. It should be noted that while on DEP Parks and Forests, Section 23-4-1(f)(1), states that “riding animals and pets must be on a leash that is no longer than seven (7) feet in length, and must be under the control of their owner or keeper at all times”. The penalty occurred would be an infraction for $75.00.

Please be friendly and respectful to other trail users and keep in mind the following 10 Responsible Riding Tips according to the International Mountain Biking Association:

1. Be Prepared
Know your equipment, your ability, the weather, and the area you are riding and prepare accordingly. A well-planned ride will go smoothly for you and your companions.

2. Don't Ride On Closed Trails
Whether it is to protect the environment or for rider safety, a closed trail is off limits for a reason. Riding closed trails is not only illegal; it gives mountain bikers a bad reputation.

3. Say No To Mud
Riding a muddy trail can cause unnecessary trail widening and erosion that may lead to long-lasting damage.

4. Respect the Trail, Wildlife and Environment
Be sensitive to the trail and its surroundings by riding softly and never skidding. Do not litter and never scare animals.

5. Stay On the Trail
Do not intentionally ride off trail. Riding off trail can damage the ecosystem. Never cut switchbacks.

6. Ride Slowly On Crowded Trails
Just like a busy highway, when trails are crowded you must move slowly to ensure safety for all trail users.

7. Pass With Courtesy and Care
Slow down when approaching other trail users and respectfully make others aware you are approaching. Pass with care and be prepared to stop if necessary.

8. Share the Trail With Other Trail Users
Mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians must share multi-use trails. Remember: mountain bikers should yield to hikers and equestrians.

9. Don't Do Unauthorized Trailwork
Unauthorized or illegal trailwork may lead to environmental damage, injury or even potential trail closure.

10. Get Involved
If you want to make a difference in your mountain biking community get involved.

Thank you,

Mark Lurie
President
New England Mountain Biking Association
Connecticut Chapter
www.ctnemba.com

explore how to incorporate a multi-use bike and walking path in the wooded corridor south of the Merritt Parkway

2009-10-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

State DOT and DEP voice support for Merritt trail work

By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer

Posted: 10/30/2009 09:52:01 PM EDT

Updated: 10/30/2009 09:52:01 PM EDT

The heads of the state's transportation and environmental protection agencies have agreed to explore how to incorporate a multi-use bike and walking path in the wooded corridor south of the Merritt Parkway into their plans.

"We're taking a fresh look at the role that bicycles and pedestrians have in improving mobility," state Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie said. "The Merritt trail is definitely worth evaluating."

Amey Marrella, the state Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, said the agency considers a proposed 1-mile pilot path between High Ridge Road and Newfield Avenue in Stamford a promising way to try out the idea of a longer 37.5 mile, non-motorized path between Greenwich and Stratford.

"They already have a pretty detailed conceptual design and have done a lot of the work with adjacent property owners," Marrella said. " The main thing now is to go from a conceptual design to an actual design for construction and find the resources to do it."

The Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance and other non-profit groups have been pushing the 37.5-mile trail concept since 1992, Linda Hoza, an alliance coordinator, said.

Hoza said the new coordination and focus by the two departments has excited local bicycle and pedestrian advocates, who have tried to get the High Ridge to Newfield Avenue path built since 1994.

"It's amazing to have this support for the project after 17 years," she said. "This is the

first time the DOT has come out with support for the trail and I think it is going to help."

Marie said he would like to see part of the trail built, but that design challenges like wrapping the route around the parkway's series of ornate concrete bridges, community opposition, and the overall cost of the trail could pose challenges.

"There are some significant challenges to the project but there are parts of it that could be built," Marie said.

Marrella said beginning next spring, the DEP expects to award a series of $1.4 million federal grants for greenway projects; she encouraged local planners and activists to submit proposals.

Overall, constructing the path would benefit ongoing efforts to expand recreational trail networks and help improve air quality, she said.

"I think the rationale and the reasons why greenways make sense are increasing," Marrella said. "When you look at the increasing certainty of climate change this project could provide an alternative not just to deal with our traditional pollutants like smog but also to reduce greenhouse gases."

Under the state's Global Warming Solutions Act, passed in 2008, the state is reduce greenhouse emissions to 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 percent below 2001 levels by 2050, Marrella said.

Transportation accounts for more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in the state, according to the DEP.

Marrella said the route is included as part of the 2,750-mile East Coast Greenway, a series of trails stretching from Canada to Florida.

"We're hoping to get a lot of robust proposals for greenways this spring," Marrella said.

The state's draft update of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, which is compiled by the DOT, also includes a recommendation for a feasibility study of a Merritt Parkway trail.

Hoza said the right of way along the parkway's south side is broad enough for the path to bypass Merritt bridges without much trouble.

If the trail was built in southern Fairfield County, it could be linked in with other trail systems along the Mill and Norwalk rivers to allow employees to bike to work, improving health and air quality, she said.

"This is a time when we are trying to get people out of their cars but we don't provide them the facilities to do so in Fairfield County," Hoza said. "We're just at the beginning of this process and there are design issues and people with NIMBY issues that have to be addressed."

Jill Smyth, executive director of the Merritt Parkway Conservancy, a group that promotes the preservation of the highway's historical character, said the group is open to the idea, but concerned about environmental and aesthetic effects of the proposed path.

Several years ago, the conservancy agreed not to oppose the construction of the one mile pilot path from High Ridge Road to Newfield Avenue if the state decided to fund building it.

"We have concerns about the impacts of the multi-use trail and how it would change the character of the parkway," Smyth said. "What would it look like? We would be opposed to any further clearcutting of the trees that would threaten the defining elements of the parkway."

Staff Writer Martin B. Cassidy can be reached at martin.cassidy@scni.com or at 203-964-2264.

CTDOT -Helping Children to Walk and Bike to School Safely

2009-10-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NEWS RELEASE

2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546

NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7456

FOR RELEASE: October 23, 2009

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062

FAX: (860) 594-3065

WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Connecticut Department of Transportation Helping Children to Walk and Bike to School Safely

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Noninfrastructure Program will be offering free personalized assistance to elementary and middle schools. Schools with grades kindergarten to eighth are eligible to apply for assistance in SRTS plan development, as well as bike and pedestrian education.

A limited number of eligible schools (up to 10) will be selected through an online application process to receive program assistance tailored to meet their individual needs.

The following assistance offers:

• SRTS Program overview (Presentation and Q & A session)
• SRTS Committee and Champion Assistance
• SRTS Plan Walk Audit Support (Engineering Recommendation Assistance)
• SRTS Plan Mapping Support (Geographic Information Systems Software Assistance)
• Evaluation - Analysis of Success
• Plan Review and Critique
• Bicycle & Walking Education

Detailed program information and online application is available at www.walkitbikeitct.org.

Application deadline is November 13, 2009.

What is the Safe Routes to School Program?

The SRTS Program was established in August 2005 as part of Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The objective of this federally funded initiative is to encourage more students in grades kindergarten to eighth grade (Grades K-8) to walk and bike to school, as opposed to other transportation alternatives, thereby encouraging a more healthy lifestyle. General program information is available on the Connecticut SRTS website: www.ctsaferoutes.org. Questions can be forwarded to the Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Ms. Sharon Okoye, via e-mail at sharon.okoye@ct.gov.

Route 7 Norwalk Interchange has a Bike path in the proposal

2009-10-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

State Project No. 102-269

Federal-Aid Project No. NH-7(122)For PE

Interchange Improvements

Route 15 and Route 7 / Route 15 and Main Ave.

Town of Norwalk

Scope of work

The project consists of the construction of a full-directional interchange between U.S. Route 7 and Route 15 (Merritt Parkway), while maintaining access for Main Avenue to and from Route 15.

Status

Between June and November 2008, the Department of Transportation has held a series of stakeholder meetings with local residents, special interest groups, historic advocates and public agencies. ConnDOT and the group have examined the project’s purpose and need; discussed safety and traffic issues; gained a better understanding of the community’s issues and concerns; reviewed previous design alternatives; and developed a new proposed design, Alternative 21. We believe the meetings have been very successful and that there is consensus among the stakeholders that new Alternative 21 is the new preferred design alternate. At this time, ConnDOT would like to put this alternate forward for public comment at a public forum February 25 2009.

Win a GT Carbon Mountian Bike

2009-10-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

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This page was last modified on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 10:06 am.
Copyright © 1987-2009; New England Mountain Bike Association - NEMBA

Pedal on over to the Aldrich for Sunday's Bike Fest

2009-10-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

Ride on over to "Bike Rides: The Exhibition," at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield. Sunday afternoon is when the Aldrich hosts Bike Fest, an outdoor celebration of everything having to do with bicycles.

The event will feature a meet-and-greet with exhibit curators and artists, bike tricks performed by BMX riders and acrobats, free Cannondale demos, tune-ups by the Bike Doctor, primp-my-bike contests, prizes, rides, helmet fittings, family activities, refreshments and more.

The event will kick off early in the day with the Le Tour d'Aldrich -- three organized bike rides for cyclists of all abilities. Riders will depart from East Ridge Middle School in Ridgefield and finish their ride at the museum.

As for the exhibit itself, it explores the growing relevance of bicycles in contemporary art and culture. There are about 30 pieces; some are artistic representations of bikes, while others are cutting-edge, fully functional bikes from the world's best designers.

Among the items on display will be two of Lance Armstrong's Trek bikes, used this past year at the Tour de France.

The exhibit also shares facts about bike use and encourages the use of human-powered vehicles.

IF YOU GO: Bike Fest is Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. outside the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, 258 Main St. in Ridgefield. Organized bicycle rides begin at 11:30 a.m. from East Ridge Middle School at 10 East Ridge Road, ending at 1:30 p.m. They

are for cyclists 18 and older with their own bicycles and helmets. Ride leaders will provide maps and directions at registration, which includes a T-shirt. Rides are either 13.4 miles, 22.5 miles, or 27 miles. Admission to the ride, festival and museum is $25. Admission to just the festival and museum costs $10, but is free for members and kids under 12. The exhibit runs through Jan. 3 at the museum. Admission is free on Tuesdays. Call 203-438-4519 for further details or visit www.aldrichart.org.

Members of the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization called for a comprehensive multi-modal investment study for the Route 7 corrido

2009-10-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Posted on 10/01/2009

By ROBERT KOCH

Villager Staff Writer

NORWALK -- Members of the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization called for a comprehensive multi-modal investment study for the Route 7 corridor during a meeting at Norwalk Transit District offices on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The resolution, as approved, doesn't mean plans for a Super 7 expressway from Danbury to Norwalk will be resurrected. Rather, all transportation issues related to the corridor will be looked at, according to Woody Bliss, Weston first selectman and SWRPA MPO chairman.

"The function of this group is not to look at next week or even next year, but to look at the future," Bliss said. "I think we do need a comprehensive study of the Route 7 corridor ... to take a look at what the future may yield. The result of that study may be that the appropriate thing to do is to continue the widening of Route 7. It may be that we should build Super 7. It may be that we should build a light rail."

The resolution reaffirms SWRPA MPO's 2007 position that "a comprehensive multi-modal investment study for the Route 7 corridor between I-95 and I-84 be conducted and result in an implementation action plan with timelines for feasible operational, management and construction projects."

"We are going to pursue, with ConnDOT and with the Legislature, trying to get funding for a multi-modal study," Bliss told The Hour afterward.

Wilton First Selectman William F. Brennan lent his support to the resolution after asking that the wording "Route 7 expressway" be replaced with "Route 7 corridor." He strongly discouraged pursuing a Super 7 expressway, which he described as unrealistic, unaffordable and environmentally damaging.

"For almost 40 years, this road (Super 7) has been discussed but never constructed. Why? The people most impacted have strongly opposed it," said Brennan in a prepared statement. "They do not want it, and efforts to resuscitate interest have been repeatedly defeated."

Brennan urged fellow MPO members to "face reality" and work instead to complete the widening of the existing Route 7 and make improvements to Metro-North Railroad's Danbury branch line.

In the early 1960s, the state Department of Transportation held public hearings and scoping sessions for a Super 7 expressway. Although the state bought land to construct the roadway, the plan ground to a halt, and the state instead chose to widen existing Route 7 between Danbury and Norwalk.

Debate over Super 7, nevertheless, has continued.

State Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, outlined to MPO members results of a UConn survey commissioned by a panel that supports Super 7. The survey found "overwhelming support" for the expressway. Among 486 respondents, 53.1 percent supported, 27.4 percent were neutral, 13.2 percent did not know, and 6.2 percent opposed Super 7.

"Even the towns that are affected, there is more support than there is not support," said Duff, a member of the study panel. "People are just tired of traffic on their back roads."

Norwalk Mayor Richard A. Moccia said no city has been more affected more by not having Super 7 than Norwalk -- where Super 7 was started and comes to an abrupt halt at Grist Mill Road.

"Our town was split in half by an expressway that stops in Norwalk and, really, set back our economic growth," Moccia said. "We need to move forward, and Woody is correct, we are supposed to plan for the future."

State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-26, has questioned the reliability of the survey and earlier introduced legislation that would allow the state to sell land acquired for Super 7. She said the state Transportation Strategy Board spent "a lot of money to study the feasibility of toll highways, and the public rejected the concept.

WestonForum.com

2009-10-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Route 7 study looks at corridor's future growth

Written by Susan Wolf and Kimberly Donnelly
Thursday, 01 October 2009 10:49

A study on ways to improve the two-lane section of Route 7 in the towns of Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield and Danbury is underway, along with an overall focus on the transportation needs of the entire corridor, from Norwalk to Danbury, in the years ahead.

Last week, on Sept. 24, the Metropolitan Planning Organization of the South Western Regional Planning Association (SWRMPO), which Weston First Selectman Woody Bliss chairs, voted unanimously to reaffirm the need for such a comprehensive study.

In addition to the study now underway, however, SWRMPO would like to see a multi-modal study, including rail, light rail, bus, rapid transit, and even bike trails, Mr. Bliss said. The organization’s resolution states that such a study should result in “an implementation action plan with timelines for feasible operational, management and construction projects.”

“We can’t be looking at next week, next month, or even next year. The MPO needs to take a much longer range look” at the Route 7 corridor and how it is developed, Mr. Bliss said.

Purpose and focus

While Route 7 improvements are taking place from Norwalk to Olmstead Hill in Wilton, and from a section of Ridgefield to Danbury near I-84, nothing has been done to the roadway between them.

The purpose of the study, being conducted by the firm of Fitzgerald & Halliday Inc., is to develop a pro-active plan to address current and long-range travel and community quality of life issues along Route 7 and to build on opportunities to enhance them.

The focus of the study is to maximize the capacity of this section of roadway to handle traffic and to improve safety. Improvement options for widening the current two-lane sections of Route 7 to four lanes will be considered.

The study will also take a look at the Route 7 corridor, factoring in “smart growth” along the entire roadway and also considering transit-oriented development potential at selected rail stations and key locations.

Land use patterns

“We will be looking at the existing and future land use patterns along Route 7 to try to understand the changes that would take place over the next 20 years, and how Route 7 can be modified to accommodate or facilitate those changes,” said Dave Hannon.

Mr. Hannon is a planner with the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, composed of many of the corridor’s northern towns, including Redding, Ridgefield and Danbury. The council is working on the study with SWRPA, which includes Weston and the southern Route 7 corridor towns of Wilton and Norwalk. Craig Lader, a planner with SWRPA, is the overall project manager.

“They (SWRPA) have a larger staff and more capability to manage this,” said Mr. Hannon. “The two groups work well together and have a mutual interest in improving the capacity of Route 7.”

The official name of the study, said Mr. Lader, is the Route 7 Transportation and Land Use Study. It is being paid for by federal funding that’s allocated toward urbanized areas in Connecticut, he added.

Although the focus will be on the two-lane section of Route 7, Mr. Lader said this would be difficult to look at without looking at the entire corridor.

Not a Super 7

A review of issues concerning construction of a parallel Route 7 Expressway will not be included as part of this study, according to information Mr. Lader provided. Analysis of transit-oriented development potential in the immediate vicinity of Cannondale Station will also not be included as part of the study.

“We are just looking at improving what’s there,” said Mr. Hannon.

Environmental issues will be a big part of the study, Mr. Hannon said, as well as historic assets.

“The potential for transit-oriented development is a component of the study, as well as taking a look at both rail and buses to accommodate a portion of future transportation needs for development within the entire Route 7 corridor,” said Mr. Hannon.

“This is as much about improving roadway safety as it is a vision for future land use,” said Mr. Lader about the study.

The whole thrust of the study is to plan ahead of time for transportation projects, said Mr. Hannon, “instead of reacting to development and then making improvements.”

Because the proposed Super 7 expressway had been on the books — for decades — there have been few improvements to the existing Route 7, said Mr. Hannon.

“The reality is that the expressway is not going to happen for many reasons — the environment, money, the quality of life for the towns it’s going through — so we need to maintain and improve what we have now,” he said.

There are those — like Mr. Bliss — who disagree that the Super 7 idea is dead. The current “widening [project] is not going to work long term,” the first selectman said, adding that he believes a study of the area needs to include Super 7 as a possible option.

Norwalk Plus Article - Super 7

2009-09-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

Super 7

Two sides of the same highway

by Robert J. Sodaro

Super 7. To those living in the greater Norwalk area those words evoke images of a gleaming, ultramodern superhighway, granting easy access to the northernmost reaches of the state, or an impending catastrophe, an environmental nightmare negatively impacting the quality of life of hundreds of individuals in its proposed path. In either scenario it translates out into a decades-long regional boondoggle with no easy resolution in sight.

Love it or hate it, there are few citizens living in the greater Norwalk area – or along the proposed northern path of the road – who have no opinion on the topic, and fewer still who are shy about expressing those feelings. One former local resident delights in telling the tale of how, when he first moved into the area from New York City in 1954 or thereabouts, he and his two brothers-in-law were looking to purchase a local business. They found a location they liked and wanted to buy it, but when they were questioning the locals about the business they were warned that the new and improved Route 7 was slated to come through the area and the store was directly in its path.
Well, they purchased another store located in Stamford, ran that store for a few decades, sold the store, retired, and eventually all moved to Florida. Oh yeah, the store they were originally looking at? It is still there, with “the new Route 7” no closer to completion than it was back in ’54. Stories like this one are all too familiar to longtime residents.

This “New and Improved” Route 7 (now dubbed Super 7) has been in the planning stages for nearly five decades. Originally, state and regional officials had planned an expressway to replace the existing US 7 between the cities of Norwalk and Danbury. Back in 1955, the Connecticut Highway Department began planning improvements to this corridor. Then a couple of years later, the State announced that the existing US 7 would be expanded from two to four lanes between Norwalk and Danbury and estimated that the project would be completed by 1962. Needless to say, except for some stretches, that widening never actually occurred.

Well, if state senator Bob Duff (D) – the majority whip representing the 25th senatorial district, which includes Norwalk and Darien – has his way, all of that will eventually change; one of his pet causes is to reinvigorate the debate regarding Super 7, and to actually get the decades-long project out of development hell and back on track. “Frankly, the only highway worth building in the state is Super 7,” the Senator recently told us. “It is a way of getting commerce back and forth. We have 2½ million square feet of commerce space at the base of Super 7 here in Norwalk. It’s an affordable housing issue as well because, and I can tell you – as a Realtor – when people can’t afford Norwalk and Stamford, they tend to go east instead of north, which increases traffic on I-95. They don’t consider going to Danbury because of the fact that Route 7 is so impossible.”

According to the website for the Committee to Extend Route 7 (www.route7.org) the Committee “regrets the proposed widening of the current Route 7. It is not a long-term solution. The widening will result in more congestion and air pollution, as the road narrows back to two lanes north of Olmstead Hill Road. The addition of six or more new traffic lights will only encourage commuters to use the side roads in ever-increasing numbers and with ever-increasing frequency.” The site then indicates that the Southwest Regional Planning Agency no longer supports the completion of this project as it currently stands. From his own standpoint as president of the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Ed Musante agrees, and is obviously also in favor of completing Super 7. He feels that while many have moved on from the debate, and that Super 7 has taken a backseat to other concerns, he feels that it is high time that the project received more attention, as it is a very important transportation issue for Norwalk and the surrounding area. “With the tremendous economic growth in Norwalk and other communities [Super 7] is important,” he stated. “Norwalk is an importer of labor, and there are not enough people to work in Norwalk; we need more workers.”

Needless to say, this importing of workers into the city is clogging all highways. “People come to southwestern Connecticut for employment. We don’t have a limited-access highway from the north.” Musante pointed out that Super 7 is an important element to reduce congestion in the smaller communities near Danbury, because as the main road(s) north gets congested people simply go to the back roads to avoid the traffic, snarling up those roads as well, which is no good for local residents.

While some (most notably Wilton First Selectman Bill Brennan) claim that building new roads would simply increase traffic, Senator Duff said that he felt constructing Super 7 would shunt some of the heavy traffic congestion currently on I-95 northwards towards I-84. Here Duff agreed with Musante that traffic heading north through Wilton, Ridgefield and other communities, which utilizes the back roads to avoid the old Route 7 gridlock, would benefit from the completion of Super 7. In fact, he went so far as to say that the current DOT project of widening the existing Route 7 is a complete waste of taxpayer money, as it simply wasn’t going to work because of the haphazard methodology of that widening project. Plus it is, simply put, “Too little too late.”

According to Senator Duff, the debate on the relative merits of Super 7 is not only far from over, there is apparently widespread support not just in Norwalk but throughout the region as well for completion of the road. “I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails from people in [Wilton] and other communities up and down the line that say, ‘Good for you.’” As did Musante, Senator Duff indicated that there was a strong economic benefit in our area (not just for Norwalk itself) to have a north-south connection between I-95 and I-84.

As can be expected, Wilton First Selectman Bill Brennan would prefer that Super 7 simply fade away into history, and the State move ahead with its plans to widen the existing route. He feels that building Super 7 is unrealistic, and that people should simply give the current plan to widen the existing 7 a chance to see what will happen. Plus he would prefer if the State would do what it could to reinvigorate the Norwalk-to-Danbury rail line and improve mass transit to bring people down on the train, as this would generate fewer cars and less pollution. Plus, according to Brennan, there are no federal or state funds to build Super 7, not to mention that the construction of the road would negatively impact hundreds of local residents as the road is constructed.

Super 7 News Times Article with many comments

2009-09-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Super 7 property could become hiking/biking trail

Full story: NewsTimes.com

The path of Super 7 from Norwalk to Danbury -- a road once slated to carry tens of thousands of commuters a day -- may become a place where people go for a quiet hike or a long bike ride.

Read All 51 Comments

Walkway Over the Hudson

2009-09-22T22:24:00.000-07:00

East Coast Greenway ( www.greenway.org )

2009-09-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

The East Coast Greenway Vision

The East Coast Greenway vision is for a long-distance, urban, shared-use trail system linking 25 major cities along the eastern seaboard between Calais, Maine and Key West, Florida. It will serve non-motorized users of all abilities and ages. A 3,000-mile long spine route will be accompanied by 2,000 miles of alternate routes that link in key cities, towns, and areas of natural beauty. This green travel corridor will provide cyclists, walkers, and other muscle-powered modes of transportation with a low-impact way to explore the eastern seaboard.

Trail Surface

Our vision is for a continuous firm-surfaced route, mostly paved, but some of it on packed stone dust tread, all of it suitable for walkers, wheel chairs, and road bicycles. In the future, a continuous route serving equestrians and in-line skaters is envisioned, as well. Some sections of the Greenway already accomodate those users.

Route Selection

While seeking a relatively direct connection between 25 major eastern seaboard cities, the route has been chosen to offer a traffic-free travel experience so we’ve applied routing criteria where existing or potential trails can be identified.

Our route has also been chosen to provide the traveler with an ever-changing, interesting, and scenic landscape (urban, suburban, small town, industrial, rural) and to provide access to public transportation and other points of interest like downtowns, public parks, and nature preserves. It links with a host of other greenways, trails, and on-road bicycle routes within the region, providing the north-south spine artery for a vast east coast network of bicycle and pedestrian routes. The ECG functions much like I-95 does within the system of east coast roadways.

Local Trails

While the constituent local trails function as local facilities, providing for exercise, recreation, quiet walks, and commuting or safe routes to school, as ECG-designated trails, they will enable residents to travel distances from their homes to local points of interest or for a few days or even weeks to explore the rich history and culture within the east coast region. Tourists from around the world will flock to this new tourism venue. We want each local trail to retain its local character and identity with a distinct local name while assuming a new additional identity as part of a larger trail system.

Trail Services

We envision a range of wayfinding, information, and user services that will facilitate public use of the Greenway. We are marking the route with ECG trail markers, producing cue sheets, user maps, guides, and weekend trip planners. This urbanized corridor is already rich with services such as food, accommodations, bicycle shops, and emergency services, but the East Coast Greenway Alliance will encourage any gaps in such services to be filled.

Demystifying the ECG Routes: spine versus alternate; permanent versus interim. And, what is the current travel route?

Spine versus Alternate Routing

Spine Route. Our central vision is for a single north-south travel route, linking cities and towns along our corridor. We call this our spine route. A number of alternate routes have also been identified and approved by the Alliance as part of the system. Currently, the Alliance is committed to putting most of its effort into completing the spine route as off-road trail. However, those working at the state and local levels may also be advancing the alternate routes.

Spine and alternate may be distinctions only during the development phase of the Greenway, dropping away over time as the Greenway becomes more complete and we become more involved in marketing it for use, which we will do equally for all strands in the Greenway route.

The spine route is currently about 3,000 miles in length, but that length may vary as more of the route is defined by specific trail. Completed spine trail exists in each of the 16 states where the ECG passes except for New Hampshire. 23% of the spine route is complete on trails; 18% is under development with much of this likely to open to use before the end of 2010, and 32% has been defined, but is not yet under development. Another 27% of the route has not yet been defined as off-road routing. These “gaps” need further study to identify ways to bring the route off-road.

Alternate Routes. A limited number of alternate routes have been defined to enable travelers to access key cities along the coast that are not on the spine route and to provide more than one option for travel within a city, thus offering a way to experience different parts of the city and to distribute ECG travelers within these heavily traveled areas so that they do not burden a single trail.

An example of spine and alternate routing in VA and NC. The alternate route (in red) takes travelers on an historic coastal route.

Signage will be posted at junctures where our route splits to help the traveler make a choice among options. The routes will assume descriptive names like Scenic Coastal Route or NJ Delaware River Route.

Permanent versus Interim Routing

Permanent Route. The permanent route is that portion of our corridor that now or in the future will be on off-road trail or otherwise separated from motor traffic. Any on-road sections are viewed as interim, and our goal is to continue working until we can find a means to move them off-road. Our goal is a 100% off-road route, but we are aware that that may never be entirely met. Still, because we aim to serve people of all ages and abilities, we will maintain our efforts to find off-road solutions, even in challenging locations. We theorize that as more of the route is completed and use grows substantially, the rationale and support to do these more difficult (and expensive) sections will emerge.

The permanent route is being signed with standard ECG trail markers.

Users of all abilities can experience the Greenway today on these completed trail sections.

Interim Route and Current Travel Route. To provide a way for experienced cyclists to travel the Greenway today, we have carefully chosen and field-checked on-road (interim) routing to link completed trails. The combination of interim and completed trails along our spine route make up our Current Travel Route. Cue sheets and maps for our current travel route can be found here. Detailed user maps will be posted on this site as they are completed.

77% of the spine route currently is on interim routing. We are signing it with interim route signs to assist with wayfinding and to make clear the temporary nature of the route. Because it mixes our users with motor traffic, and despite our efforts to select the safest routes, we do not encourage inexperienced road cyclists or other types of users, such as walkers or wheelchair users, to use most of these routes. At some point, we hope to grade these routes and provide this information on our maps so that users can better assess the level of skill required since some of the on-road sections have sufficiently light and/or slow traffic to make them quite safe, even for families with small children.

This interim routing will be abandoned incrementally as we move onto off-road trail in line with our vision of an entirely off-road and traffic-free ECG.

Relationship to the Appalachian Trail

Our route will be an urban complement to the legendary Appalachian Trail (AT). It parallels the AT, but at no point do these trails meet or cross one another. The ECG is always to the coastal side of the AT, which follows the Appalachian ridgeline. They are similar in being continuous, non-motorized pathways extending along the eastern seaboard. But, the differences are notable:

The ECG (3,000 miles) goes border to border (Canada to Caribbean) while the AT (2,178 miles) has its endpoints in northern Maine short of the Canadian border and at Springer Mountain in Georgia.
The ECG is a relatively flat route, located in the coastal plain instead of along the ridgeline. Much less challenging, it can thus serve users of all abilities.
The ECG has a smooth, firm surface, accommodating not just walkers, but also wheeled travelers like bicycles and wheelchairs.
The ECG threads its way through the urban core of the eastern seaboard, crossing the heart of 25 major cities, as well as scores of smaller cities and towns. It is close to 30 million residents. Services will be found all along this urbanized route, making it possible to travel lightly and find comfortable lodging.
The landscape along the ECG is highly varied, passing at times in the shadows of skyscrapers, at times winding through suburban neighborhoods, but also taking the user into surprisingly rural areas that still exist within our east coast megalopolis, in addition to abutting historic or currently active industrial areas. Frequently, the trail winds by a river, canal or other water body.

Finally, by providing another trail for walkers closer to population centers, the ECG will help to reduce demand on the AT, which, being a soft-surface trail, is facing capacity issues in some locations.

Shoreline Greenway Trail

2009-09-22T13:16:00.000-07:00

Shoreline Greenway Trail

From Lighthouse Point to Hammonasset Park

What's New more ...

Along the Trail - Summer 2009

Next “First Saturday” Walk: September 5, 10am
Past “First Saturday” Walks – Historic Guilford Town Green July 4th and East Haven’s Farm River State Park August 1
Boy Scouts Build the Trail in East Haven
A “Green” Parking Lot
Progress Along the Madison Trail
Wine Tastings This Fall to Benefit SGT
Who Are Our Volunteers?

"First Saturday" Walks for August and September

"First Saturday" Walks for 2009 Announced

Join the fun! Here’s the complete listing of our planned “First Saturday” walks for 2009!

Welcome to the Shoreline Greenway Trail

The Shoreline Greenway Trail will run through meadows and woods along the Sound from Lighthouse Point on New Haven Harbor for twenty-five miles to Hammonasset State Beach in Madison.

It is being built for non-motorized recreation and transit, section by section, through East Haven, Branford, Guilford and Madison. It will connect with parks, railroad stations, village centers and other trails as well as the East Coast Greenway that runs from Maine to Florida.

The Trail is for people of all ages – children, school kids, adults and seniors – who enjoy the outdoors, including walkers, hikers, bicyclists, runners, baby-carriage pushers and, when it snows, even cross-country skiers.

And the Trail is being designed throughout to be environmentally sensitive, safe, appropriate to the land, and acceptable to landowners.

The Trail is supported by all area political leaders and governments, and was awarded a federal appropriation of $2.65 million and $665,000 from the State of Connecticut. Each of the four towns – EastHaven, Branford, Guilford and Madison – has appropriated funds for an engineering survey of the whole route.

Almost 2,000 area families have been contributing to the Trail, recognizing that it will be a wonderful, recreational and health-enhancing resource for everyone.

Bay Bridge Vertical Project

2009-09-20T10:15:00.001-07:00

The Bay Bridge is falling down, falling down, so that a bigger, better bridge—one less prone to falling down during an earthquake—can be erected in its place. If two architects get their way however, ...

Walkway Over the Hudson is now as a National Recreation Trail

2009-09-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, DC –The Walkway Over the Hudson is now as a National Recreation Trail. In response to a request from Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he was approving the National Park Service's recommendation and making the scenic pedestrian overpass, which spans the Hudson River from Poughkeepsie to Highland and once served as a railroad bridge, part of the national trail system.

"This designation literally puts the Walkway Over the Hudson on the national map where it will receive the recognition it deserves for providing Hudson Valley residents and visitors with extraordinary recreational opportunities along with beautiful views of the Hudson River," Hinchey said. "With the public opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson less than three weeks away, the timing for a National Recreation Trail designation couldn't be better. I'm grateful for Secretary Salazar's support of this project and am looking forward to the upcoming opening celebration."

Safe routes to schools

2009-09-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Safe Routes to School supporters:

Our friends with several bicycling and walking organizations have shared a critical call to action. On September 16, Senators Coburn of Oklahoma and McCain of Arizona plan to offer amendments to the transportation appropriations bill that would eliminate funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure-including Transportation Enhancements and possibly other programs like Safe Routes to School.

Below you will find the call to action from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. If you follow the link to their website, you will find sample talking points, a link to your Senators' phone numbers, and a form to report the response from your Senators. The vote is likely to be September 16 -so we encourage you to contact your Senators as soon as possible.

Norwalk Citizen article on support for Route 7 expansion

2009-09-11T14:37:00.000-07:00

Norwalkers support road changes

By David Hennessey
dhennessey@bcnnew.com

Posted: 09/11/2009 01:31:00 PM EDT

State Sen. Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), vice chair of the General Assembly's Transportation Committee, released Wednesday the results of a University of Connecticut-Stamford study that show nine times the number of area residents support, rather than oppose, the possible construction of the Super 7 Expressway.

According to Duff, nearly five decades ago state and regional officials began planning an expressway to replace existing Route US 7 between Norwalk and Danbury. In 1955, the Connecticut Highway Department initiated planning improvements throughout that corridor. Two years later, the state announced that the road would be widened to four lanes and estimated the project would be completed by 1962. Except for a few stretches, those improvements never materialized.

Now, almost half a century later, Duff believes the survey results are a huge step in the right direction.

After receiving a $10,000 grant, Duff said he and members of a planning committee were pleased to use the funding to employ a "neutral" body to assess resident sentiment about any road changes that might take place.

"I'm pleased to say that the residents do support Super 7, and there is broad support," he said at a press conference Wednesday

FULL ARTICLE

Walkway over the Hudson - Vertical Park

2009-09-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Design and construction of the Walkway is on schedule and has progressed smoothly in 2008. On this page, monthly updates of work completed will be provided. We eagerly anticipate the Grand Opening of the Walkway Over the Hudson in October 2009! Click here to view a 9MB (this is a large file that may take a long time to load) Adobe pdf presentation about the bridge's history and progress from start to present day.

June/July

Work remains on schedule for the October 3 rd Grand Opening despite some very rainy weather in June and early July, which put a big dent in our contingency time.

Manufacture of the concrete panels is 100% complete. They are stored at the Fort Miller Company in Schuylerville, New York and moved to the site as needed for installation.

Metal repairs are 91% completed as of the end of July. Some last minute joint replacements were made after the inspection after rust removal indicated more section loss than previous measurements. One repair is very difficult since it is located over the Metro North railroad tracks and work must be coordinated with train schedules.

Panel installation stands at 84%. The install rate is limited by the the metal repair work. The crane to install panels can not be moved until the metal repairs are completed in order to insure the bridge has enough strength to support the load of the crane.

Railing installation is at a little over 80%. It closely follows the panel installation. Caulking of the seams is closely following the railing installation.

The construction team has created a punch list of final work items including approach grading and paving, gate installation, major expansion joint installation and a large number of finishing items.

The bids for the electrical and security work on the bridge were received and a contract will be awarded shortly. This work is scheduled for completion in November, and will not hamper the opening of the bridge in October.

Walkway Over the Hudson: a place to enjoy the river and a place to appreciate the wonder of an engineering feat unprecedented in its time with a beauty unsurpassed in our generation. Click here to access FAQs and learn more about Walkway Over the Hudson.

Free WiFi for optonline customers

2009-09-08T07:38:00.001-07:00

What is Optimum WiFi?

Optimum WiFi is a collection of thousands of Internet access points in public locations that allow you to connect to the Internet at super fast speeds just as easily as you can connect with your wireless router at home. Our Optimum WiFi community zones are available in shopping centers, on main streets and train platforms, in parks, marinas, and at sports fields - the places you go everyday. We are growing quickly and adding more locations everyday so check here often to stay up to speed. And best of all, its FREE for Optimum Online customers.

Get out and get on the Internet with Optimum WiFi.
Anything you can do from your home or from your office, you can do with Optimum WiFi. It's the same Internet. You can your check email, update your Facebook, download a song or even watch a video. In fact, we'd love to hear how you are using Optimum WiFi. Tell us here.

Where can I find Optimum WiFi?
You can find Optimum WiFi community zones by starting your WiFi device and viewing the available networks in range. The network name will be 'optimumwifi'. If you don't see it, you are not currently in range. To find the location nearest you, check out our map.

Kona World Video on Bike Riding / Commuting in Amsterdam

2009-09-03T05:42:00.001-07:00

Article from the ReddingPilot.com

2009-08-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

Super 7 land: A greenway is being proposed

Written by Susan Wolf
Monday, 24 August 2009 00:00

The development of a greenway for walkers and bikers along Route 7 from Norwalk to Danbury is a proposal that is now on the table.

With the Super 7 highway proposal shelved, the state Legislature decided earlier this year that the land designated for the controversial four-lane highway linking Norwalk to Danbury could now be used in other ways. The land includes sections of Redding, Wilton and Ridgefield.

State Senator Toni Boucher (R-26), ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee, said in a press release that this provides an opportunity to discuss how the 890 acres of state property could be used.

Representatives from Redding, Wilton and Ridgefield, along with Ms. Boucher and state Department of Environmental Protection officials, met Tuesday to begin an informal discussion about the land’s future, and the potential for state and/or federal funding to make the greenway a reality.

Robert Flanagan, the town’s conservation enforcement officer, is a member of the committee. He said the meeting is just a first step in looking at a plan for the greenway and for funding. The greenway won’t be accomplished “in one fell swoop,” he said.

“It’s constructive to have started the conversation [about the greenway] and to look for grant money and to get the planning going,” Mr. Flanagan said. He added that two planning agencies, the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials and South Western Regional Planning Agency, are also involved in the planning effort.

Positive

“I think it was a very positive meeting,” said Ms. Boucher. The idea of a greenway is worth pursing, she said. It would provide a safe, protected and user-friendly pathway for all ages, she added.

“We need to strike a balance of protecting the natural environment while still allowing pedestrians to use the land,” Ms. Boucher said. For the communities, the greenway would be a tourist attraction, she added.

Besides looking for alternate funding sources, Ms. Boucher said the committee will be looking at the future maintenance options for the greenway.

“This is a long-term endeavor,” she said, “but I think there is generally tremendous support for this type of endeavor... We hope we can move this along. It’s nice to have the towns pick this up and move forward instead of someone in political office. We can work together on this.”

Vic DeMasi, a Conservation Commission member and longtime proponent of a Norwalk to Danbury greenway, was unable to attend Tuesday’s meeting. He is one of Redding’s representatives.

Long history

He recalled Tuesday the history of the Super 7 proposal, which drew opposition from its inception in the 1970s. At that time, CBET (Citizens for A Balanced Environment and Transportation) of Wilton was formed, and Mr. DeMasi was a member.

“They battled the road to a standstill,” he said. One of the agreements that resulted from the opposition was the provision for a linear park to run parallel to the proposed Super 7 highway. The state did not provide any funding for this project, but rather the group raised private money to hire a landscape designer.

Mr. DeMasi described the resulting plan as “charming.” It included lean-tos and overlooks, among other things. “The only problem with it was that the highway was still there,” he said.

Ultimately there was not enough money raised privately to implement the plan.

Over the years the state’s interest in the Super 7 highway plan continued to run hot and cold. When the road plan emerged again in the mid-1980s, another opposition group, Citizens for A Sensible 7, headed by Mr. DeMasi, was organized.

By 1986, he said, the state had acquired 70% of the parcels it needed for Super 7. In 1992, his group started the Route 7 Natural History Inventory, bringing in 12 biologists to survey these parcels.

At that time, the state Department of Transportation wanted to mitigate (replace) wetlands with new ones, Mr. DeMasi said.

“We found 17 rare species,” he said, adding this became a strong legal challenge to the mitigation proposal.

There are now 10,000 specimens resulting from the survey at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University.

Mr. DeMasi organized a turnout at a public meeting on the issue that was led by Russell Brenneman, a well-known open space advocate.

“He wasn’t enthused about Super 7 (greenway), but I wanted the greenway — once called a linear park — without the road,” Mr. DeMasi said.

Eventually Mr. Brenneman was convinced to put the area from Norwalk to Danbury into the state’s greenway plan.

Newstimes Article DOT selling route 7 property

2009-08-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Connecticut DOT suggests selling Route 7 property

State owns 14 homes along stalled Super 7 path

By Brian Lockhart
Staff Writer

Updated: 08/29/2009 11:40:50 PM EDT

Want to buy a home along a never-built expressway?

The state Department of Transportation has informed the governor about the benefits of selling off 14 residences purchased years ago by the state for the expansion of the old Route 7 connecting Norwalk and Danbury.

On July 14, Gov. M. Jodi Rell wrote her commissioners and agency heads asking them for lists of saleable assets to help raise revenue during Connecticut's budget crisis.

Those lists were due July 27, but her office was not releasing the details last week, saying it was still awaiting information.

But the DOT, atHearst Newspapers' request, supplied a copy of a letter Commissioner Joseph Marie sent to Rell outlining properties identified by his department.

Marie said the DOT's Excess Property Inventory Unit identified 2,840 potential parcels divided among 87 municipalities

"The majority of the parcels identified are uneconomic remnants that remain from properties acquired for transportation projects and only have value to an abutting property owner," Marie wrote.

But Marie said the state has valuable land holdings for two dormant expressway projects: Route 6, which was intended to provide quicker passage through Andover, Bolton and Coventry; and Route 7.

In total, the DOT controls more than 890 acres of vacant land in the right of way for the Route 7 expressway, or Super 7, with an estimated value of $80 million to $150 million, Marie wrote Rell.

The

Greenway Project for Route 7 in Wilton

2009-08-30T08:49:00.000-07:00

WILTON -- A new plan is in the works for the land originally designated for the much-disputed "Super 7" highway from Norwalk to Danbury.

A greenway for pedestrians and bike riders was proposed last Tuesday, when state Department of Environmental Protection officials and representatives from Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield met to discuss different approaches to use the land, said Pat Sesto, head of Wilton's Inland Wetland Department.

This greenway idea was made possible after legislators overrode Gov. M. Jodi Rell's transportation bill in July, lifting restrictions on property set aside for Super 7. Now the 890 acres of land is open for other possible uses.

Sesto said she is in charge of coordinating the application, which is mainly focusing on continuing a recreational trail northward from Norwalk.

"At this point, we are figuring out where this trail should go," said Sesto. "We are in the design phase right now and we want to make sure we look at every option."

Sesto said representatives are also looking into different train stations that can connect with the greenway.

"Ideally, we would like people to be able to ride a bike and pick up a train along the same direction," said Sesto.

This is a plan that has been studied for a couple of decades, said state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-26, who also attended the Aug. 18 meeting. According to Boucher, the greenway is a well-supported and highly popular concept.

"This greenway involves the corridor from Norwalk to Danbury," said Sen. Boucher. "We are looking at alternative, environmentally friendly ways to get from point a to point b. It gained a lot of support because it doesn't prelude any other use. In other words, it doesn't take the place of any other use, it simply compliments it."

Not everyone is in support of the greenway, however. State Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, does not agree it is the best use for this land.

"I am very supportive of greenways and maximizing mass transit but I strongly believe that the best use for this land is the Super 7 highway," said Duff. "I think that a lot of people are also behind that."

Duff said he believes you can have the best of both worlds, even if the Super 7 highway is built.

"I think that if the Super 7 highway is built you can stil hae the greenway people want," said Duff. "The land there could be used just as they do with the Merrit Parkway and they can make room for bikeway and areas where people can walk, you can do both."

Sesto said she is also looking for public input on what different user groups would like to use the trail.

"Public opinion is most definitely included, and is information that has to be addressed carefully," she said. "We take into consideration (that bikers) and pedestrians are two obvious groups, but we also want to know if maybe access is suitable for equestrian groups, or maybe there are a bunch of people who would want a stroller section. The input is very important."

This is a long-term project that is currently in the organizational phase, said Boucher. She said there are a lot of obstacles to conside, such as safety and funding.

"This has been a thread of conversation for decades and now it is being acted on," said Sesto. "All good trails need time to simmer and grow, and this idea has a great deal of potential for the future."

Sen. Boucher Calls For Allowing Disposal Of Land Acquired For Super 7

2009-08-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Sen. Boucher Calls For Allowing Disposal Of Land Acquired For Super 7

Applauds Overwhelming Show Of Local Support For Proposed Legislation

Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) expressed her appreciation for the testimony submitted in support of her proposal to permit the state to sell or transfer land acquired for the long dormant Super 7 highway project.

The General Assembly’s Transportation Committee recently conducted a public hearing on SB 434, An Act Concerning The Disposition By The Department Of Transportation Of Land Originally Acquired For The "Super 7" Highway. Senator Boucher is the leading Republican Senator, or Ranking Member, on the Transportation Committee.

“As so many of those who testified pointed out, necessary upgrades to the existing Route 7 is underway and so it is unlikely that we will ever need the land acquired so long ago to build the Super 7 highway. For one thing, priorities have changed. Building Super 7 highway now would require the state to acquire a great deal more land, much of it environmentally fragile and unaffordable. Permitting the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to sell or transfer the land it has acquired for this long defunct project makes sense. Our resources must be directed to feasible projects that the public supports, notably our mass transit and smart growth initiatives,” said Senator Boucher.

Those expressing agreement with Senator Boucher include Representative John Frey (R-111). In his testimony, Representative Frey wrote: “Since the language includes “may sell or transfer” it is not the intention of this bill to mandate what the State of Connecticut should do, but to allow for greater flexibility. It makes sense in these troubled times for the State of Connecticut and the Department of Transportation to have as much leeway as possible.”

Others who submitted testimony or travelled to Hartford to address the Transportation Committee in person had the following to say about the proposed legislation:

“Towns in the Route 7 corridor are in need of land for community recreational purposes – playing fields, hiking and bike trails, gardens and nature preserves – in brief, “green ways” that will expand recreational and quality of life activity. I urge the Transportation Committee and the Legislature to allow the Commission of Transportation the option to sell of transfer the title of the existing right-of-way acquired for the potential use as a Route 7 highway to local communities for recreational and passive conservational purposes,” said Wilton First Selectman William F. Brennan.

“The Town of Redding has long opposed the construction of the proposed Super 7 Highway because of its significant and detrimental impact on one of the largest wetlands in our state. We believe that the project would never receive the required affirmative federal environmental impact statement . . . Therefore, particularly in these troubled economic times, it makes perfect sense to untie the DOT’s hands with respect to the property it acquired for Super 7. If it is not going to be used for the project, the DOT should have the ability to sell the land for some productive purpose. It is not in the state’s best interest to have the unusable land on its books, nor is it in any municipality’s best interest to keep it there,” said Redding First Selectman Natalie Ketcham.

“There is only one shovel that is ready for use in connection with the Route 7 limited access highway, a.k.a. “Super 7”, and that is the shovel that should finally be used to dig a deep grave for this ill-begotten project so as to put it to rest permanently,” said Michael J. Autuori of Ridgefield, adding that he favors transferring property acquired for Super 7 for the Sugar Hollow Greenway.

“Such legislation appears to be a better option and gives our state Department of Transportation (DOT) more flexibility in the use and disposition of this land which has been restricted so many years ago. Accordingly, DOT may or may not sell or use this land according to the times or needs of the state at some future date. Let’s move on with resolving this long-standing irritant,” said Joseph A. Equale of Wilton.

“When one considers that there is an existing underutilized railroad line that parallels the existing Route 7, that there are prudent and feasible alternatives to building the new highway, and the huge price for Super 7, one can only conclude that supporting this bill is the only way to proceed,” said James P. Snedeker of Wilton.

“The construction of this highway would require building across one of the largest wetlands in our state. This will not only have huge financial implications, but it id truly an environmental risk I am unwilling to take with my downstate neighbors . . . It would therefore make sense to give our state DOT more flexibility in the use or disposition of this land . . . ,” said John T. Markey IV of Wilton.

“As a Wilton resident for 33 years, an elected official there for nine, and a realtor for 14, I can attest to the upset that the uncertainty of the Super 7 issue has caused this town . . . and I’m confident that I speak for the vast majority of Wiltonians. The project is neither politically viable nor financially feasible. The concept for all practical purposes is “dead,” said Howard A. Sherman of Wilton.

“Providing the DOT with options as to the use of this land will liberate the state. In fact, with the present economic situation, if the land were to be sold, the monies generated could be applied to assist funding in appropriate needed areas. As a concerned citizen, I urge the committee to lift the restriction and possible raise funds for well needed state financing,” said Michael Perrella of Wilton.

“The cost of building a 20 mile long and 100 foot high fly over highway would be unaffordable given the new national roadway engineering requirements. Environment group and local town opposition, including Ridgefield, Redding, Wilton and parts of many surrounding towns would keep in the courts for decades,” said Dianne and Tom Gorman of Wilton.

“There are some who have proposed that any land or buildings that the state has held for over 20 or 30 years should be sold, transferred or disposed of for the public good – and reinvestments made in present urgent needs,” said Senator Boucher.

Route 7 Super 7 Greenway Norwalk to Danbury

2009-08-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

Boucher hopes idea for greenway grows

Written by Susan Wolf
Thursday, 20 August 2009 08:30

The development of a greenway for walkers and bikers along Route 7 from Norwalk to Danbury is a proposal that is now on the table.

With the Super 7 highway proposal shelved, the state legislature decided earlier this year that the land designated for the controversial four-lane highway linking Norwalk to Danbury could now be used in other ways. The land includes sections of Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield.

State Senator Toni Boucher of Wilton (R-26), ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee, said in a recent statement that this provides an opportunity to discuss how the 890 acres of state property could be used.

Representatives from Wilton, Redding and Ridgefield, along with Ms. Boucher and state Department of Environmental Protection officials, met Tuesday to begin an informal discussion about the land’s future, and the potential for state and/or federal funding to make the greenway a reality. Two planning agencies, the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials and South Western Regional Planning Agency, are also involved in the planning effort.

Positive

Besides looking for alternate funding sources, Ms. Boucher said the committee will be looking at the future maintenance options for the greenway.

Long history

Participants in the early discussions recalled the history of the Super 7 proposal, which drew opposition from its inception in the 1970s. At that time, CBET (Citizens for A Balanced Environment and Transportation) of Wilton was formed, and Victor DeMasi of Redding, who has held outdoor presentations, including those on butterflies, to Wilton students over the years, was a member.

Mr. DeMasi described the resulting plan as “charming.” It included lean-tos and overlooks, among other things. “The only problem with it was that the highway was still there,” he said.

Ultimately there was not enough money raised privately to implement the plan.

By 1986, he said, the state had acquired 70% of the parcels it needed for Super 7. In 1992, his group started the Route 7 Natural History Inventory, bringing in 12 biologists to survey these parcels.

At that time, the state Department of Transportation wanted to mitigate (replace) wetlands with new ones, Mr. DeMasi said.

“We found 17 rare species,” he said, adding this became a strong legal challenge to the mitigation proposal.

There are now 10,000 specimens resulting from the survey at the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University.

When the state ran out of money in 1992, said Mr. DeMasi, the Route 7 plan was once again put on the back burner. In 1994, under Gov. Lowell Weicker’s administration, a task force was organized to see if greenways in the state could be connected. Mr. DeMasi organized a turnout at a public meeting on the issue that was led by Russell Brenneman, a well-known open space advocate.

“He wasn’t enthused about Super 7 (greenway), but I wanted the greenway — once called a linear park — without the road,” Mr. DeMasi said. Mr. Brenneman eventually came around to the idea.

On maps

That greenway is now on a state map and on a New York Times’ greenway map for the state of Connecticut, said Mr. DeMasi. He explained that this is significant because even if the political landscape changed, it was a precedent to have this greenway on a map.

Ms. Boucher “was very instrumental in repurposing the Route 7 land,” said Mr. DeMasi. “There are some very considerable parcels to be preserved in this project.”

He pointed to old forest in northern Wilton, deep ravines, and a huge wetland in Danbury along Route 7 behind the former Indian Trading Post. In Redding, he said, there are parcels with ravines along Old Olmstead Road and a butterfly meadow near his Simpaug Turnpike home. It is here that one of only three sedge moths have been found in the Northeast, he said.

Mr. DeMasi estimates the proposed greenway is about 20 miles long with three miles of it in Redding and another 12 or so in Wilton.

“I’m gratified the idea of a greenway is now in play,” Mr. DeMasi said. “It would be a wonderful thing for the communities to see this happen, and for me especially because of the people who said it couldn’t be done.”

Route 7 Greenway

Residents will have their say on what route the Norwalk River Valley Trail will take.

Norwalk to Receive Assistance for River Valley Trail

A look at th next steps in developing the widely anticipated Norwalk River Valley Trail.

$180K grant to extend River Valley Trail

Norwalk River Valley Trail

Group Brainstorms Improving Ridgefield's Route 7

Group Brainstorms Improving Ridgefield's Route 7

bike and walking trails, including the proposal to develop a trail linking Norwalk and Danbury

On Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a trail improvement party along the Norwalk River on the south side of Rt. 123.

A trail for pedestrians and other non-motorized traffic, running the length of the Norwalk River Valley from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk all the way to Danbury.

Group studies walk-bike trail linking Norwalk to Danbury

New Times: Route 7 towns exploring idea of multi-use trail

Active Transportation celebrated a milestone today with the release of Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s (D-Ore.)

SWRPA: A Greenway, More Business, No Super 7

I am at a meeting for the Route7 land use study

Ct Trails

Railstotrails.org Trail-Building Toolbox:

land use study of Route 7 between Norwalk and Danbury Meeting Postponed

land use study of Route 7 between Norwalk and Danbury. Route 7 is a critical

Public Meetings

A New Greenway Along our Route 7 in Wilton!

Proposed trail clear major hurdle

Merritt Parkway Trail

Big News on the Merritt Parkway Trail!

Norwalk River Valley System

Mr. Brennan also spoke about efforts being done to improve pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the area.

Dear CT NEMBA Member:

explore how to incorporate a multi-use bike and walking path in the wooded corridor south of the Merritt Parkway

State DOT and DEP voice support for Merritt trail work

CTDOT -Helping Children to Walk and Bike to School Safely

Detailed program information and online application is available at www.walkitbikeitct.org.

Application deadline is November 13, 2009.

Route 7 Norwalk Interchange has a Bike path in the proposal

Win a GT Carbon Mountian Bike

GT’s Marathon Carbon Pro

GT I drive 4 moncoque carbon fiber front triangle and rear traingle with 4 inches of travel. Integrated headset and main pivot bearings. Internal cable routing. Mavic CrossTrail wheels, XTR shfters, Fox Shox 32 RL fork. This bike is amazing!

Second

Mavic Crossmax SLR Disc Wheelset

This is Mavic top-of-the-line cross-country wheelset. This 6-bolt disc wheelset weigh in at only 1520 grams but is as stiff as ever to withstand the most agressive pedal strokes

Two Prizes! An F-Series RL and a 36 Float RC2

A Mountain Biking Holiday for 6 Folks

Enjoy a full weekend or weekday camping and riding package in the foothills of the White Mountains with Back Country Excursions of Maine

Pedal on over to the Aldrich for Sunday's Bike Fest

Members of the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization called for a comprehensive multi-modal investment study for the Route 7 corrido

WestonForum.com

Purpose and focus

Land use patterns

Not a Super 7

Norwalk Plus Article - Super 7

Super 7 News Times Article with many comments

Super 7 property could become hiking/biking trail

Walkway Over the Hudson

East Coast Greenway ( www.greenway.org )

The East Coast Greenway Vision

Trail Surface

Route Selection

Local Trails

Trail Services

Demystifying the ECG Routes: spine versus alternate; permanent versus interim. And, what is the current travel route?

Spine versus Alternate Routing

Permanent versus Interim Routing

Relationship to the Appalachian Trail

Shoreline Greenway Trail

What's New more ...

Welcome to the Shoreline Greenway Trail

Bay Bridge Vertical Project

Walkway Over the Hudson is now as a National Recreation Trail

Safe routes to schools

Norwalk Citizen article on support for Route 7 expansion

Walkway over the Hudson - Vertical Park

Free WiFi for optonline customers

Kona World Video on Bike Riding / Commuting in Amsterdam

Article from the ReddingPilot.com

Positive

Long history

Newstimes Article DOT selling route 7 property

Greenway Project for Route 7 in Wilton

Sen. Boucher Calls For Allowing Disposal Of Land Acquired For Super 7

Sen. Boucher Calls For Allowing Disposal Of Land Acquired For Super 7

Two Prizes!
An F-Series RL and a 36 Float RC2