Proposed trail SE CT

[davidbeinct]

http://zip06.theday.com/blogs/thames_river_times/archive/2009/01/02/hitting-the-trail-organizers-continue-work-to-create-multi-town-trail.aspx

Does anyone know about this? Anyone know if NEMBA has representation on the committee? This would create opportunity for an epic single track day, even if the primary trail isn't single track. No network like this currently exists in SE CT.

David B.

[pitt83]

http://zip06.theday.com/blogs/thames_river_times/archive/2009/01/02/hitting-the-trail-organizers-continue-work-to-create-multi-town-trail.aspx

Does anyone know about this? Anyone know if NEMBA has representation on the committee? This would create opportunity for an epic single track day, even if the primary trail isn't single track. No network like this currently exists in SE CT.

David B.

David:

I sit on the committe who's proposing the trail. I'm there representing NEMBA to be sure that MTB access is always considered and that we're partners in the process. We have hikers, horsies, greenies and others on the panel.

We're looking at routing options now, gaining support from landowners and municipalities and, especialy Groton Utilities who's reservoir lands are a lynchpin to the preferred route. rigvht now, politics around placating these groups and working toward their trust and permissions is our biggest hurdle.

It'll most likely be a double-track trail due to the consensus of the users. We're trying to design a similar experience to the Airline trail and want this available as a commuting alternative as well as a recreational trail. Exact routing is still TBD depending on which landowners allow access and hopefully, they all will.

As for single-track: It's likely NOT going to be available here. Sure, everyone loves good single-track, but in this case: That's not the purpose nor is it desirable. Especially the possibility on reservoir property where erosion is a primary concern. Unless we engineer the trail and stay to that engineered system (no ad-hoc "let's go over here" trails), we risk the entire project.

If you have comments, drop me a line at pitt83 at yahoo dot com and I'll let you know what can be done, what can't be done and forward any viable suggestions to the committee.

Dave

[talisman]

We're looking at routing options now, gaining support from landowners and municipalities and, especialy Groton Utilities who's reservoir lands are a lynchpin to the preferred route.

I heard that Groton Utilites actually has a design for a bike path to cross their property that is complete. The plan was developed several years ago to connect Bluff Point with the Copp property along Rt 117. GU is OK with the idea of a bike path and wants to ensure the water supply is protected from contamination. There are a few people on the Proposed Trail Coalition that have a political agenda that would open the GU resrvoir lands for open access, be aware that open access will mire the bike trail idea in legal wrangling until we will be too old to use the trail.