Press Releases
02/16/2022
DEEP Announces $3 Million in Trail Grants For 20 Projects Across the State
Funding Will Support Projects That Enhance and Improve CT’s Multiuse Trails
(HARTFORD)—Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced today that it has awarded $3 million in grant funding through its Recreational Trails Grant Program for twenty projects to plan and design, build, expand, or enhance and improve multi-use trails across the state.
The funding for these grants was allocated by the State Bond Commission in July 2021.
“I am thrilled to announce funding for these 20 projects, which will improve and expand recreational trails around our state,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “As we learned during the pandemic, 2020 brought huge numbers of people out to our state parks, forests, and trails, both long-time and new nature lovers, to access the mental and physical benefits of being in the outdoors. The public continued to utilize the state’s natural resources to their fullest in 2021, so these projects are incredibly timely and will improve our state’s incredible trail system, which benefits our residents and our state’s outdoor economy, and makes our state such an attractive place to live. My thanks to Gov. Lamont and the State Bond Commission for supporting these important investments in our trails.”
The CT Greenways Council (CGC) (Per CGS Section 23-103 as amended by Public Act No. 15-190) assisted DEEP with an incredibly difficult grant selection process for this funding. DEEP received 65 applications which includes 6 from CT State Parks for a total of $22 million dollars requested for these funds. Requests from the highly ranked proposals alone totaled over $7 million dollars.
Funds received through this program may be used for locally supported trails and trail systems, bikeways and multiuse paths. Grant money can be allocated for a wide variety of purposes, including planning, design, land acquisition, construction, construction administration, and publications for bikeways, walkways, and greenways as well as for equipment and trail amenities, such as parking lots, toilet buildings, signs, and benches.
DEEP envisions most projects being completed by 2024.
Following is a list of the projects receiving grants under DEEP’s Recreational Trails Grant program:
|
Applicant |
Project Title |
Description |
Grant Award |
|
Coventry |
Nathan Hale Greenway Trail Development |
Planning/Design, Construction, Education, Amenities |
$350,000.00 |
|
Thompson |
Thompson CT - More Than Just a Train Wreck! |
Planning/Design |
$16,000.00 |
|
Danbury |
City of Danbury Trail Routing Planning Study |
Planning/Design, Education, Outreach |
$40,000.00 |
|
Windham |
Windham Air Line Trail Enhancement |
Maintenance, Amenities |
$86,525.00 |
|
Ledyard |
Tri-Town Trail Phase 2 |
planning/design, construction, amenities |
$112,000.00 |
|
Kent Land Trust |
Kent-Warren LT Partnership |
planning/design, construction, equipment, Amenities, outreach |
$116,600.00 |
|
Canton |
Extension of Farmington River Rail Trail, East |
Planning/Design |
$140,000.00 |
|
Wethersfield |
Hartford to Wethersfield Multimodal Trail Routing Study |
Planning/Design |
$148,000.00 |
|
Vernon |
Vernon Rails-to-Trails and the Hockanum River Trail |
Construction, Maintenance |
$161,600.00 |
|
Windsor |
River Trail -EBarber to Windsor Center |
planning/design |
$240,000.00 |
|
University of Connecticut |
Trails and Active Living Programs |
Education, Outreach |
$220,510.00 |
|
Goodwin University |
Goodwin University Trails Expansion-Phase V |
Planning/Design, construction |
$150,000.00 |
|
CT Forest & Park Association, Inc. |
CT Blue Blazed Hiking Trails, Trails Day |
Including30th CT Trails Day, trail maintenance crews, Mansfield- Nipmuck Trail/ Elementary School Connection |
$457,100.00 |
|
Dinosaur State Park (SP) |
Replacement of Boardwalk |
$50,000 |
|
|
Kent Falls SP |
Kent Falls Trail Repair |
$250,000.00 |
|
|
Larkin SP Trail |
Provide repairs identified in cooperation with the CT Horse Council |
$200,000.00 |
|
|
Nehantic State Forest (SF) |
Goodwin/Eight-mile River Watershed Trail Repairs |
$49,520.00 |
|
|
Pachaug SF |
Pachaug Mountain Bike Trails- Phase1Design |
$100,000.00 |
|
|
Friends of Pachaug SF |
Lawrence Road Prescribed Fire / First Succession Forest Interpretive Trail -will highlight special aspects of successional plant and wildlife changes as the forest once again matures. |
$2,023.00 |
|
- Twitter: @CTDEEPNews
- Facebook: DEEP on Facebook
Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110