CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546

FOR RELEASE: October 29, 2015

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062 FAX: (860) 594-3065 WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot

Charter Oak Greenway Construction Underway

CTDOT releases long-term plan for bike and pedestrian trails

      Construction of a new extension of the Charter Oak Greenway bicycle and pedestrian trail is underway in Manchester. State and local officials toured the site today as the Connecticut Department of Transportation released a five-year plan for additional trails across Connecticut – part of Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s 30-year, $100 billion transportation improvement program known as “Let’s Go CT.”

      “Connecticut is committed to enhancing all modes of transportation across all segments of our transportation infrastructure – from roads and bridges to trails, buses, trains and airports,” said CTDOT Commissioner James P. Redeker. “This beautiful trail in Manchester is an excellent illustration of our commitment to our state’s transportation and economic future.”

      “CTDOT has taken a very active approach to greenways and trails over the past 5 years.  Their policy changes have led the way for improvements to bike and pedestrian facilities,” said Mark Carlino, Manchester’s Director of Public Works. “During the entire design process, CTDOT made sure that the Town was involved and had meaningful input in the design. This project could not have happened without CTDOT’s commitment to fund, design and complete the remaining gaps in the Charter Oak Greenway.”

      At today’s tour, Commissioner Redeker released a 12-page Multi-Use Trail Implementation Plan that outlines 18 trail projects around the state designed to close gaps in the East Coast Greenway and other trail corridors. The plan may be found here.

      The new section of the Manchester path project begins at the parking lot of the Charter Oak Greenway on Camp Meeting Road (State Route 534) opposite Porter Street, and extends easterly approximately 4,000 feet to Finley Street. The project consists of a 10-foot wide paved path with 5 feet of grass shoulders on each side. The path will continue easterly along the South side of Camp Meeting Road, under Interstate 384 to Birch Mountain Road. After gaining elevation via a circular ramp, it will connect to a pedestrian bridge over Camp Meeting Road. The path will cross to the north side of Camp Meeting Road, pass a Town of Manchester water pump station and run parallel to Camp Meeting Road until its termination at Finley Street.

      The Manchester project is CTDOT Project No. 0076-0217; it was awarded to B & W Paving and Landscaping, LLC, of Waterford, Connecticut, on August 12, 2015 at a cost of $4.5 million and is scheduled to be completed in November 2016.