GREENWICH, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont this week announced that $9 million in state grants will be used to plan, build, expand and improve a total of 50 multi-use trails across Connecticut, including in Greenwich and Stamford.
Greenwich has partnered with Stamford to see if a path can be constructed between the two municipalities.
Greenwich/Stamford will receive $270,400 from the state’s Recreational Trails Program for planning and design work on the multi-use path. The money is not for construction.
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“We plan to study a route to build a multi-use path that would serve both as a valuable recreation and transportation resource between Binney Park in Old Greenwich and Boccuzzi Park in southwest Stamford,” Greenwich Public Works Deputy Commissioner Jim Michel told Patch in an emailed statement. “The trail would connect many of the popular destinations and vital resources between these two landmarks and would be safe and accessible for users of all ages and abilities. We are coordinating with our partners in Greenwich and Stamford on next-steps and awaiting further guidance from CT-DEEP (CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) to get this project moving forward.”
Michel noted that the proposed path predominantly follows the official East Coast Greenway (ECG) alignment, except for a short connection to Binney Park north of West End Avenue.
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The ECG is a walking and biking route that stretches 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida. The path is for non-motorized users for recreation, and it also stops at points of interest.
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“The ECG through this area has some sidewalks but it does not currently have any protected bicycle facilities, despite some of the highest bicycle ridership in town,” Michel said. “Since there is no design or set plan beyond the route, we look forward to working with the community to receive valuable feedback when designing the project.”
The CT Recreational Trails Program is administered by CT-DEEP). Funding for this grant round was allocated by the state Bond Commission in July 2022. Lamont serves as chairman of the commission.
“I am thrilled to announce funding for these 50 projects, which will improve and expand recreational trail opportunities around Connecticut,” Lamont said in a news release. “The incredible response to this grant round shows the high demand for outdoor recreation in our state. Our residents and visitors continue to explore state parks, forests, and municipal open spaces and land trust preserves at record levels.”
According to a news release from the governor’s office, CT-DEEP has seen demand for outdoor recreation increase dramatically since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.
Annual visits to locations in the Connecticut State Parks and Forests system reached an estimated 17 million in 2022 – a 75 percent increase from pre-pandemic visitation levels of between 9 and 10 million in 2019.
Additionally, the economic value of hiking, climbing and tent camping increased by 50 percent from 2019 to 2021, the news release said.
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the value of outdoor recreation in 2021 contributed nearly $4 billion to the state and supported more than 40,000 jobs.
Patch has reached out to the city of Stamford for comment
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