Hot off the Presses! Shoreline Greenway Trail’s 2018 Annual Report!

June 4, 2018
Our 2018 annual report has hit the streets! View or download your copy here, or contact us and we’ll send you a hard copy.

As you’ll see when you look inside, your participation is bearing fruit! Our work to build a bike and pedestrian trail on the Shoreline continues to produce results, with several new sections open, nearing completion or under development. We’re constructing more trail and encouraging communities to take cyclist and pedestrian safety seriously. Here are some of the exciting developments of the past year:

East Haven is working with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to apply federal funding toward extending the Shoreline Greenway Trail section that begins at Farm River State Park all to way to Cosey Beach Avenue.

Branford will open the Tabor section of the Shoreline Greenway Trail this spring. We used your contributions for matching funds required to obtain the state and federal money that made building this trail section possible. We are also pleased to report that a Transportation Oriented Development study and the town’s new Plan of Conservation and Development include the Shoreline Greenway Trail as an integral part of Branford’s future.

Shoreline Greenway Trail’s Madison team is busy refurbishing the beautiful Hammonasset Beach State Park section after maintenance work in the park disrupted the trail. Improvements include a formal, more visible and safer crossing of Hammonasset’s main entrance road between the trail and the SGT parking lot. Meanwhile, the town created Bike Walk Madison, an advisory committee to develop a townwide bike/ped master plan—a move we strongly support.

Guilford announced plans to establish a Safe Streets Mobility Task Force to advise on townwide mobility, including bicycle, pedestrian and motor vehicle transportation. Again, we applaud this move.

Neighboring municipalities are expanding their bike/ped facilities, with intentions to connect with the Shoreline Greenway Trail. New Haven has added bicycle lanes throughout the city; it’s extending the Farmington Canal Trail to the waterfront and constructing bike lanes along Long Wharf Drive. We expect these to eventually connect with the Shoreline Greenway Trail in East Haven. Clinton’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee is implementing plans for Phase One of a 6-mile bike/ped route through Clinton, which we expect will one day connect with the Shoreline Greenway Trail at the Madison line.

As a supporter and contributor, you ARE the Shoreline Greenway Trail. We’ve worked together for many years to put increasing lengths of trail on the ground and make the Shoreline more bike- and pedestrian-friendly. We’re on a roll. Let’s keep it going!

If you haven’t already contributed, please consider making a donation to the trail. Your financial support helps us build and maintain trail and match grants, leveraging state, federal and foundation money. Even better, consider volunteering! As you walk or bike the trail, you’ll be glad you did!

Please reach out if you have any questions or ideas, and come join us on the trail or at one of our upcoming events.