Farmington Valley Greenway
Status Report on Improvements
Mary A. Glassman
First Selectman
December 4, 2008
I want to provide an update on several exciting developments concerning the sections of the trail located in Simsbury.
The Town of Simsbury was recently the first Town to elect participation in an inter-town agreement with other Farmington Valley Towns to purchase and subsequently share equipment dedicated to the maintenance of the Trail. Specifically, the Towns will share an excavator, a maintenance vehicle with utility attachments and a snorkel lift. This equipment, the purchase of which is funded by a State Grant, will be dedicated to trail maintenance and will be shared by the towns of Avon, Farmington, Granby, East Granby, Canton, Simsbury, Suffield and Burlington. The other Towns are in the process of adopting the agreement and we anticipate that this equipment will be available in the spring.
This arrangement is an excellent example of regional cooperation. We are hopeful that this arrangement can form the basis for additional cooperation between the Towns in the future.
The Town of Simsbury has budgeted $80,000 in the current year of our Capital Non-Recurring Expenditures Fund to address several issues on Sections 1 & 2 of the Trail. These sections are located behind Kane’s Market. Those of us familiar with the Trail are aware of the particularly poor condition of these sections. Funds will be invested in these sections for miscellaneous fence repairs and sign placement. In addition, funds from this appropriation will be used for root remediation.
Construction and design agreements are in place with the State of Connecticut for the completion of the SI-5 portion of the Trail. This portion continues from Hop Brook Bridge, to Drake Hill Road to Iron Horse Boulevard. All of the easements for the trail are in place. The local match has been appropriated and the State Funds are in place. We have applied for a State Grant through the Department of Environmental Protection-Trails Program to offset the Town’s contribution to this project. We expect to conduct the bidding process shortly with an anticipated construction start date of spring 2009. We do note that the economic difficulties that the State is currently facing may impact the release of these funds.
All of the components are in place except the beacon equipped warning signs for the trail crossing located at RT. 10 by Agway’s. The contractor has been unable to get the parts for this specialty item. The Town is taking appropriate action to resolve the issue by the close of the year. We expect to have the crossing system fully operational by spring.
The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) has requested proposals for possible Federal Transportation Funding that may become available through an economic stimulus package. We have requested funding in the amount of $675,000 for the pavement rehabilitation/resurfacing, root control, fence/sign replacement and crossings and refurbishment of 25,000 f.t. of the trail sections known as SI 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. These sections are the oldest in Simsbury and most in need of attention.
The Board of Selectmen adopted a resolution in June concerning the Town’s intent to apply for State Greenway Funding to complete a feasibility analysis and preliminary design for a bike trail to link the Farmington Canal Trail to the Village of Tariffville. As the Trail could extend to Bloomfield, we have discussed the possibility of filing a joint application for this project with the Town of Bloomfield. If funding is not forthcoming, the Town will likely discuss the possibility of funding a design to link the Village of Tariffville to the Trail via RT. 315.
As you can see, there are many exciting developments regarding the Farmington Valley Trail. We look forward to working with our partners to continue to build on this excellent regional asset.