Linking a network of pedestrian and bike trails from Norwalk north to Danbury would not only improve access to the Norwalk River Valley's wooded shores, but also serve residents by allowing them to ride bikes to rail stations, stores and other destinations, said Patricia Sesto, director of environmental affairs for the town of Wilton.
The network, called the Norwalk River Valley Trail, would extend about 17 miles from its start in South Norwalk, linking with other existing and future trails in Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding into Danbury, though a routing study is needed to determine the specific location of the path, Sesto said.
"This is a long-running desire of the community that has been long-standing, but we need to know what this trail could look like," Sesto said. "It could serve to get people better connected to the natural environment or change the way they commute."
A coalition led by the towns of Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding, with assistance from officials and activists in Norwalk and Danbury, recently received approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection for its application seeking a grant of $180,000 in federal funds to conduct a feasibility and route study for the trail.
The request, made this fall, is now being considered by the Federal Highway Administration and state Historical Commission alongside requests from other towns seeking some of the more than $1.4 million in highway funds expected to be awarded this year by the DEP to various trail construction and maintenance projects in Connecticut.
The network, called the Norwalk River Valley Trail, would extend about 17 miles from its start in South Norwalk, linking with other existing and future trails in Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding into Danbury, though a routing study is needed to determine the specific location of the path, Sesto said.
"This is a long-running desire of the community that has been long-standing, but we need to know what this trail could look like," Sesto said. "It could serve to get people better connected to the natural environment or change the way they commute."
A coalition led by the towns of Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding, with assistance from officials and activists in Norwalk and Danbury, recently received approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection for its application seeking a grant of $180,000 in federal funds to conduct a feasibility and route study for the trail.
The request, made this fall, is now being considered by the Federal Highway Administration and state Historical Commission alongside requests from other towns seeking some of the more than $1.4 million in highway funds expected to be awarded this year by the DEP to various trail construction and maintenance projects in Connecticut.
