Happy Trails

this is fantastic news!

In other states groups have aimed to preserve such rail tracks for light rail lines that would reduce congestion, air pollution and provide access for thousands of people not just a relatively few weekend recreational bike riders who could use state parks just as well.

Conn state parks are too limited. The rules allow for walking or bikes? but everyone is expected to pay for their upkeep.

"Plainville is the bottleneck."

The fallout from a horrible town council in the early part of this decade continues. They not only didn't support this Connecticut gem, but they removed the old railroad bridge that would have made travel across Northwest Drive safe for bikers and walkers.

Transit User wrote:

In other states groups have aimed to preserve such rail tracks for light rail lines that would reduce congestion, air pollution and provide access for thousands of people not just a relatively few weekend recreational bike riders who could use state parks just as well.

Why is the state wasting money on this fluff when we should be re-building the rail system which used to service the region?

History and geology are about to slam us upside the head with a major paradigm shift in the way we live, and our myopic leaderhip is not leading at all. Rell and the GenAss are so far behind the curve on what's going down.

Note: Lanes SHOULD be accomodated alongside our roads and a resurrected light rail system. Transportation is about to be radically transformed - sooner than you think.

Adapt or die.

This greenway seems to make sense. Using the old rail bed and going through town centers is logical. There is a proposed greenway, the shoreline greenway trail, attempting to get from New Haven to Hammonassett. This one has no existing rail bed, no good plan for getting through the marsh and privately owned areas of Guilford and Branford, and no clear set of users. This group panders to anyone who will give them a buck but fails to provide honest details when pressed. The shoreline greenway is just highway pork money that should be invested in bridges instead - unfortunately, the politicians like the way it sounds, and have signed on. It gives greenways a bad name.

For all the naysayers out there, don't knock it until you have tried it.

Oh, I'm sorry, couch potatoes and video game junkies don't enjoy the outdoors.

As far as light rail, mass transit; maybe when gas hits ten dollars a gallon suburban yuppies and soccer moms will take to the rails. NOT.

A ps. to my last post. I welcome this news. It's about time E. Granby got its act together.
Congrats to the rail to trails organization for sticking to their guns.
If the citizens of Plainville could see the benefits they would be marching on city hall to force politicians to get behind this immediately.

We need greenways like this everywhere. Start with the cities. New Haven has the Canal Trail (largely complete, to Hamden and beyond) but also 3 greenways that have clear routes to West Haven and East Haven, but no funding. Why are we funding a fake "shoreline trail" when the routes from West Haven through New Haven and into East Haven are already clearly marked?

This excellent news. The Farmington Valley Trails Council is a great organization.

To the haters: If you can justify a North-South rail line through the Farmington Valley, be my guest. A rail line that does need continued development is the through with CT Valley from New Haven to Brattleboro. That is an oft-used and congested corridor and increasing commuter and freight rail would substantially benefit the region.