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TMP proposes feasibility study for a trail linking West Rocks Road to Main Avenue through DOT right-of-way
Summary
TMP staff proposed a consultant-led feasibility study to convert a stone-dust path in a DOT right-of-way into an off-street trail connecting West Rocks Road and Main Avenue; the corridor lies in DOT property with an Eversource easement.
Greg Pacielli of TMP presented a possible trail concept running parallel to the Merritt Parkway that would connect the recently improved West Rocks Road corridor to Main Avenue. “We noticed a path that runs parallel to the Merritt Parkway, which is within the DOT right away,” Greg said, and he described an existing stone-dust path that extends from West Rocks Road toward the ramps near Main Avenue.
Greg said the corridor lies in Connecticut Department of Transportation right-of-way and that an Eversource electric easement runs through the area because of overhead transmission lines. He proposed that the commission fund or sponsor a consultant-led feasibility study to evaluate converting the corridor into a formal off-street trail and to estimate preliminary construction costs and material options.
Commissioners asked how the proposed trail would tie into the Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT) and Main Avenue bike-lane plans; Greg said the study could consider how the NRVT and DOT Main Avenue improvements would connect to the trail. He also noted that because the property is DOT right-of-way, further coordination with DOT and with Eversource would be required for design and construction.
No budget or consultant contract was approved at the Sept. 8 meeting; commissioners expressed interest in pursuing a feasibility study and asked TMP to provide a scope of work and possible consultant list for the commission to review.
