Committee endorses East Coast Greenway study for Hartford, clearing path for design work
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Summary
The committee voted to send a favorable recommendation to council for the Capital Region East Coast Greenway study; CROG presented a preferred alignment with two Hartford route options, cost estimates for Hartford segments just under $48 million and a regional total near $80 million, and next steps toward design and grant funding.
The Planning, Economic Development & Housing Committee voted Dec. 16 to forward a favorable recommendation to the City Council endorsing the Capital Region East Coast Greenway study. Caitlin Palmer, director of regional planning and development at the Capital Region Council of Governments (CROG), presented the final draft, described extensive public engagement and outlined a preferred alignment through Hartford that offers two alternatives — a park route that highlights Keeney Park and the riverfront and a downtown route that connects more directly to redevelopment sites along Homestead Avenue.
Palmer said the study focuses on closing a roughly 12-mile off-road gap along the East Coast Greenway and producing design-ready recommendations, cost estimates and renderings to support grant applications. For Hartford-specific segments (a little less than seven miles as presented), CROG estimated just under $48 million in planning-level costs; the entire recommended alignment across multiple towns is roughly 17 miles, with a planning-level total of about $80 million. "Of the segments that we're showing here, you've got a little less than 7 miles ... Your cost is just under 48,000,000 for the entirety," Palmer said.
Committee members pressed on feasibility and funding. CROG and consultant FHI (now IMEG) presented a separate railroad-trail feasibility memo confirming that a "rail-with-trail" alignment is constructible with recommended safety measures; CT DOT has signaled interest and may help with matching funds for federal grants. Palmer said municipalities typically pursue a mix of competitive federal and state grants and that DOT has in several cases provided the nonfederal match for Greenway projects.
The committee voted to send the municipal endorsement back to the council, a necessary step CROG said would allow Hartford to move the project into design and construction readiness and to pursue external funding. The endorsement does not itself commit city construction dollars but strengthens grant applications and advances municipal coordination with DOT and local planning.
Next steps: endorsement to City Council; targeted design and grant applications; further coordination with DOT and neighborhood groups to refine route and cost estimates.
Sources: CROG presentation (Caitlin Palmer, Ken Livingston); committee discussion and vote, Dec. 16, 2025.