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Watertown Greenway design seeks more funding; NVCOG promotes microgrants, counters show steady use
Summary
Watertown staff said the planned 2.38-mile Watertown Greenway has partial funding for design but needs about $300,000 more; pedestrian counters show daily averages from 64 to 212 users at sampled points; NVCOG highlighted DOT microgrants (up to $5,000) and local bike-share ideas.
Paul Benavich, Watertown town engineer, updated the committee on the Watertown Greenway project and related active-transportation work.
Benavich said the design for the 2.38-mile section from Frost Bridge to the Thomaston/Branch Brook connection is under way but that current grant funds (about $300,000) are insufficient for full design. "We've got almost 300,000 in our grant, but that runs out in September," Benavich said; he has requested an extension and anticipates pursuing a consultant to reach roughly 35% design if funding can be secured.
Aaron Budris reported counts on existing greenway segments to document use: an average of 64 daily trips (about 23,000 annual) where the trail meets Maple Street, and 212 daily trips (about 78,000 annual) at the pedestrian bridge on Bridge Street. Budris said a new counter near the park parking lot should show higher numbers once it is fully instrumented and that the data will appear on the Connecticut Trail Census website.
Committee members also discussed bike-share and small grants. A member asked whether bike-share had been discussed; NVCOG staff said bike-share has been considered as part of transit-oriented development and there are both formal station models and grassroots "bike library" models where refurbished bikes are lent through local businesses. Desiree Blanchard reported the Greenway Committee won two DOT microgrants to fund a bike-safety course and to buy bikes to donate locally.
Benavich and NVCOG staff encouraged towns to consider NVCOG's prequalified consultant list to accelerate procurement for design work and to coordinate with other regional projects to avoid duplicate consultants.
Next steps: Benavich will pursue an extension for the existing grant or additional rec trails funding; NVCOG will circulate microgrant information and consultant procurement materials to municipalities.
