Design of Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Extension in Cheshire To Be Unveiled

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) will be holding a public informational meeting next month about the proposed Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Extension. 

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 18, at the Cheshire Town Hall, Council of Chambers, 84 South Main Street, Cheshire, Connecticut.  A design presentation will start at 7 p.m. followed by a question-and-answer period. The purpose of this project is to extend the shared use path known as the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in the Town of Cheshire.

The DOT is designing two sections of the trail. Section 1 Project No. 25-145— Between Cornwall Avenue and Route 68/70 (West Main Street). Section 2 – Project No. 25-144: Between Jarvis Street and the Southington town line. 

The Town is also designing another section of the trail between Routes 68/70 (West Main Street) and Jarvis Street under Project No. 25-135. The completion of both the Town and State’s designed projects will close the 4.7 mile gap in the trail corridor to provide a continuous 23-mile trail from New Haven to Southington. 

The project will generally consist of a 12-foot wide paved surface with a 2-foot stone dust shoulder throughout the length of the 4.7 mile gap. A boardwalk section is proposed through much of the wetland area in Section 1 and consists of a 10-foot wide surface. 

The present schedule indicates that construction is planned for the Town’s section, Project No. 25-135, in 2015; and the State’s design Section 2 in 2016 and Section 1 in 2017.  The estimated construction cost for the state designed project is approximately $4.6 million for Section 1 and $6.0 million for Section 2. Both are anticipated to be undertaken with 80% federal funds and 20% state funds.  

The public informational meeting is being held to offer a full opportunity for public participation and to allow open discussion of any views and comments the community may have concerning the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Extension in the town of Cheshire. 

Deaf and hearing-impaired persons wishing to attend this meeting and requiring an interpreter must make arrangements by contacting the Department’s Office of Communications at (860) 594-3062 (voice only) at least five working days prior to the meeting.  Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public, and efforts will be made to respond to request for assistance. 

More detailed information is available at the Department’s Office of Engineering, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., excluding holidays.

Anyone wishing to discuss the project may contact Timothy M. Wilson at (860) 594-3189 or by e-mail at Timothy.Wilson@ct.gov.  Plans are also available for review at the Cheshire Town Hall, Town Clerk’s Office.