On a long road ... to a trail
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
While it might seem difficult to get excited about a project that is three or four years down the road, so to speak, Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said the town is glad the federal government has approved funding to run the East Coast Greenway trail from Putnam to Killingly.
Noting that three trail projects touch Putnam, Sistare is nevertheless excited about approval for this East Coast Greenway trail project. The projected cost is $11.2 million and would be funded by the federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
According to the town’s proposal, a trail would be about 3.2 miles long, running from the end of the River Trail at the Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, connecting to the Greenway trail near the Town of Killingly Industrial Park. The project is a proposed 10-foot to 12-foot wide multi-use trail.
Sistare said the state prefers a permeable material for the trail (probably stone dust); however, the trail would run through some “hills and valleys” and in order to be ADA compliant some land would need to be “shaved down” and other sections would need to be built up. Concrete may be needed in those areas to control erosion. She said the ADA slope requirement is 8 percent.
The project involves conversion of a section of abandoned rail corridor, construction of a new structure over the Quinebaug River near the Putnam town pond near the border with Killingly, modifications to an existing structure over the river and a connection to Lake Road in Killingly.
Sistare said she hopes the project would stay on the west side of I-395 for its journey to Killingly. Town officials from Putnam and Killingly and state officials walked the proposed trail recently. Part of the proposed trail would go through a section of the Natchaug State Forest, she said. State forest division officials considered the likelihood of any hunting that might be there, and the timber factor. Sistare said hunting is “unlikely” because there is no parking there and it’s surrounded by private property. State forestry officials have sent the town a letter with an OK to proceed, but they reserve the right to review plans near the state forest, i.e. proposed felling of trees.
There’s a possibility that the trail may cross to the east side of I-395 and run down Park Road connecting with a wide sidewalk that crosses into Killingly (then it’s Tracy Road). Tracy Road runs toward the Killingly Industrial Park.
In addition, she said, if there were any changes to the Killingly Industrial Park, the project can be adjusted. “So if our project has to zig or zag, so be it,” she said. Both the former town manager and the current interim town manager of Killingly are involved and went on the walk.
The town is requesting bids for qualified consulting engineers now. Sistare estimated that it would be three to four years for engineering, design, permits, more design, easements, rights, more permits….
Yes it’s a long ways off but Sistare believes long term, trails are good for the area, especially Putnam. 
“This is good for Putnam, good for Killingly and good for northeastern Connecticut.”

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caption, page 8:

The red line is the proposed trail starting in Putnam, top, and coming into Killingly, above. The orange line above is an alternate route, if needed.
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