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# Connecticut Awards $10.5 Million for 50 Trail Projects Statewide
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-connecticut-2026-10-03-a/
- Published: 2026-10-03T06:29:13.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-03T06:29:13.000Z
- Description: Connecticut is directing $10.5 million to 50 trail projects, including major construction, accessibility upgrades and planning work, with half the awards serving distressed or environmental-justice communities.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: Policy, Connecticut

Connecticut has awarded approximately $10.5 million to 50 recreational-trail projects, a statewide package spanning new construction, repairs, accessibility work, planning and long-term maintenance. The [awards](https://portal.ct.gov/governor/news/press-releases/2026/10-2026/governor-lamont-announces-state-grants-for-recreational-trails?ref=theamericanquorum.com), announced Thursday by Gov. Ned Lamont and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, were selected through a competitive review with the Connecticut Greenways Council and will use money previously allocated by the State Bond Commission.

The projects range from small planning grants to major construction commitments. Avon received $505,000 for a multi-use connector between Tillotson Road and Fisher Meadows, while the Connecticut Forest and Park Association received $498,400 for the Blue-blazed Trail System, a conservation corps and Connecticut Trails Day. East Lyme was awarded $405,000 for Darrow Pond improvements, and Avalonia Land Conservancy received $355,750 for an accessible trail at Cedar Wood Preserve. Bridgeport will get $180,000 to plan the Old Mill Green Pathways project.

Accessibility is a recurring priority. The package includes $294,880 for an ADA trail at Arbor Acres in Glastonbury, $156,240 for accessibility improvements at Copp Family Park in Groton and $122,250 for accessible work at Greenwich’s Pomerance and Tuchman parks. According to the state, 25 of the 50 projects are in or serve distressed municipalities and environmental-justice communities.

## What the grants can cover

Connecticut’s [trail network](https://portal.ct.gov/deep/outdoor-recreation/trails/ct-recreational-trails?ref=theamericanquorum.com) includes more than 2,000 miles of multi-use trails and bike paths. State [guidance](https://portal.ct.gov/deep/outdoor-recreation/trails/recreational-trails-guidance?ref=theamericanquorum.com) allows grants to support stand-alone project phases and favors routes serving more than one user group, such as walkers, cyclists, equestrians or motorized users. Eligible work can include bridges, trailheads, parking, drainage, signs, benches and disability access, not just the path surface itself.

The current round also includes design work for closing an East Coast Greenway gap in East Hartford, an Air Line State Park Trail wayfinding project, a Housatonic Rail Trail project in Monroe and planning for the Oxoboxo Heritage Multi-Use Path and Thames River Blueway in Montville. Those awards illustrate that the program is funding both immediate construction and the technical work needed before larger links can be built.

## Demand and accountability

The state said the program’s competitive review considered applications from municipalities, land trusts, nonprofits and public agencies. The Connecticut Greenways Council’s statutory role includes advising DEEP on grant selection and helping communities coordinate trail development and financing.

Use data helps explain the investment. A University of Connecticut [reporting hub](https://cttrails.uconn.edu/pubs/reports/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) lists the 2025 statewide trail count, published in April, while the governor’s announcement said counters recorded more than 2.7 million users at 27 monitored locations last year. That figure is a count of activity at monitored sites, not a census of unique people.

Grant announcements are the start of the process, not evidence that every trail is ready to open. Recipients must still complete design, permitting, procurement and construction requirements applicable to their projects. For residents, the practical effect will arrive on different timelines: some money pays for planning and outreach, while other awards can move physical improvements toward completion.