Glastonbury Bicycle Master Plan Appendix D: Recommended Off-Road Projects

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One of the stated goals of this plan is to create multi-purpose, off-road paths that can be used for recreation and transportation. Paths for recreational use will include both linear paths and loop paths. Some of these may be hard-surface paths, but they will also include paths improved with a stone dust surface suitable for hybrid and mountain bikes as well as for walking.

Ideally, paths providing transportation would be hard surface, contiguous paths extending from one end of town to the other, linking neighborhoods to community sites as well as providing safe, off-road routes for commuters and bicycle tourists. Due to practical considerations, at least initially, these routes will have to incorporate some on-road segments.

Several potential systems of paths have been identified for development. Two of these, which are discussed in more detail below, link a number of sites together and provide for cross-town transportation and connection to other towns and multi-use path systems.

The first, the Salmon Brook Path, extends east to west roughly parallel to Hebron Avenue for 5 miles from Buckingham Park to the Riverfront Community Center.

The second, the Connecticut River Path, extends north to south between Main Street and the Connecticut River for 5 miles from the Riverfront Community Center to Ferry Landing in South Glastonbury. Other areas having the potential for off-road recreational use include the Buckingham Reservoir Watershed in the northeast corner of town, the former Longo Farm property, and the Meshomasic State Forest in the southeast corner of town.

Salmon Brook Path

SB1 Buckingham Park to Harvest Lane:

This paved, multi-use path was built in conjunction with the realignment of
Hebron Avenue and is already in use. A connection is envisioned from the Buckingham Park to Heritage Drive to the north. Status – Completed

SB2 Harvest Lane to Bell Street:

This section will follow Harvest Lane from Hebron Avenue to the cul-de-sac at the end of the lane and then go off-road on town owned land, following Salmon Brook west to Bell Street. Connections are possible to the neighborhood north of the incorporating Shagbark, Bayberry and Gideon roads.

SB3 Bell Street to Smith School:

Crossing Bell Street, the path will continue on town owned land to the access road for the athletic fields at Smith School. A connecting path to Worthington Road already exists at this point. This section links to on-road access to the Charter Oak Greenway from both the Bell Street and Smith Middle School ends.

Other potential connections include a spur to Wesleyan Road, a side path to
Hebron Avenue School, and a path following the power lines north to connect with the Charter Oak Greenway. Status – currently in process; surveying is completed and the Town Engineering Department and Conservation Commission are collaborating on final details. This section is partially funded through the Town budget process. Additional funding is required and is being pursued. Status – Completed

SB4 Smith School to House Street:

The path follows the Smith School access road to Addison Road then, after crossing Addison Road, continues west on Eastern and Western Boulevards.
Further development in the industrial park will provide the opportunity to create an off-road link from the end of Western Boulevard west to town owned land on the south side of Nye Road.

SB5 House Street to Riverfront Community Center:

At the present time the only practical alignment of this section of path is on-road. In the future it may be possible to cross under Route 2 and follow Salmon Brook behind the Glen Lochen retail complex to Main Street. The on-road route will include House Street, Salmon Brook Drive, New London Turnpike and Naubuc Avenue. On road markings and signs encouraging bicycle safety will be especially important in this area because of the congestion and traffic in this part of town.

SBX Other Potential Connections:

1. A link going northeast from Buckingham Park to Line Street and Gardner Street in Manchester would provide an additional connection to bicycle paths in Manchester and points east;
2. An off-road link between Hebron Avenue School School and J.B. Williams Park may be feasible;
3. When the bicycle community is successful in its campaign to get a bicycle lane added to Putnam Bridge, a connection from the bridge to the Riverfront Community Center will be needed.
4. Goodwin College has plans for trails on property it owns in the Great Meadows of the Connecticut River north of the Putnam Bridge providing a potential link north into East Hartford Community Center will be needed.

Connecticut River Path

CR1 Riverfront Community Center to Town Hall:

This section is already included in the plans for development of the Riverfront Park. A small spur connecting to Main Street at Rankin Road has already been constructed. A further extension off-road may be possible on town owned land and a small segment of private land south to Meadow Road.

CR2 Town Hall to Old Cider Mill:

Although it would be attractive to remain off-road and have the path traverse the Glastonbury Meadows, this land is principally in private ownership and is used extensively by sportsmen and agricultural interests. Accordingly, it is not anticipated that an off-road path for this section will be feasible in the foreseeable future. Fortunately, Main Street is wide and not heavily traveled along this stretch. Future repair and rebuilding of Main Street will provide opportunities to widen the road where necessary and incorporate designated on-road bicycle lanes.

Alternative on-road routes are feasible along Hubbard Street and Buttonball Lane which have the added benefit of providing connections to Hubbard Street Green, Glastonbury High School and Buttonball school.From the intersection of Main Street and Route 17 an off-road path on the west side of the road running south to the Old Cider Mill would be feasible, however, additional state approvals would be required since Route 17 is a state highway

CR3 Old Cider Mill to High Street School:

The existence of town owned land at Earle Park, behind the Red Hill development and at High Street School suggests the possibility of building an off-road path in this area.  This is particularly important because Route 17 south of the Old Cider Mill is narrow and poorly suited for bicycle use.

The challenge will be to find an acceptable route across private land in the area of Stockade Road to connect with the path incorporated into the recently approved design for the Tryon Farm development.  One alternative may be to terminate the path on Stockade Road where the town already owns several parcels.  Another alternative may be to direct the path toward Pease Lane.

CR4 High Street School to Ferry Landing:

High Street, Tryon Street and Ferry Lane are relatively low traffic, semi-rural roads that are already popular with cyclists, joggers and walkers. They provide a final on-road link to Ferry Landing and the ferry to Rocky Hill.

CDX Other Potential Connections:

1. A path already exists from Buttonball Lane School to Founders Road giving access to the neighborhood roads in the Buttonball area.  Additional connections are proposed off of Old Stage Road to Brittany Road and from Brittany Road to the High School athletic fields;
2. Continuing along Tryon Street from Ferry Lane to Olds Maid Lane provides an on-road link to the new elementary school being built on Old Maids Lane.

Buckingham Reservoir Watershed

With the cooperation of the property owner it may be possible to develop a system of paths suitable for use by hikers and mountain bikers. This area already is traversed by Coop Sawmill Road which provides a connection to Birch Mountain Road in Manchester. It may also be possible to develop a path that connects Mountain Road in Glastonbury to Line Street / Gardner Street in Manchester.

Connecticut State Forest

The State of Connecticut owns a significant area of forest land in the southeast corner of town. The town has recently acquired adjoining land. Some of this land may be suitable for development of passive recreational use including hiking and mountain biking. There currently exists an abandoned section of New London Turnpike north of the present Route 2 right of way which might be incorporated into a path providing a connection from Toll Gate Road to roads in Marlborough.

Funding

Initial funding for off-road projects will be directed to CR1 – Riverfront Community Center to Town Hall and SB3 – Bell Street to Smith School.  These projects are on town owned land,  are centrally located and will provide an opportunity to showcase the benefits of multi-purpose off-road paths to the general public.