Trails Committee - Special Meeting

Sorry missing voting else. Is Bob coming? Um he wasn't sure. He initially thought the meeting was yesterday. So I told him it was today. So I'm not sure. Okay. Let's see. I'm ahead of the um pass on our town report. Bob, please tell us. Good evening everyone. Hi. Hi Joe. Hi Kevin. Hi Paula. Hi Lynn. Good to see you all. I um I don't know if you guys had a chance to see. I um just to put all my just to put all my thoughts together, I threw it down on paper quickly, you know, just to just to have it um to reference. Um but I I'm mean I know Joe, I know you saw the study, Kevin, I assume you you and Paula did, too. Uh yeah, I I want to talk to you about the the the and I sent it to Joe. I mean the the the East Coast Greenway draft, right? Yeah, we should talk about that. And then there was the second email I think you included that too of the um the uh uh you know the one from Caitlyn about outreach and all of that kind of stuff. That's right. Yeah. I figured it would be good to talk about that just to get see what you guys think. Yeah. And Yeah. So you want you want to talk about this? I mean I have some comments on it. I have not gone through it in detail. Um because well because I want I started looking at it then I had sort of the same reaction one of the other people had. I I mean I think there's a lot in it but I mean go give me and then I started looking at your comments and your comments were actually to the study itself which is great but I didn't take the time to go through it all. Um, so why don't you do this map and then I'll give you my major comment. My my my two major comments is one is just the

organization of that thing. I think they need to, you know, have a table of contents. They need to take the sort of beginning stuff, beginning stuff and then the final route and put that at the front and everything else needs to be in appendices. They don't need all this. Oh, studies. Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. So, here's how we started and here's what we did. Yeah, I was. Yeah, they had me confused. Yeah. Yeah, we had things here that were totally wrong. But but Rob, it looks like you've done something very nice here. So, why don't you go through it and Yeah. So, do you want me want me to just go through my my update first and then and then talk about the Okay, then. Yeah, of course. Yeah, the East Coast Greenway study is the first thing on my list. So, um, so I just just like Kevin said, I I did do a review. I mean, I I I didn't read the out of town sections. I mostly focus on the Bloomfield sections. And and my goal was to make sure they were capturing, you know, what we're doing, you know, what what we're in design for, which is three projects. um because two of the projects were really not even identified in the study that the two lots projects which are town center to high school and Tyler Street to Rockwell Park. So they're they're going to you know they're going to take care of that. Um I mean th those were those were really my biggest concerns. I think I'm at the end of the I'm at the end of the report right now. But I Joe, I know you had some questions on on some of the maps they show and and you know they they you know they they put this this is the first map in the study. You know it's missing a gap in the in the East Coast greenway and it's not the current alignment. I mean I think they got the hint. Well go to go to that last map you had. Is that what the final proposal is?

That was the very last page. Yeah. That's in their study. Yes. Okay. And what are the numbering pieces? Um those are those are um relate to status of sections of trail. So the numbers correspond to this table and it identifies it identifies where projects are or where they currently stand. Okay. So so go down to the final thing because this is where I was having real trouble interpreting this. So the what is see what is the preferred you get to Hartford and it appears that they punted and they have two preferred alternatives. Is that correct? So let me see if I can zoom in here. Yeah, there you go. So, they have It's hard to even tell where you are on this. Okay. All right. So, here's There's us. There's Toby. Yeah. Right. Right. So, that's Toby Road. The the the green horizontal dash is is where we end on Toby Road. And then actually, can I can I just stop you for Is that where we end or is that Yeah, I guess it is. It is. Yep. It is Toby Road. Okay. The thing up there is is Cottage Grove, right? Okay. The feds didn't want us um I'm trying I just want to they didn't want us ending the trail where there's no connection point. Right. Right. Um so they they asked if we could pull it back to Toby Road and since they were paying for it. I said sure, why not? Um, so yeah, so this this shows the Griffin line, um, you know, all the way to Route 44 and then and then into

downtown and and then a spur um through Keeny Park. Um, but which is the preferred route? I I I believe that Am I messing you guys up here? I'm trying to get full screen. No, that's fine. Oh, that's fine. Okay. I believe I believe that the Griffin line is the preferred route, but that study is still not complete. However, I think the my my impression and and I got this from the meeting you and I went to, Kevin, the last the last um East Coast committee meeting. My impression with Harford, is that I think they're focusing on Key Park just because it's lowhanging fruit for them. It's it's a it's an easy place to build a trail and they can do it without, you know, a lot of money, without a lot of rightway, um without a lot of effort. So, that green Yes, that's the green line. The one from 6 to 9. Where does it go from? It goes from the University of Harford. No, no, it's like Homestead Avenue maybe. It's like it was like behind you know where the that's where that's at the end of the University of Hartford where the old used car dealership used to be which is some kind of performing arts center I think. So it's it's 44. Yeah. Wow. Okay. And so and what's the red line going? Where is Well, that's that's what's confusing because that's the Griffin line. Is it? I don't think it is. I think it's going into uh Well, it's the Griffin line up down to like Homestead maybe or or Albany Avenue, right? The Griffin line becomes very difficult south of Albany Avenue from what I've from what they say. Well, it's narrow. There's no Yeah, there's no rightaway um south of that. The rideaway becomes narrow, right? And and there's a

point at which in the Griffin Line study, you have to cross over. I mean, it's like to get a rail trail, you're going to have to cross, you know, cross those streets somewhere. But I mean, I talked to I talked to Mark Juul today, um, you know, from VHB and and, you know, he he reiterated that, you know, they're still pushing for Harford to construct the Griffin line and connect to the University of Hartford at I can't think of the name of the street there to the south. Um, what's the name of that road? Oh, planefield street. Planefield Street. So, so that's that's the current plan to connect to the University of Harford is on off the Griffin line at Planefield Street. I I believe it's it's it's this red dash. I can't zoom. This red dash at number seven here is Planefield Street. And that that that goes um to the University of Harford. So Harford's in flux, you know. So let's go back to Bloomfield, right? Yeah. And um just just so you guys know, I um I I got an email from Jackie from IQ. Yes. Because she's very interested in what we're doing. Um because I think she, you know, she wants to be on the same page as us. So, I agreed to to meet with her. I forget when that meeting is, maybe next week. Um, so I'll have an update for you on that meeting. I quote is the 14 to 17 section there to the rivers from the Yeah. What What are they pushing? They might go over the top. I I'm not I'm not sure what her mission is. I I I know they I thought they've built Haven't they built some sections of trail light right along the

river? Has that been there? I don't think so. Oh, the the riverfront recapture has Right. Maybe that's So, so the whole section you see there from 16 Well, or from I don't know what, Joe. 16 16 down to 12. Well, it goes back behind there to Riverside. Riverside Park. I' I'd have to look at a different map. There's a bike. Oh, yeah. you you if you drive into Riverside Park, you can walk or bike into Harford. Okay. Um and you know, and then they have elevators at the uh stairs by the uh Founders Bridge. That would be the alternative to the 14 to 17 route, which I think is the eye that goes over the top of Hartford. Yeah. I think that 14 to 17, that's a very difficult route. Yeah. Because it's right to the heart of the city. Yeah. So my thing about this and you remember this at the meeting and I I apologize. I Rob, I had meant to get in touch with you after that meeting we went to because that was back in March. That was March 19th. And I was just, you know, they couldn't give us an answer about what was going on in Harford. We have this map which you have the Toby Road connector which is what we sort of said we thought was going to be our preferred route because we thought that was how they were going to go just down the Griffin line or you know till then get on to Albany or Homestead or whatever. Um, but we also have the piece which I don't think you is on this map, right? He's going out to Rockwell. That's that's one, you know, one of the two pieces. Well, I asked that's what I added that asked them to add, right? So So I what I would like to see in this study is I would like us to add what we're doing to rock. Well, I would like to see us connect from four

to nine basically because we're building part of that anyway. We always said we're going to build the connector anyway. And it's just like I see no reason to this whole section from five to 17 or 16 or 14 down into Hartford. I just question it's ever going to get built. Right. I I I agree. I mean, especially if if Harford's focusing on Keeny Park, um, you know, might have a better chance to make the we might have a better chance to make the connection through through the trolley line to Rockwell Park. Yeah. The other is go from Rockwell Park to the uh the bridge across to South Windsor, which is quite a South Windsor or Windsor goes from Windsor to South Windsor, doesn't it? Yeah, but we're we're down in Windsor here. We're way south. So, I know, but from Rockwell Park, I mean, I'm talking about going along um Oh, there we alignment. These are some of the other maps. This is the Griffin line. Yeah. You see this? This is where we are. I mean, you see the Mount Vick I mean that's the cemetery. Oh yeah. Here's Albany A. So yeah. I I No, I'm talking about Yeah. Can you lower that or is that just Oh, that's the entire map. I'm sorry. Go ahead. I'm coming up. Can I ask Cottage Grove? I I always thought we should have a a a bike path going along Cottage Grove out through the bridge. I I have bicycled that route and it just would be makes sense to me to have that that bike

path which would of course take us to the river and uh but it could be part of the if Yeah. If you wanted to connect that way is once you get once you get to uh uh Rockwell, you might as well go back over and and have it go all the way to to win to the you know cuz it's going to connect to that hold. See see what the ri the Joe Maruji walkway. Yeah. When Paul and I walk that. Yes. Um that's going to be a bike trail. That's going to be a bike trail and then you know that's right behind the um the um it it's connecting to landfill the landfill. But yes, but can I may my permission to speak? Yes. So that's being extended up into Windsor by Riverfront Recapture. And it's going to be connected to some existing trail in Windsor like a mile mile and a half of trail that's by that bridge. I think that's what he's talking about. So, but someday we're going to have wanted to have a cross trail going from Yes. from West Harford right through Sydney and then all the way to South Wind over the bridge. And I mean that makes a lot of sense, but that would also might be an alternative for this thing. Well, it is. I mean, what they have us doing now is see that Toby Road, they've got this they've got this V because what's going to happen is they probably will build the trail down to the to the Mark Twain Street or whatever that street is, and then they'll go up park and it's like that's probably what they'll Yeah, that that's that's a probably what will what could happen, right? Yeah, you're right. And and I'm fine with that in terms of connectivity for us. I mean, I think we should build that anyway. I mean, I, you

know, you're building the piece to Toby Road. I think that's essential. I think as Joe has always advocated for getting connecting University at Harford, that's one of the things we've always talked about with the bike trail. Yeah. But I just think for preferred route, we should back up now and say, well, we're going to go to, you know, the end of Tyler Street on Cottage Grove and then we got two two trails. One of them's going to go over here to Toby Road and if you go in that way, that's fine. And the other's going to go over and connect to Windsor and the Joe Maruji Walkway because quite honestly, I think that'll get built a lot earlier. But the point of the East Coast Greenway is supposed to go through the cities. Well, it would still go through the city, but it would it would it would not go through the it would not go through the middle of the city. It would go down by the found it. Yeah. Yeah. It go by the river. Go by the river. And they have those elevators there to take bicycles up to the Constitution Plaza. Okay. They do. They do. We do. Okay. Can we get Can we get to Bowl again? Sure. Sure. Let me just I just got I'm getting a call from Congressman Larson right now and he's leaving this long voice message. Stop him. Yeah, there we go. He He must He must talk to you about your social security. Yeah. All right. So, here's Bloomfield. start anywhere but maybe now. There you go. So there this is what I was saying that you know the originally the the plan was to go around the east side of Kapaco but you know we're we we made the decision to go around the the west side. I think those were two alternatives that were discussed. Right. Yeah, the other one too. The SA

S1 A and S1B. Let me let me get [Music] What's S1B? Well, those were those ones. they were marked on those different. So this this is yeah this this this is more like what we're actually doing on this map you know from from um you know from Senica Road to Crest View through the high school through the middle or through the high school back out to Park Avenue and then and then they they're missing this little piece that goes by the middle school and and human services down Tyler Street, Cottage Grove, Goodman and and then along the rail and along the rift in line to Toby Road. Okay. So, that's fine. But then but then you have the blue trail that goes out. Yeah. They have that's that's the one that you were talking about, Kevin, right? But but they don't they don't show Well, yeah. This is They do show the lower blue. Yeah. The aqua. Yeah. The the lighter blue. Yep. Yep. Green and blue. Yeah. That's the other one. We want to build that and connect to that Keeny Park. Right. Right. And I've never really seen any detail on on the alignment past Rockwell Park. You know, I don't I don't know where this actually goes. I mean, I could see it goes by, you know, the cemetery, but I don't know how they get there. But, you know, that that's, you know, that's that's the next round of of TA. We I mean, I think when the next round comes out, we'll have to have a conversation. Do we apply for that or do we apply for Day Hill the Town Center? No. Well, uh, if if Harford hasn't decided what they're doing, we might I I think we Yeah. Keep it in town. Yeah. Know the end point of that one. Yeah. Well, and I think what's important I mean Yeah. I think what's important is that you get this other route on that

map. So what's put out like going back to that last map you have with the numbers on it the one near the end of the study. Oh yeah this is I you know I think that uh yeah I think what's important is that this map also show essentially a route between you know this that comes off between three and four. I mean from that other map that comes off between three and four goes down Rockwell to Mount Benedict and connects over to Nine. Maybe we don't know exactly how but you know I think you you've just ruined it. You know that would have Yeah. I mean I think the point of this map is is to show preferred alignments. Um but but if Harford gets two, we get two. Yeah. Right. Good point. I mean, it's crazy. If there should be one path. Yeah. Could you go back to that other map and tell me what the heck that dark blue line is? It goes on 178. I have never seen that before. Yeah. I don't know what that is. That's not the current East Coast alignment, is it? No. No. No. Right. I think there was, you know, there was one point I think, you know, there was one point at which they did a uh there was some idea of going out through the industrial sector and I think they scored it. It could probably go away, but you know, it's an altering. The point is right now we're doing and I don't know why there are three of them. I don't know why there's a yellow, an aqua, and a green that all go out, you know, and get to the same point there, right? because they just seem to be lying on top of each other. Do you know why there are three of them? I mean the the purple, light blue. Right there. The

green aqua and the yellow. They seem to be three of them. Yeah. But we need one path there and that needs to connect to the Keiny Park thing. And and right now I would just go I it's out going out Cottage Grove. I would just continue up Cottage Grove to what's the street you turn on man talk or whatever. Right. Yeah, you you go out, you know, if you go out Cottage Grove and go past the cemetery. Okay. And there is a road in Windsor right before you get right before you get to the 91 91. I think it's manage like that. Okay. So that that would um I mean yeah that we would build the trail kind of on the alignment they're showing the blue and the green the light blue and the green to the town line and then right then there have to be a little section Windsor. Yeah. Yeah. But but I think that should be in that map. I mean that's you know that's the thing I I'm I'm sort of concerned about is that and of course probably what they're going to say is well Windsor hasn't been a part of this blah blah blah. Why wouldn't the trail just come through this park here? It could. We you know we have a third ownership. That's the road. Yeah. What's that? We have a third ownership of this park. Oh really? It I don't know I don't know what it's called in Windsor but it's you know it's the north side of Keeny Park. Hey, can I Paula Paula Paula? Okay. Um, if that's the is it a wildlife management area or it's it's the same. Yeah, there's I know there's some concern about um listed species there. There could be because of the habitat. Yeah. Mhm. That also but but but but also that park the end of that where it connects to Keeny

that's where the zoo and the racetrack used to be. That's cool. Sorry. What was saying? Do we have a third ownership? They said that. Yeah. Why? I don't know. That's great. Don't argue about it. It's not Oh, it's Oh, it's this this is what we own. See, it's this the it's this property here that we have third ownership. State of Connecticut, Town of Windsor, and Town of Bloomfield, not not this. See, that goes right into Kenny Park. Yeah, that I mean, it seems like that should be where the where the connection is through through these parks. See, that's the road I was actually, if you back it up a little, that's the road I was talking about, Manatuk Avenue. Yeah, which is Manitou Park. That's okay. I think that's the state park is managed to that's where the weird beetles are because of the sand dudes. Ah, okay. Some type of rare beetle. I think Fed, but there's an old there's there's an old defunct zoo back there. Can I Are we Are we done with that a little bit? Can we go back to the other end of what we're planning and go through this how it goes through the center? And that's something that really concerns me. All right. So, oh that's it. That's more on that's more on this map. We rearranged some roads there. Well, that's what I want to talk about. I'm first I I was told by our center uh economic development committee they refused to dead end that road because they went at the church because they want to keep it open for trucks which seems like the most ridiculous thing to me. I mean we're going to be building this whatever we build there for 10 years is this new information? No, that's not

much included in the plan. The plan dead ends that road. Yes. No, it does. But they don't want to do it right away. They want to wait until all the buildings. Oh. Oh. So, they want to do it, but they want to do it, but just sequencing phas and that's going to be five 10 years, which doesn't make sense to me because of trucks. Trucks can go in there from other directions. They don't need to go in in Wenbury, that end of win. And u I'd like to see that dead end to be part of our bike path. Our bike path I think uh I think it is I think our plan for the northern stretch ends at the church congregational church on the side of that church and and should go right across the the wherebury but not where there is no win road anymore where the dead end is. um and then continued down past the cemetery on Tungstus uh opposite the uh park, Philly Park, and then cut in after the cemetery at some point and go over to the railroad tracks um alongside the tracks. And I think that's what we've kind of been talking about as a plan. But going through the center after it crosses the uh uh this dead end of of Wbury um which would be a convenient thing for us to have dead ended so we can put the we can't do the bike path until they do it dead ended and u then it continues on next to the green up to the intersection um with Park Avenue and then takes a left on that side of Park Avenue and continues down with with Rob's permission. Um as part of the plan for the

uh development there uh if we get the bike path in their plan goes right down and connects to uh the to the high school trail. And is there a problem with that other than having a part of the uh plan for the economic development of the center? I mean, it looks to me the, you know, these the orange, light blue, and purple or or I guess it's magenta, maybe all follow the Griffin line until you hit Wittenberry Avenue and then the the magenta and and light blue go down Jerome and then Senica and that would connect to our town center trail. And the orange is is the entirely on the Griffin line. And then of course there's this wood woodland avenue option. But the preferred alignment they show going entirely down the Griffin line. Yeah. But that's not true. I mean that's not our preferred line. Right. Right. So we we need to tell them we need to tell them that. And but we would have it leave the Griffin line at the uh north of the center and come across uh north of the cemetery and connect uh to Tungstus and then France go next to the cemetery and next the congregational church and then across where Glenberry dead end is. And I I think it should just go up to uh if if we can get it in the the plans of the uh for the economic development plans for the center. Um have it go right along um

Park Avenue, right? To me or the other way. We always thought of this as showing it should go through the center. Right. Right. I agree. And I I just wonder what problems you you might see in doing that question. There are no problems because we're we're planning to redo that whole area anyway. So it' be good to get into their plans. So I I I agree with that exactly what you're saying, but but at the same time, you know, what you what's nice here is if you don't have the center done and you are rearranging things and it's not built and go around it. Well, yeah, cuz just get off at Mills Lane. Yeah. Go down Woodland, catch Craig and catch Craigmore off Windenbury and do that for a shortterm detour. It's only like four blocks and then you don't have to, you know, if you leave that till later, but then when they build it, put the bike lane in the right place. You put a spur in that that connects with the development. But I'm I'm talking about temporary. I'm just saying if you if you're going to do all this work in the center and you don't know exactly what the timing or phasing is for the short term you go down to Mills Lane then you take you know you turn on to Mills go to Woodland go down Woodland to Whittenberry turn on Wood Whitenberry go to Craigmore and then pick it back up over Park Avenue at the high school. Um so you you can do that as a shortterm as Yeah. Well, that was that was that was a different I'm talking about doing on the side of the road type of thing. Yeah, I'm just talking I'm just talking about this is a fourb block detour until we get the thing built, you know, if the timing doesn't work. Um, so this is so that that that was another that that one

on the purple one. I think that's your 78. Yeah. Anyway, can I ask a question? Yeah. No, just so it looks like the preferred route is going through land trust parcels. It's going through Evans. Yeah. Is it going through Cable? No. Okay. So, because we also the the blue the preferred is the orange. Oh, preferred is orange. Okay. And the N1 was the one that would have gone on the other side on but we are going through but we are going through Capewell or not Capewell through Evans. Although I got to admit now I'm very happy we're not going through Reservoir 3. Oh yeah. because of the birdie. Oh yeah. Oh. Oh, you're saying in one doesn't No, no, we're doing in two. I know that's preferred, but but we She was just asking in one at one point when you that what's labeled reservoir Rob for your benefit. What's labeled reservoir 3? Yeah, it is until you get all the way up to like the end where it starts. Keep going right there. That's not Reservoir 3 anymore. That's land trust property called Cape Green. Oh, okay. So, that's a land trust property. Okay. Just that very end. Yeah. And and it considers over the rest of Adams. That would that be a problem? No, I don't think so. Well, the only problem I have now is there's a lot more activity going on out at the Reservoir 3 relative to birds at the top of the Well, no, down at the bottom. Cross over down at the bottom. Although I think the the plan was to cross over at the dyke and that was going to be a problem because they didn't the D doesn't want people on their dikes. M although I think that would work fine and I don't think it would be particularly uh I think but we're not doing that right now.

This this looks a lot to me like the spillway. This this zigzag that's what I'm trying to do. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Okay. You got state listed now up further on N1 further north. Um it it goes along. See it? I think it's correct there. It goes along Tungstus. Yeah. And and doesn't have that stretch on what's that road called? Dehill. There's another. So we eliminate the stretch that's already built on Deill and you know the BC there is a spur over the parking lot. Yeah. So if we chose to use that alternative, it would not do that. But so that's correct. There's pl there's plenty of right away there too. But as Paul as Paul said, there are stateless birds in the reservoir three. So So anyway, I I I I what I care most about is that the center section show the preferred route uh going as I described it so that it could the plan and then we'll have the temporary bypass. Uh, did we get all that? Kevin, do you think you Kevin, would you be able to elaborate on that back to Caitlyn because I think you understand it better than I do. Yeah. Yeah. I I I can I I'll draft something and send it to you and Joe and make sure agreement. Thank you. Um, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah, I was because we wanted to go into the center, but there's all this activity in the center. It's sort of hard right now because yeah, the whole center plan is going to take a long time. Okay. Okay. Um you want Do you want to talk about

Caitlyn's email uh you know regarding um public outreach? Yes. Can you you put that in your email? Can you pull that up? I will. Yeah. because I started to look at that and I thought, well, we're meeting so we could and Joe, I sent this to you. Yeah, you did. Thank you. Oh, it was just a um Hey, there you go. Just pasted it into the bottom of the email. Yeah, there you go. So, um, they're looking for events to, you know, spread the word on the study and and they, you know, they even identified, you know, one of our events as a possibility next month. Is that something you'd be interested in in having them come attend? They said July 10th. Is that I mean that's that's coming up really quick. July June 22nd. I I don't know that they can I don't know that they can scramble that quickly. That's the only problem. have a meeting that anyway. So, I'm not I don't think we'll have one. I don't think that one's going to be possible. No. So, I was weren't going to have a meeting until at least August if then, but maybe we could have one to to shoot them. Yeah. Okay. And we want to do this for the public. Yeah. We might have a meeting in 3:30 and invite the public. Yeah, you like and that would be great because that would help the committee out too. Okay. So, you're in favor of that? Actually, Paul has a comment. Yeah. And and and you because you're a counselor, you may be able to get around this. It's hard to schedule anything at 3:30 park because of summer camp. Oh, this would be an evening. Oh, evening. Well, or late late after. Yeah. Actually, you can probably pull it off. We have a hard time doing

anything now. I know some people. I know you do. I do, too. But it doesn't matter. It matters for him. Well, does this is a public outreach meeting. This This is sort of takes a priority. It would. We could always do it. We could always do it at public works, too. I mean, it it we have that muster room with a big screen TV. It It could work there if 3:30 park is booked. We had a good when we did when we had when they had I don't think you were here yet when we had the first we we we had one you know when they were doing this trails committee. Yes. Um uh we had pretty good turnout when they study and there are a lot of people interested in this know they don't know where your place is. So yeah. So um so I I I suspect we can get a room there sometime. We just have to schedule it for time that we can get. And so what is she looking for? She's looking at it. When does she want it this month? August 30 days and and I can give them I can give them the process on on I mean Oh. So assuming this process starts in August, September. Okay. So, should we try to have the public session on this in July or early August? Yeah, sounds like it. They I the end of July is fine with me. Okay. We can pick any date that's convenient for them and us remember or travel. So, of course. Yeah, we're going the very one week at the end of July, early August. Wow. You don't have to be. I know you do have to be there. Um Okay.

I I'll I'll have them give us some dates. Um Okay. I'll inquire about getting 330 park because I think that would be the best place because we've done they know where that is. They've done it before. Okay. Right. And then yeah, once it's done, the mutual municipal endorsement, um, I think that would be the council. Yeah, I mean, I think the TBZ would be very happy to endorse it, but I think it's really the council. I would invite the whole council for that. So, yeah, that would be a Yeah, I think we just do it at a I don't know if council would want to re refer it to the trails committee or or or Oh, no, it doesn't matter. Oh, you mean endorse it or or could they just endorse it without a referral? Just just go straight to council. Well, if we have our that a meeting um with the town like a hearing done by the trails committee that to council. Okay. That that's sounds like what they want. So this would give them a exposure to everybody in town. We'll make a big thing out of it. Okay. It's hard to do in August, but right. Well, they said August or September. I mean, if we did if we do the public meeting late July, early August, we have trails committee meeting, I think, in September before count. Is it before council? We could do that, too. But I I would I'm worried about the the the public meeting in August because nobody's around in July probably. So I but I think that's where we're starting. Well, I'll just I'll just communicate with you guys, you know, if we could do

it. Keep you in the loop. Would be ideal for town participation. Okay. I mean, if we had the first week in September and we could go to the town council at the first second Monday in September is is a council meeting and that'd be a good target. So, we had our meeting the first week at 3:30 park, but they may not want to wait that long. That way we get the most participation. You guys mind if I jump to um the update? Nope. Go ahead. Um can you see this? Can you see the um word doc? Yep. Yeah. Okay. We have copies of it too. Okay. Um so so we discussed the east coast greenway um the town center to high school project um you know the purchase order I think you guys know the purchase order was issued to our designers BL who's one of our on calls in March um you know they they completed the wetland flagging the survey work um started working on a preliminary engineering phase that we included in their scope to evaluate um you know the trail on the north side of Park Avenue. So, we we actually met with them out there the end of end of May to get a really close look at it and then we followed up with a meeting with DOT to talk about the the rail crossing. It and it I mean it's going to be tricky that there's not a lot of room to fit it on the north side, but there's there's a chance we might be able to. Um, so we're

we're still pursuing it um to to try to squeeze it in on the north side. I'm glad that you're pursuing that because the kids all walk on that side anyway. So uh yeah. Well, that that's the that's the motivation, right? Um so we're going to keep we're going to keep pushing it. um you know they're they're they're um you know looking at a road diet in conjunction with you know a roadside trail um you know trying to capture any space we can capture to fit the trail in. That's great. I mean worst I'm hoping worst case is if if we just can't make it work we'll we'll put a five foot sidewalk on that side of the road so at least the kids will be safe. Yeah. So that that's that's kind of where we're at with the town center to high school, the the the Tyler Street to Rockwell Park. Um almost before you leave that first stretch, when do you think we'll be able to put some asphalt down? Um I mean, so their BL's schedule has them um completing the design um including Prague and state review by February of next year. Um, you know, that's So, um, potentially, you know, potentially next year. Oh, okay. It's always the next year. Yeah, it's next year. What's that movie um that where they say two weeks and never when's it going to be done? Um, but the the the big hurdle, the railroad is the big hurdle on on the town center. getting getting across the railroad and dealing with a run that's not even used. Yeah. Right. I know. I know. And and the the the operator of that railroad is going to be changing soon. It's not going to be AJ or or Central New England Railroad anymore.

Um, the state, I think I told you guys, the state advertised um because the the current contract is is expired and they keep giving AJ one-month extensions, but they have they have a a new rail operator lined up to take over operation of the Griffin line. And it's it's a it's a big railroad company. It's it's I I don't know that this is public yet, but it's it's Jennese in Wyoming. And what's their intent? I have no idea. I don't know why they're interested in this. I wonder if Bloomfield can ban them somehow. Yeah. Uh good luck with that. Keep destroying our trees. So um anyway, so you Joe, you're good with with Tyler with um Town Center. Thank you. Yeah. Um Tyler to Rockwell, we're in a very similar place. um that that design is being done by VHB. Um we gave them a PO the end of March. Um you know they've completed the survey, the wetland flagging. We we met with them also on May 30th, coincidentally um to talk about the preliminary design. And we've also um been in conversation with Eversource to start the license agreement process because we're going to need that. And and I I've literally been emailing Eversource for six months and they finally I finally got a response. My email chain is is like I must have had like 12 emails to them. It's crazy. Oh, you need a license from Eversource because they own the trolley line. Yeah, that's a right away. And simil the good news is we we did the exact same thing on the first phase of the greenway, right? We we have a license agreement with them there. So I I think they should be, you know, more than willing

to yours too. Just saying. But um yeah, there was some concern when we tried to use that way before that houses were so close. It wasn't that wide. It's not the Yeah, there it's in the backyards of of houses on on um Rockwell and I forget the street to the north. Maybe a couple. Yeah. But that's just beyond the out their backyard. Roy, right? But but it's wide. I think I think the trolley rideway is is about 50 feet wide. It's there's plenty of room there. Okay. Maybe 40. Um the Harford Town line to high school. um you know that that's the that's the big project. Um I I I received um the consultant selection approval from DOT on May 8th. So we're moving forward with with BL um companies um for that project. Um we had a field walk assignment meeting so so they could start working on defining the scope of the project. We we just had that last week. Um, and it's going to take them a while. They they they they wanted me like three weeks to four weeks to put the scope together. Um, because it's it's it's a you know, it's we're we're looking at an $800,000 design fee for this project, believe it or not. Pretty close to it. With all the rights away and takings and and mapping it, it's going to be an expensive design. Railroad crossing, too. What's that? And the railroad crossing. What's a road it ends? What's the road it's ending on? Not half of that. Toby road. Toby. Yeah. But we're not c We're actually not crossing the railroad with this project, believe it or not. Why?

Why wouldn't you cross with it? Makes it easier. You're going to make the next group cross. No. Oh, no. Because the the the um alignment stays on the east side of the Griffin line all the way down to Harford. Oh, it does? Right. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, it's not really it's not going to be in uh University of Hartford's side. It Yeah. Right. It won't be. University of Hartford doesn't doesn't want the trail going through their campus. I I think they're nuts. I think and they also one time wanted a road going along railroad tracks. They own a lot of land in Bloomville and I on that field walk I had an idea. So So the plan was to do a a um rail with trail right um from from Goodman Street, the end of Goodman to Toby Road. And after walking it last week, I started thinking like why? Because if we do that's an that's a horrible corridor to walk down or ride a bike down. And I don't know if you I'm sure you've seen that section of the Griffin line. It just looks atrocious. Um, so I I had the idea, well, why why put the trail on the railroad right away where we're going to be subject to all this crazy fencing that that the DOT is going to make us put up? It's just going to make bad look worse. Yeah. Like, let's be because we have the DOT the DOT's power of eminent domain. Let's put the trail in the field. We have to take the land away from there from from the owners of the field. I think it's it's the Capekco owners, right? What's what's that family? The Burkowitz. Burkowitz. They will give us our time. That Yeah. I mean, it just makes all the sense in the world. And And we're also talking about putting a

parking lot in down there at the end of Toby Road. Um Okay. Because the trail the trails you know, statewide lack parking. So, the department anytime they can find a spot to put a parking lot, they're in favor of it. So, now Rob, they're not they're not that they have no problem with the parking lot being located near a cannabis production facility. No, I think or you know, or a brewery. Well, the brew now the breweries are on down Toby, but that the Burkowitz property what they put what they have put on there is the cannabis growing facility which you know has to be indoors but you know should be That's right. That's right. It's right there. Yeah. But yeah, I don't I don't think anyone would even know it's there. Yeah. So So let me ask you a question because this came up at the TPC meeting. Um the the other the the university to Joe's pro point about they own a lot of land. The University of Hartford property that is on Cottage Grove and I can't remember 5 520 no 620 5 something 578 or 590 or something um you've obviously been talking to Mr. Cassidy. Yep. Yep. Um their um I don't know what he is their their engineer. I guess that's Jim Cassidy. Yeah. Yeah. He's a nice guy. Um he's a good guy. He seemed Yeah, he seems like he's very knowledgeable. Um there you go. Uh they he said you have been talking to them about the trail and Northwest Drive and etc. So do you want to talk about that? So they're they're developing Can you see? They have they have an application before the TPS. That's

right. That's right. They're looking to develop this. Can you see my screen here with the GIS pulled up? They're they're looking to develop this piece. Oh, so you've seen it. And and then um with access to Northwestern Drive, right? They they'd have a driveway on Northwestern Drive and they'd have a right in right out um driveway on Cottage Grove. Um, you know, I mean, I, you know, as my normal site plan review comments, you know, reduce impervious surface, you know, they they have flood plane out there, so there was concerns about that. They have to comply with our flood ordinance. Um, I I also want them to to install a sidewalk along their entire frontage. And I'm working with DOT to install the sidewalk in front of 533 with the traffic signal project. So then we'll we'll get, you know, we'll get almost what is that almost 700 feet of sidewalk in on on the south side of Cottage Grove there. Good man. That's good. Mhm. He he he made representation though that he had talked to you about this in relation to the greenway. I mean, and maybe he just is not completely aware. Maybe he was thinking of that sidewalk project relative to the greenway. Well, the so not Yeah, I think when the the greenway came up because he's also talking about developing this piece 499 and I don't you haven't seen they don't have an application. have an application for that. Right. Right. But but they he he's looking at this piece and I I that's when I told him, "Look, we're you know, our greenway trail is is going down Goodman Street, so you know, just be advised. We may be using we may be using the Goodman Street rideway for the multi-use trail." Okay. So, is the um between those two parcels the band there that's sort of is that a paper road? Is that

That's the Griffin line. That's the Griffin line. That's the train line. Okay. Yep. Yep. So, they aren't talking about putting any kind of extension of Goodland to the University of Hartford or any other road there. I I think they're I think the UN, you know, it's highly likely they're trying to monetize anything they can just cash in. I'm sure they don't want to do some development put fraternity houses or dorms or anything. Um I thought that would be a good economic development. Well, I think you're making the assumption that there's going to be hard for 10 years. Um I I'll any anything else on that? I'll move. Um so that uh where did I leave off? Tyler to Rockwell. Hartford. Yep. We talked about the Harford High School to town Toby Road. Actually, I I need to change that. And Town Center Day Hill, there's no there's really no change on that. Um it's just keeping my ears open for potential funding. Um and then complete street projects. There's been there's been a lot of movement. I'm sure you've all seen the contract contractor out on Blue Hills Avenue. He he's making great progress there. He's more or less about a third of the way done with construction. on that. Um, you know, that's a big time suck. You know, it's working with the department. Fortunately, you know, the grant pays for an inspector. So, I I basically have a full-time inspector working for me just for that project. Okay. Um, so what's going on with with this? The road diet. Oh, they're putting a road diet in. So, you know, the whole the whole project's been around when I was on council. Yeah, it's the complete streets. New sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, bike lanes. It's in two sections. Yeah. From from the Hartford

Town line to Britain Drive. Oh, that part. Okay. Is this project? Yep. Um School Street. Um that that's another one. Um you know, we gave VHB a PO. They they um you know, responded to the comments that Prague had. Um, and we got I got a commitment to fund from DOT back in January. And VHB is currently working on the design. They've got the survey done and and you know, they're progressing the plans to to the preliminary design stage. So that's that's well into design, too. Tungstus Avenues. Um, you know, we we had a bid opening uh in the end of March. Um Zisk Brothers from West Harford um was the low bidder and selected contractor and he's breaking ground next week. Oh wow. Yeah. Um and we're coordinating with Popeye's because they're messing up our messing up our projects. Not in a bad way, just you know just with their plans. We got to coordinate with them and make sure you know things get done you know in the right sequence. Is it This is on the other side though, isn't it? Yeah. But we're crossing we're crossing at the Midas. Um and and they're they're Yes, they are across the street from Midas, but our sidewalk runs along Midas and then crosses into Gistlers. Yeah, because this is this is what I asked about in terms of you know at this point we should be talking to the people at Alexander Manor about connecting there too. realize the timing of this. I I mean, you know, you mentioned this last time, but and well, that's they did they did take it upon themselves to build a trail in Park. Paul and Paul and I walked that on every day and and we were we were quite

impressed with it except that they use stone between vernal pools which was not but but I mean actually where is this trail? It's it's if you go so this is if you go you know Scott if you go into behind Philly park the the loop trail is called the Scott trail. Yeah. Then there there used to be a trail that would go over to Brewer Brewer Street. Yes. Before the cemetery clos Yeah. And it looked like that trail was like oh they've redone this trail. And so Paul and I walked it and you come out at Alex. It's very you know I Nice. I haven't I haven't walked it yet. I just heard about it from from June. No, no. Uh no permission to speak. I mean my my concern cheering CEC is more that kind of trail interruption is can be problematic for critters and particularly the type of material they used and it's between it's kind of like trap rock you know. Yeah. um between vernal pools you kind of worry about kind of it interfering with or at least I do the amphibian it would be helpful for somebody who's knowledgeable you know about that yeah Peter should go back and I mean just take a look at it but what they did what they did is actually a good thing for the community and we should be encouraging that except that except they should talk they should they should ask before they do they should be talking to Rob and they should ask first yes they should agreed yes um And the last the last thing on my list um and this I added I added it to the to the um update today um Maple Avenue only because you know that's getting pushed very hard by those residents and um I mean it's it's being designed but um we agreed um per the town manager's direction to install a temporary choker out there with with

those you know thin delineators those white posts with reflective strips. So, just a heads up, by July 1st, those should be in the ground in one location. It's it's in front of Lorie Julian's house, coincidentally. She'll be happy. She will be. I hope so. And that's that's all that's all I have. Anything? Um, we also had the Adams Hoskins, you know, the the I think that's a, you know, that's going to be a fall, that's a fall, let's look at it then to see what we can do in house. Okay. Thing, you know, when that's what you were talking about. So, yeah. Yep. And, um, but yeah, nothing no change on the the bike friendly application. I, you know, nothing's been done with that. that. Yeah, I think I think I think once we get quite honestly I think I think that's a good thing, but I think it's going to be a lot easier to do when all of these connectors to the school system are right. We're not ready for it yet. Despite what Steve thinks we're not I don't think we're ready for it. Pushing very hard. I I I I gotta have a ch chat with him now that I know him a little better and and you know see see get get them you know get him on the same page as us. Yeah we should be more interested in coach green. M well I think I think all again ultimately that a large part of that is education teaching kids how to ride bikes and I think once I I think once we have once we have and know it's going to be a while but once we have these connectors between the school system and the town center and the greenway that's going to make that just so much easier to do right exactly and you know

I agree I agree and I I I also think I also think now you I think we have the new superintendent and everything that's going on with the schools that I can see they're going to be much more interested in programs like this. She was very excited about the the you know the the East Coast Greenway going through the high school property. So that's encouraging. Can can I ask one more question before the map's gone? Yeah, that that second parcel um on Cottage Grove that um uh has and is thinking about developing. Can What's the acreage on that? Not 520, but the other one. Yeah. 4.99. 499. Just curious. Um 5.6. Got to be pretty wet. Yeah, it looks Yeah, everything over there is Y. Um, so, so, uh, I'm gonna, I'll write up a couple things for, but you can submit I, I'll just let you submit the comments to I'm going to send in one comment. I agreed with the woman who came back just said there's a lot in here, but, you know, it should be the first 30 pages should be what you want to read. Yeah. I mean, Kevin, if if you want to just mark it up with a red pen or a blue pen and and bring it in, I can scan it or just take pictures of it, you know, we can get it to them that way. That's the easiest thing. Okay. Yeah, I can I can probably scan I could take Yeah, I I I will whatever's easiest for you, you know, we can work pages here. That was so confusing. I Yeah, it was. Well, they they when they produced the Simsbury report, which I think is an appendix of this, so they said it in front I read the Simmons report because they came out with that a long time ago. Oh yeah. And we're very interested in the sim I mean Paul is on the wild scenic committee. So they were very interested in how the path was going to impact the

Farmington River and what they ended up doing in Simsbury going across the old bridge pylons and coming out by Big Y is much better solution. Um, but one of my comments then was you read this thing and they go through every step they did. It's like I really just want to see where you got to and then have all this other you stick it in the bag. Yeah, it's detail is great. It's interesting but get to the answer. So I had one question. Maybe it doesn't the the trail from Philly Park over to Duncaster Road. That was a big thing for a lot of people. Um Oh, yeah. Well, it's Is that dead? No. Well, let's see. Duncaster Road. It's hard. It's hard to get. It's the cemetery. Yes. Well, except that we may be able we may be able to go through Alexander. You know, we we need to see where because we didn't walk. We got to the back of Alexander Manor. You hit you hit the backyards of some houses, I think. Yeah. Yeah. But the cemetery. So, I did some research a long time ago on the cemetery and I put in a foyer request to get all of the background on the cemetery and I didn't get a lot of information because our town clerk at the time said it wasn't her. She didn't get all the material, but I have material that seems to say that when the town allowed the cemetery to take over that property, they required they have trail access. H well, there was a need to have some road up to a tower or something. Well, they have a cell tower. There's a cell tower back there, but but there there is a reference to the TP the TPZ approval, but I didn't get, you know, I got to go get the TPZ minutes up and then I got on

something else. people really care about that. I had somebody on my way down here cornered me. He said, "I used to as a kid do that." And he said, "I I told him about the cemetery blocking it." But well, the issue actually the cemetery is public piece public land. You can go through the cemetery. They really can't block it. Uh because they have fence. The fence has gates in it. Yeah. So you can walk through. The real issue with that path, because we did it for over the mountain for a couple years, the real issue with that path is not the cemetery so much as once you get to um um Brown to get into Lassellet on the off of Alexander's way, Alexander Way or whatever, you got to go up Sharon Drive and it's just boring. I mean, it's just walking on the road for, you know, and so one of the things Paula was talking about at one point we were talking about was with some of the development out there potentially getting a side path that that went along the edge of the road. and Darcy Winter, who's one of the neighbors up there, was talking about some land, I think, that their neighborhood association owns and she thought they would be um they would be amendable to considering, you know, at least, you know, establishing a trail kind of on the side um through that property potentially to, you know, get you offshore and drive. Yeah. So, you're saying you still can go through the summer? Oh, yeah. The summer's public land. They they they cannot The cemetery is open to the public. We can't call it a trail. Well, they just don't like people saying, "Yeah, we we we we we've had difficulty trying to figure out how to bushwack through. They're very ory." Yeah. Yeah. And and um live people. Yes. And apparently people get yelled at.

People have gotten yelled at. Yeah. Yeah. But not me personally, but but they can't prevent you from going through there. But the the real problem with that connector that's called the wind bear trail. Oh no, I'm sorry. That's the last slide trail. So are the headarters of Washbrook kind of up off the Sharon Drive somewhere or or I'm sorry it's there road or park a ridge road. Woods road. Woods road there by you. Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to think there's some there's some water course that maybe flows into Washbrook or flows into the Park River. I'm trying to remember what it is. And that was something um but some people were e like Mary Pelleter I thought was interested in that. She's the executive director of the Park River Wershed Association. She kept the bike path bike path was going to go on the Park River, right? And she kept that up. Yeah. She's she's Yeah. So anyway, there's some there's some um headarters of some water course up there is my understanding and you know there was a desire to protect it. Okay. Do we can we go on with the rest of the meeting here? Yes. You guys all set with me? Do you mind if I if I bow out? Thank you very much, Rob. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you guys. We'll be in touch. Okay. Um so is there any new business has any public comments? Anybody that pop Oh, yeah. We have one. Yeah. You haven't been commenting. We had public commentary. Um actually I'll I'll just make one comment um where there could be some intersection with maybe complete streets of a greenway project with um CC and what um building land use is doing. We're looking we have a fellow from sustainable CT to help us u hopefully try to get reertified or start working on it for sustainable CT. remember we

were certified and we lost our certification. Yeah. And so um there is one project there there's a new requirement since we were last certified in terms of kind of community engagement and making sure you're having community meetings and all of that. So um this fellow has advised the town to consider that first. It seems like some of these projects where we are having community meetings and getting input are potentials. So, um I'm going to float that idea to Mr. Coleman um so that he can maybe, you know, speak to Rob and you and whoever. He's doing such a great I'm so happy to have something I think he's older than I am and doing a great job. Yeah. Tom Andrew says, "Oh, he's good." Yeah. Of course, it help it helps that for yours he was head of the TPZ. I mean, he knows the town connects pastor or right he used to be the Cro I don't know if he still is. He knows everything. Yeah. Yeah. Well, he he David and then Roger O'Brien who is the new alternate on the TVZ. They all were planners, deputy planners. So Harford. Okay. Uh move we journ. Okay. Everybody agrees? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. A next meaning is here.