Progress on Margerie Trail

The idea of a proposed walking and biking path on the east side of the Margerie Reservoir is one that has been thought about and discussed for many years now. The proposed trail would be a 1.5 mile path linking Bear Mountain Park in Danbury with Dunham Pond in New Fairfield. It would be a wide sidewalk to make the reservoir side of Route 37 safe for foot and bike traffic.

Many residents of New Fairfield and Danbury may not even be aware of this proposed idea, due to various challenges that have arisen that have stalled any real progress on making the trail a reality.

Due to the resilience and dedication of a group of supporters of the proposed trail, however, the project has new life.

Recently, I met with some of these supporters to discuss the steps needed to successfully get this project off the ground. Representative Richard Smith and I then wrote a letter to the Connecticut Department of Transportation to apply for a Road Safety Audit (RSA). The audit is a needed primary step in effectively planning and implementing the trail between the two municipalities.

Last week, the DOT informed us that engineers will conduct the RSA in the spring of 2017.

I am looking forward to working with Mayor Boughton, First Selectman Chapman, Representative Smith, and the state to see this project through to fruition.

I will keep everyone updated on the status of the RSA and all other news pertinent to the Margerie Trail project.