Newtown Bike and Trail Committee is inviting residents to participate in a community conversation about the proposed Newtown Greenway, a multi-use trail that would connect the Fairfield Hills campus and Sandy Hook Center. The project is currently in the feasibility study phase, and public input will play a key role in shaping the Greenway’s future.

To kick off the next phase of community engagement, the committee will host a public meeting on Thursday, September 24, at 7 pm, at Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street.

Residents, business owners, trail users, and other community members are encouraged to attend, learn about the project, and provide feedback on the proposed route and design considerations.

The proposed Greenway would create a safe, accessible corridor for walking, biking, running, and other non-motorized uses between two of Newtown's most important destinations: Fairfield Hills and Sandy Hook Village.

Interstate 84 currently creates a significant barrier for pedestrians and cyclists traveling between these community hubs. The Greenway would offer an alternative route, improving connectivity and expanding opportunities for recreation, transportation, outdoor enjoyment, and economic development.

The feasibility study is exploring a route for the Greenway that generally follows Al’s Trail along Deep Brook and the Pootatuck River, building upon Newtown's existing trail network and the vision outlined in the 2023 Al's Trail Corridor Action Plan. The project seeks to reconnect neighborhoods, schools, recreational facilities, and commercial areas while enhancing access to the town's natural resources and open spaces.

Beyond transportation and recreation benefits, the Greenway is being designed with a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship. The study is evaluating opportunities to protect and restore habitat, improve water quality within the Pootatuck River watershed, support biodiversity, and provide educational opportunities related to conservation and the natural environment.

Newtown Bike & Trail Committee members say the Newtown Greenway represents an opportunity to create a safer, healthier, and more connected community. The committee is hoping residents will help guide the vision for this project and ensure it reflects Newtown's values, priorities, and unique character.

Planning & Land Use Director Rob Sibley reminds readers that the most recent Newtown Plan of Conservation and Development seeks to create and modify alternative transportation and recreational routes, which include this type of multi-use trail.

“This proposed Greenway provides alternatives to driving and access to our community hubs," Sibley further noted.

Ahead of the public meeting, members of the Bike and Trail Committee will lead a tour of the proposed route on Saturday, September 19, at 9 am. Interested participants should reserve a spot by e-mailing Geordie Elkins at gelkins@highstead.net.

The Newtown Greenway feasibility study is funded by a Connecticut DEEP-Recreational Trails Program Grant. Project supporters and participants include Newtown Bike and Trail Committee, Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, Pootatuck Watershed Association, Jeniam Foundation, Candlewood Valley Chapter-Trout Unlimited, Newtown Parks and Recreation, Town of Newtown Land Use Agency, and Stantec.

The project was a recommendation that grew out of the Al’s Trail Action Plan, which was developed with support from the National Park Service, and which aims to enhance recreation, improve mobility, support environmental conservation and economic development, and strengthen connections among Newtown's neighborhoods, schools, cultural destinations, and natural landscapes.

Residents who cannot attend the meeting are encouraged to learn more about the project by reviewing the online StoryMap and taking the associated survey. Contact Geordie Elkins for those links.