Date: Fri 13-Dec-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Greenways-Black-Bridge

Full Text:

with photo.... : Bridge Repair Would Connect Two Trail Systems

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

In its pursuit to connect all of Newtown's trail systems, the Greenways

Committee is seeking to rebuild Black Bridge in Sandy Hook.

The bridge spands the Pootatuck River in the Rocky Glen State Park near Glen

Road and is said to be a "major bottle neck" to the trail system. However,

with no decking and only the steel beams remaining, the bridge is unusable,

bringing two trail systems to an abrupt end. Greenways hopes to replace the

bridge with a span that would allow foot and equestrian traffic at an

estimated cost of $80,000.

"The bridge would allow us to come a lot further up from Sandy Hook and the

high school to Upper Paugusett," explained greenways chairman Gary Fetzer.

A new bridge would cost about $45,000, removal of the old structure is about

$20,000 with an additional cost of $15,000 for site work.

The Greenways Committee has requested funding from the Iroquois Gas

Transmission System's Land Preservation and Enhancement Program. According to

Mr Fetzer, Iroquois funded the restoration of several dams in Newtown four to

five years ago.

After crossing the bridge from the Sandy Hook side, hikers would be able to

follow the trail up an unimproved section of Black Bridge Road and into Upper

Paugusett State Forest.

Greenways is also pursuing funding from Iroquois to build a foot bridge from a

parking lot just north of Hopewell Road to the Huntingtown State Park in

Redding. The land is owned by Bridgeport Hydraulics, which has granted the

town permission to use a 50-foot right-of-way to park there.

The Greenways Committee continues to map all available open space in town. It

will have to eventually acquire easements from some property owners to be used

as trails to connect Newtown's major open space areas, which include Upper

Paugusett State Forest near Lake Lillinonah, Lower Paugusset State Forest near

Lake Zoar in Sandy Hook and the Hattertown/Poverty Hollow area.