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For years, the Norwalk River Valley Trail has been little more than a dream and a plan. Now, the bike and pedestrian path may be a little closer to becoming reality. "This demonstrates what we can do when we work together," state Rep. John Hetherington, R-New Canaan, said as he and other elected officials from the Norwalk-Wilton-Ridgefield corridor stood Monday in a misty Union Park in Norwalk to announce that the project had received $180,000 in state and federal grants.
The setting was appropriate: It was just a few yards from the northern terminus of the existing portion of the bike and pedestrian path from South Norwalk that its proponents hope will someday stretch 27 miles to Tarrywile Park in Danbury.
"I'm an avid biker who uses this trail frequently, and it's frustrating to come to the end of it and have to ride in traffic," said state Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk.
Wilton Environmental Department head Pat Sesto, who led the effort, called the grant award "our new beginning. We're going to hire a consultant, collect community views and construct a plan." After that process, which she estimated would take 18 months, "We're going to need the big bucks to build it," she added. Some sections could cost nearly $1 million a mile to construct.
Those are bridges to be crossed, and perhaps built, in the future. Monday's gathering was a celebration of movement in the project after years of little action. "It's just a first step we have a long way to go," Norwalk Mayor Richard Moccia said. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
For more information on the trail, visit the NRVT website.Click here to follow Daily Voice Wilton and receive free news updates.
