The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), the Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department), the Town of Plainville (Plainville), the Town of Southington (Southington), the City of New Britain (City) and the Plainville Greenway Alliance (PGA) have initiated this study to evaluate the feasibility of potential alignments and infrastructure needs for the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail (FCHT) through Plainville and into Southington and a connection to New Britain's bicycle network and CTfastrak station.

This study will have two distinct objectives:

1. Close the Gap in the FCHT through Southington and Plainville and
2. Identify a connection to the CTfastrak station in New Britain.

The FCHT runs from New Haven, CT to Northampton, MA, covering approximately 84 miles. Of these 84 miles, the only Gap in the trail is through the Town of Plainville and into Southington, all other sections are either completed, or in design or construction. The Plainville section has not been completed due largely to an active rail line being present within the FCHT corridor.

The recent opening of CTfastrak in Connecticut includes a new multi-use trail for central Connecticut. The next logical step is to connect the FCHT to the CTfastrak station in New Britain and its adjacent multi-use trail to further enhance the bicycle and pedestrian amenities in the region. Since all CTfastrak buses are equipped with bicycle racks, this connection can greatly extend the distance a cyclist can travel to get to their destination.

 Study News