Bike Walk Wethersfield Latest News!

Bike Walk Wethersfield Latest News!

1. Wethersfield and Rocky Hill awarded $624K federal grant for a safer Silas Deane
2. Wethersfield Bicycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee restarts monthly
3. Putnam Bridge Trail to open on schedule in Spring
4. “Wolf Moon Walk” January 25, 2024 at 4:30 PM

1. $624,000 Grant Awarded for planning a safer Silas Deane Highway

• Wethersfield and Rocky Hill jointly applied for a federal “Safe Streets for All” grant
• Today the towns were awarded $624,800 to plan safety and mobility improvements for the Silas Deane. For more info, click on Wethersfield or Rocky Hill in the interactive map posted by the US DOT here:
• https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/2023-awards
• For info on the application submitted, see the agenda packet for the June 5, 2023 Town Council meeting at which the application was voted in favor:
• https://wethersfieldct.gov/filestorage/279/83/5625/5629/24405/2023-06-05_Agenda_Packet.pdf
• Find item #3 under the “New Business” section on page 2 for a link to conceptual drawings
• BIG KUDOS and THANK YOU to our Town staff!

2. Wethersfield Restarts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meetings

• The Town will be restarting monthly meetings of the WBPAC.
• The schedule is tentatively set for:
• January 25, 2024 at 6:00 pm, Town Council Chambers at Town Hall
  § (Note: same date as “Wolf Moon Walk” event but there is time for both. See more info under Wolf Moon Walk
• Monthly meeting usually on the 4th Thursday of the month
• The official 2024 schedule will be announced after its approval by the Town Council
• The restart was decided at a planning meeting 11-30-2023 among Town staff and members of the WBPAC
• The first, main goal is to complete the Town bicycling and pedestrian plan so it can be incorporated in the Plan of Conservation and Development. The POCD is a crucial planning document to ensure more grant funding of all types for the Town. The POCD is also being updated now so the timing is perfect to complete the Town bicycling and pedestrian plan.
• More cool stuff from the meeting:
• Recap of numerous street safety improvements made around town over the last couple of years
• Other steps we can take in 2024 toward a safer, more livable town
• Minutes from the 11-30-2023 meeting are posted on the Town website. See:
• o Under Agendas and Minutes here:
  § Agendas and Minutes – Town of Wethersfield, Connecticut (wethersfieldct.gov)
• Then click on Other Boards and Commissions
• Then click on Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
• Then click on 2023
• The click on Minutes for 11-30-23 meeting

3. Putnam Bridge Trail update

• A spring trail opening is still on schedule!
• The construction engineer supervising the project for DOT recently told Bike Walk Wethersfield that completion of construction is expected in time to allow the legal transfer from the contractor back to DOT and an opening in late April or early May.
• A ceremony with the DOT Commissioner and the towns of Wethersfield and Glastonbury is being planned
• We’ll let you know as soon as we get a date for the opening ceremony. (and, of course, we’ll invite our friends from Rocky Hill, too!)

4. Wolf Moon Walk, January 25, 2024 at 4:30 pm

• Annual full moon walk held by the Great Meadows Conservation Trust and Bike Walk Wethersfield
• Walk through the Wethersfield Cove, under I-91, to the Connecticut River’s edge to watch the full moon ride around 5:00 PM.
• Start walk:
• 4:30 at Keeney Cultural Center, 200 Main St, Wethersfield; OR
• Meet the group walk when it reaches the Cove parking lot adjacent to the Cove Warehouse
• Note: full moon walk is the same date as the January 25th Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting at Town Hall. BUT, meeting is at 6:00 PM so there WILL be just enough time to walk and attend the meeting, too

For more information check out Bike Walk Wethersfield on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bikewalkwethersfield