New Haven's 1.6-Miles Of Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Done, Open

NEW HAVEN, CT — It's taken decades, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said, but the dream of reconnecting the southernmost section of the trail to its historic origin at the Canal Dock Boathouse is now completed and open to the public.

Friday, during National Bike Month, Elicker was joined by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and other local and state leaders to celebrate the opening of New Haven’s final segment of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. The event marked the completion of the Elm City’s portion of the larger 93.5-mile multi-use trail and greenway that spans from Northampton, Massachusetts to New Haven, Connecticut. The Heritage Trail is also part of the East Coast Greenway, the 3,000-mile pedestrian and bicycle route connecting Maine to Florida.

The Farmington Canal was originally built in the early 19th century to transport goods from New Haven and the Long Island Sound to and from the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and beyond. In the mid-19th century, the canal was replaced by a railroad, which closed in late 1960s. Later, the railroad began its conversion to the multi-use trail that pedestrians and bicyclists enjoy today.

The completion of New Haven’s final 1.6-mile leg of the trail, known as Phase IV, realizes a decades long dream of reconnecting the southernmost section of the trail from its current end at Temple Street, between Grove and Trumbell streets, back to the canal’s historic origin at the Canal Dock Boathouse.

Notably, a portion of the final segment of the trail traverses below street level underneath Whitney Avenue through a tunnel and then rises again back to street level at the intersection of Grove and Orange Streets. The section also includes interpretive displays and illumination, as well as ramps and stairs for convenient pedestrian and cyclist access.

New Haven began the process of acquiring the abandoned railroad right-of-way in 1989 with the vision of constructing a protected multi-use trail that connected New Haven's residents and neighborhoods with open spaces, other communities, and the waterfront.

A master plan was completed ten years later in 1999, and Phases I, II and III were constructed between 2002 and 2010. Public meetings for Phase IV began in 2009, and since then the City has navigated various right-of-way, easements, and logistical challenges associated with a dense, historic urban setting. Construction of Phase IV began in 2021, and its competition will be celebrated on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a ceremonial first walk and ride on a portion of the new section of the trail.

The $12 million project was financed through a combination of federal and state funds as well as funds secured through a development agreement between the city and Yale University.

This project adds to the city’s current 52 existing miles of bikeways and is the latest in the city’s ongoing efforts to make New Haven a more pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly city.