Future Plans

The New Milford River Trail Association is working hard with the Town’s Bike & Trails Committee, and with the help of engineering firm Milone & MacBroom, on a plan to extend the current trail in northern New Milford ( from Sega Meadows Park to Gaylordsville and part of the Housatonic Riverbelt Greenway ), south through our downtown Business District at Young’s Field’s new riverside park, and then all the way to Brookfield (approximately eight miles), where we plan to link up with that town’s Still River Greenway (photo below).

Western New England Greenway
Both of our trails are integral parts of the Western New England Greenway, a multi-segment, multi-state network of mostly bike routes that aims to follow the Route 7 Corridor from Long Island Sound to the Canadian Border, now known and designated by AASHTO as US Bike Route 7.  Partners of the Western New England Greenway include: Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance, East Coast Greenway, Norwalk River Valley Trail, Still River Greenway, New Milford River Trail, Hou Bike Walk Trail, Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, Lake Champlain Bikeway, Burlington Bike Path, Island Line Trail, and La Route Verte. More information, including “Ride It Now Maps”, is available at http://wnegreenway.org/.

Map of our proposed 13-mile, town-length New Milford River Trail.  (Our thanks to the New Milford Public Works Department for creating this for us).

New Milford River Trail- Overall Conceptual Map-2016 

Progress of the Trail:

In the summer of 2016, Mayor Gronbach established the (5) person Bike & Trails Committee to focus on moving this project forward, among other things.  For the Agenda and Minutes of this committee go to: Bike & Trails Committee. The committee is currently researching consulting firms to help with designing and planning the remaining 7.75 miles of proposed trail.

Young’s Field riverfront trail

In the fall of 2016, the town started another segment of the New Milford River Trail  along the riverfront at Young’s Field Park.  With  $180,000 in funding from the Housatonic River Natural Resources Restoration Settlement Fund, Landfill Settlement Funds (Waste Management Funds), and our generous supporters, the riverfront at Young’s Field will be restored, invasive overgrowth removed, native species plantings added, and a 1/4 mile, environmentally-friendly, paved surface installed that will allow for bikers, walkers, runners, wheelchairs and strollers.

The project calls for:

• Strengthening the shoreline against further erosion and planting of native New England trees and shrubs along the Young’s Field Road shoreline.
• Constructing a ¼ mile riverfront recreational trail along the riverfront to Patriot’s Way.