Suffield Sidewalk Projects

One of the achievement goals that former First Selectman Melissa Mack listed in her November 15 farewell report to the town was that her administration had “paved the way to a more walkable, safe and pedestrian friendly community with the promise of sidewalks connecting to the town center,” and she said the planned multi-use trail along Mountain Road would begin construction in the spring. The Mapleton Avenue-Thompsonville Road sidewalk would follow.

Town Engineer Karin Isherwood reports that the Town received three construction bids in October for the multi-use trail. Suffield’s selection of the winner has been sent to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their expected approval. As reported in the October issue of the Observer, the trail will run along the north side of Mountain Road from the end of the sidewalk in front of Suffield Middle School to Plantation Drive, where a crosswalk will connect with an existing Sheldon Street sidewalk toward the high school and to a sidewalk along the south side of Mountain Road that continues out to the Police Station. A short extension will connect to Spaulding School. There will be three traffic-light-controlled crosswalks along the length of the trail.

The Mapleton-Avenue- Thompsonville Road project is to be a conventional concrete sidewalk along the south and east side of Mapleton Avenue out to Thompsonville Road, then along the south side of that road to the existing sidewalk at Rawlins Brook Drive, close to East Street North. The Department of Transportation would pay up to $400,000 of its cost, which was estimated to be no more than that. As reported in the same Observer, this project has received a stormy reception from homeowners along the route. Several problem regions require more review with the State because of intrusion into the state roadway. The sidewalk’s design completion has been delayed.