On Sunday, September 9, thousands of motorcyclists are again planning to travel in a group through Newtown as part of a 60-mile-long fundraising ride through Fairfield County known as the CT United Ride.

The event is sponsored by Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut. The first ride raised funds to benefit the survivors of the law enforcement personnel and the firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11. Subsequent rides have raised funds for Connecticut firefighters and law enforcement personnel and two local United Ways.

The 2018 CT United Ride will also honor the memory of CT State Trooper First Class Walter Greene. TFC Greene volunteered at Ground Zero, led the CT United Ride as part of the police escort for a number of years, and recently died from illness related to 9/11.

The motorcade will be held rain or shine. Motorcyclists will start their ride at 11:30 am in Norwalk and then proceed from Norwalk to Westport, Wilton, Georgetown, Redding, Bethel, Newtown, Monroe, Trumbull, Fairfield, and Bridgeport.

In this area, riders will follow Route 302 from Bethel into Newtown and then proceed eastward on Route 302 until reaching Route 25, where they will turn right and travel southward on Route 25 into Monroe.

In Monroe, riders should watch for a new detour from Route 25, just past the intersection with Route 59. Riders will be taking a left from Route 25 onto Green Street, merging with Pepper Street, and then turning right onto Old Newtown Road. They will continue straight (Old Newtown Road becomes Purdy Hill) to Main Street, then turn left onto Route 25 and continue on the regular route, which will continue to Trumbull, Fairfield, and then into Bridgeport and Seaside Park.

The route of the motorcycle ride will be closed to regular traffic traveling in the same direction as the motorcyclists. The motorcyclists, who are escorted by police, do not stop at stop signs or at red traffic signals. In the past, the parade of motorcyclists has taken about 30 minutes to pass a given point.

This year’s ride will have police escorts leading the group. There will also be escort groups within the middle section and behind the riders to make the ride safer for all involved.

Newtown firefighters have traditionally raised flags at three locations along the route — at Dodgingtown firehouse, 55 Sugar Street (Route 302); in front of Amaral Motors, 40 South Main Street (Route 25); and at Botsford firehouse, 305 South Main Street. The public is welcome to join firefighters at these locations or cheer the riders at any point along the route.

For those who would like to participate, cost is $30 per driver and $30 per passenger. These fees cover the escorted ride. Due to construction and modifications at the ride’s starting point, advance registration is being strongly encouraged this year. However, a limited number of day-of registrations will be made available.

For information on participating in the motorcycle ride or being a sponsor, visit ctunitedride.com. The event is on Facebook at The CT United Ride.