To the Editor:

Monroe has approved a 4,600-foot-long, 10-foot-wide stone dust connector to connect two sections of its already excellent rail-to-trail system. The system begins a short distance off of South Main, Route 25, at Pepper Street in Monroe. From there it runs both east, then south, as well as north for about 3,300 feet to the Newtown line. At the Newtown line it becomes an almost impassible dirt and briar path along the abandoned rail line north for about 3,200 feet to Swamp Road in Newtown. This is town open space.

Years ago when I was on the First Selectman’s Ad hock Trails Committee I adopted upgrading the Newtown section of this trail as my project. No result. The committee head even suggested if I kept pushing the project the first selectman might dissolve the committee. The often excuse was the former Batchelder industrial site contamination. Actually the rail route skirts the Batchelder site. I suspect an issue was a lack of town hall interest.

Now the town has approved upgrading the trail but grants will pay for it. Incidentally, the steel rails are still there, lying along the sides of the route. This is high grade steel, the value which certainly should help pay for the project.

All I ever got for my efforts were two 2006 front page Bee articles, “So Near But So Far” and “Newtown’s Link to Regional Trail is Blocked at the Border.”

Jim Wright

Newtown