Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015

South Western Regional Planning Agency❑ Providing designated lanes (or, at least,adequate shoulders) and improved signage tofacilitate increased and safer bicycling.❑ Minimizing costs of recreational opportunities toenable low and moderate-income families totake advantage of them.Bicycling merits special attention because it offersnumerous potential benefits for the Region. Inparticular, bicycling represents a mode oftransportation for commuting to work and is anessential component for the integrated intermodaltransportation network envisioned in the SouthWestern Region Long Range Transportation Plan,2004-2030. Some of the best potential bike routes arealong state highways which generally have little or nocapacity for cyclists and pedestrians.Several inter-municipal bicycle trails have beenproposed which have varying levels of political orpublic support:❑ The East Coast Greenway is a trail extending fromFlorida to Maine along the Atlantic coast. Thisambitious project is being led by the East CoastGreenway Alliance with mixed support frommunicipalities in the Region. The East CoastGreenway would include the proposed MerrittParkway Multi-Use Trail, which extends along the37.5-mile length of the Merritt Parkway right-ofwayfrom the New York State line to theHousatonic River in Stratford. In 2004, ademonstration project was proposed on the southside of the Merritt Parkway in Stamford betweenHigh Ridge Road (Route 137) at Exit 35, eastapproximately one mile to Newfield Avenue.❑ In 1971, a study proposed the Route 7 LinearPark extending from Norwalk Harbor northwardin the right-of-way of the then-planned Route 7Expressway to Danbury. With the elimination offunding for the full expressway project in the1990s, the prospects for the Route 7 Linear Parkremain uncertain. Norwalk has continued topursue the project as the Norwalk River Multi-Use Trail. The Norwalk Heritage Trail, linking themaritime area with Matthew’s Park, was openedin 2000. The Norwalk River Multi-Use Trail willconnect with the Norwalk Heritage Trail atMathews Park and extend north to Route 123.❑ The Mianus River Gorge Trail is located on theborder of Stamford and Greenwich.❑ The Stamford Multi-Use Trail will connect theStamford Transportation Center with theUniversity of Connecticut’s Stamford campusand Scalzi Park.Recommendations❑ Improve water quality in the Region’s waterwaysand Long Island Sound by addressing non-pointsource pollution through compliance with theNational Pollutant Discharge Elimination SystemPhase II Program; preservation and creation ofriparian buffers; and controlling the population ofCanada geese❑ Ensure a safe ground water drinking supply forprivate and public wells by adopting land-userestrictions in aquifer protection areas inaccordance with the Connecticut’s AquiferProtection Program. Also, aging sewers at risk ofrupturing should be replaced to preventcontamination of ground water supplies.❑ Improve air quality and reduce respiratoryailments caused by air pollution:■ Promote clean air by encouragingridesharing, public transit, andpassenger/freight rail usage, improving trafficflow and incident management, and curtailingother sources of pollution.■ Incorporate energy efficiency measures incapital improvement programs, building codesand zoning and subdivision regulations.■ Promote pedestrian and bicycle friendlycommercial areas.■ Support public transportation as a means toreduce vehicle dependency.❑ Prevent human disease risks associated withdeer, mosquitoes and Canada geese, as well asconflicts between humans and wildlife.■ Implement multi-jurisdictional deer populationcontrol measures.■ Educate the public about safe and effectiveways to reduce mosquito breeding areas.■ Implement multi-jurisdictional Canada geesecontrol measures.❑ Increase the amount of active and passive openspace throughout the Region.■ Consider acquiring or obtaining an easementwhen suitable waterfront property becomesavailable to secure additional public accessto Long Island Sound.■ Encourage public access using boardwalksto adjacent urban waterfront development,and walkways along the rivers flowing intoLong Island Sound.42