Community Corner

East Coast Greenway Bike Tour Passes Through Farmington Valley

The Farmington Valley Canal Heritage Trail makes up about 45 miles of the developing bike route from Maine to Florida.

Cyclists riding 307 miles from Hartford to Philadelphia this week stopped in the Farmington Valley Monday morning as part of a fundraiser for a 2,900-mile east coast bike route from the Maine-Canada border to Key West, FL.

Bicycle Friendly Farmington and the East Coast Greenway Alliance gathered at the Red Oak Hill Road entrance to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Monday morning to not only support the East Coast Greenway route efforts, but also to kickoff a bike trail project planned in Farmington. 

The town of Farmington will be adding "wayfinding signage" to its section of the trail that "can be used by experienced bicyclists to help guide them along the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, connecting Simsbury to New Haven and beyond to Florida or Maine," according to a statement from the town. 

The bike tour also made a stop in Simsbury, according to the Hartford Courant.

The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail is part of the East Coast Greenway route for about 45 miles, according to the East Coast Greenway Alliance's website. 

Forty-five bikers are participating in the East Coast Greenway Alliance's annual Week-a-Tour until Aug. 24, committing to raise $500 each for the East Coast Greenway route, according to the organization's website.  

Alliance Executive Director Dennis Markatos-Soriano told the Hartford Courant that the organization is also working with the Farmington Valley Trails Council on the local section of the bike route project. 

So far, more than 800 miles, or 28 percent, of the trail has been completed and it "will eventually be entirely on greenway separated from car traffic," according to the alliance.


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