Trail Volunteers Beat Nor'easter Deadline
Volunteers in Shelton, Connecticut advanced work on the Curtiss Brook Connector trail, linking the RecPath trailhead to Route 108. The work party managed to make progress ahead of a forecasted Nor'easter, reflecting the crucial role of volunteerism in developing trail systems. The new connector will expand local access and trail network connectivity.
The new Curtiss Brook Connector provides a crucial alternative to a dangerous stretch of Shelton Avenue (Route 108). Previously, pedestrians, including students from the local high school, had to walk along a narrow state highway with a guardrail and a steep drop-off to get to the Pine Lake entrance of the RecPath. This trail project is a long-term goal to better connect the Rec Path with downtown Shelton, the River Walk, and the Derby Greenway. The new connector cuts the gap between these multi-use trails in half, enhancing the area's trail network. The work, which includes digging the trail into a hillside and cleaning up years of litter, is driven by the Shelton Trails Committee. This volunteer group holds work parties on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, year-round, to build and maintain the city's trail systems. In 2025 alone, volunteers logged 1,168 hours of trail work in Shelton, valued at an estimated $42,562. This particular work party was racing against a forecasted Nor'easter predicted to bring heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph, which could have caused flooding and power outages.
