Trail Plan Gets Fresh Look In Enfield

ENFIELD, CT — A long-running idea to turn a dormant rail corridor into a regional trail resurfaced Monday night, with town officials getting a detailed update on what it could take to finally move the project forward.

At a special Town Council meeting on April 20, planners from the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) presented new findings on the Armory Branch Trail — a proposed multi-use path that would run roughly 6.5 miles through Enfield and connect into a broader regional network.

“This has been a project that has come through our office as it’s been developing over many years,” Economic and Community Development Director Aaron Marcavitch told the council at the outset of the presentation.

The concept centers on converting or pairing the existing rail line with a parallel trail, creating what planners described as a “rail-with-trail” system — keeping the tracks active while adding a separated path for pedestrians and cyclists.

CRCOG planner Mike Cipriano said the goal is to create “a better, safer and more connected network for active transportation users,” adding that public feedback has consistently highlighted safety concerns.

“People are afraid to kind of be in the pathway of vehicles,” Cipriano said. “They want to be separated.”

The proposed corridor would link Enfield to East Windsor and potentially extend north into Massachusetts, tying into an already completed trail system just over the state line. Planners emphasized the regional draw, noting similar trails see tens of thousands of users annually.

The presentation also outlined early-stage costs, with a feasibility study estimated between $200,000 and $225,000 — a figure officials said could be partially offset through state or federal grants.

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“Generally towns” cover the cost, Cipriano said, “but… if a town applies for funding through some type of grant, sometimes it’s an 80/20 match.”

Council members raised concerns about long-term costs and logistics, particularly given infrastructure challenges along the route.

“There are some constraints… bridges and crossings,” Cipriano said, noting areas along the Scantic River and several roadway crossings would require engineering solutions. Still, he added, “there’s nothing that we haven’t seen before.”

The idea itself is not new.

“This has been on our radar for a very long time,” Mayor Gina Cekala said during the discussion.

Councilor Carol Hall said the concept dates back decades, tied in part to longstanding lease agreements on the rail line that previously limited options.

“This predates… the late ‘90s,” Hall said. “We haven’t been able to do anything because of the lease. This kind of opens the door for us.”

She added that recent changes — including a new lease requiring cooperation on a potential side trail — could create a real opportunity.

“This is a really perfect opportunity for us as a town to kind of grab the baton and move on this,” Hall said.

Councilor Bob Cressotti also pointed to the financial reality of such a project, estimating initial local investment could reach into the millions without outside funding.

“I don’t see how East Windsor and Enfield really could afford this” alone, he said, stressing the importance of state and federal support.

Still, town officials framed the proposal as part of a broader effort to improve connectivity.

“One of the things that the town has been doing is looking how to connect different parts of the town via bike,” Town Manager Matthew Coppler said. “The goal is… someone could go from East Windsor into Enfield, then to Thompsonville.”

No formal action was taken Monday night, but council members indicated that the next step — if pursued — would be applying for funding and moving into a formal feasibility study phase.

“I think it’s going to be up to council on if we want to take that next step,” Cekala said.