Politics & Government

Council Approves Consultant Contract Addition for Greenway

Phase II landscaping work will begin some time after August 1 and be completed by about Oct. 1. Additional consultant expenditure of $37,500 is approved.

In less than four months, the Hunter Havens Greenway, Phase II, project will be completed,  thus bringing to conclusion the town’s unique bikeway/walkway path located in south Stratford along the Housatonic River. 

At its May meeting, the Town Council unanimously authorized the spending of an additional $37,500 to hire an outside engineering consultant firm to oversee the final phase, set to begin some time after August 1. The two-phase project has been paid with federal stimulus and state funding. 

The full Council was acting upon a favorable recommendation from the Planning Commission to amend the existing contract with Milone and MacBroom, the Hamden-based engineering consultant firm that has overseen all Phase 1 and Phase 2 work completed thus far. 

Find out what's happening in Stratfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

However, in the original contract, there was no provision for oversight of the final landscaping phase, which is part of the plan that includes the construction of an archway entrance to the Greenway bike path from Main Street adjacent to DeLuca ballfield. 

Phase 1 of the Greenway was completed in 2010 and consists of a improved bikeway and path extending behind the newly built animal shelter, DeLuca ballfield and extending along the Housatonic River. Phase II will complete the project, and the landscaping phase will take about 60 days, officials said, after its start. 

Find out what's happening in Stratfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Earlier this year, officials had hoped the landscaping phase could begin this month and conclude by mid-June before the summer heat begins in earnest. With adequate watering, the landscaped plantings including shrubs and flowers would have time to take prior to the full summer’s heat.

However, a delay in state and federal paperwork derailed the original plan to begin the work this month. 

Town Planner David Killeen and others agreed that the May-June landscaping plan would have allowed the public to access the completed Greenway perhaps as soon as July 4. 

However, Killeen noted that the completion date is now closer to Oct. 1 given the 60-day contract provision and an expected start date of about Aug. 1. 

Killeen and Town Engineer John Casey told Greenway Committee members in February that there was less risk to the plantings if they were done in the fall as opposed to not completing the plantings prior to June 15.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here