Advocacy

Eastern Shoreline Path

The ESP was designed by the planners at the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments in the 2019 Southeast CT Bike and Pedestrian Plan as a continuous bike‐friendly route from the Rhode Island border in Pawcatuck to the Connecticut River, I‐95 Baldwin Bridge in Old Lyme. The route would mostly be on‐road with trail sections in Stonington (Barn Island Wildlife Refuge), Groton (Haley Farm State Park), and Waterford (Town Park and Harkness State Park). In New London, the route traverses the on‐street bike route network implemented in 2019. A completed route would continue from the Baldwin Bridge through shoreline towns of Old Saybrook, Clinton, Madison, Guilford, Branford, and East Haven to New Haven where it would join the East Coast Greenway at the Long Wharf bike path.

Then Stonington would pick up the Groton section on the Mystic River Bascule Bridge and continue down on Route 1 through downtown Mystic past the Amtrak train station continuing on with an optional side route through Stonington Borough. The path continues further on Route One turning right at Wequetquock onto Greenhaven Road with a quick right onto Palmer Neck Road. At the end of the road turn left on to the Barn Island Management Area path. Traveling through the scenic area you will exit onto Stewart Street and straight across to Mary Hall Road terminating on Mechanic Head left on Mechanic Street continuing on to Pawcatuck village and the Rhode Island border of Westerly.

We believe this path will become a valued community asset to Stonington to both residents and visitors alike.