Trail Building

Much of the money raised lately has gone toward trail building efforts, including materials and maintenance. The Northern section of the Tri Town Trail has 16 water crossings. And each bridge costs about $500-$800. Some are $1,500. It takes about 2-4 hours to build one bridge, and volunteers have been working on the trail every weekend for months.

There’s also a plan to install an aluminum bridge to the historical sites. That will cost $7,000-$10,000. An aluminum bridge makes it possible for the fire department or a Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) to get across, and while it’s not required, it’s the right thing to do for the town.

Looking to the future, we will continue to need crossings in Groton. It’s a long project, and there will be some heavy expenses, but it’s headed in the right direction.

Matching Funds

Matching funds are essential to receiving a grant. Often times, grant recipients have to raise a 20% match.

When the town of Ledyard applied for a DEEP grant in 2016, the Tri Town Trail Association offered to raise money for the matching funds. The town of Ledyard contributed the matching funding and was awarded the grant. But that might not always be the case.

Easements

Easements make it possible for the trail to cross privately-owned land. For many of the easements, a landowner receives a dollar amount upfront and a tax abatement for years going forward. The dollar amount upfront can be a lot of money — several thousand dollars. Some of our donations raised will help facilitate the purchase of easements.