Shortly before Kevin Burnham, Director of Hartford’s Department of Public Works, resigned, we spoke with him about bicycle-friendly changes being instituted in Downtown, Frog Hollow, and Asylum Hill.

One item needing attention was a section of the East Coast Greenway that had become overgrown with vegetation. In one place half the path was obstructed by branches that had not been trimmed in recent memory. Besides encroaching on cyclists and pedestrians, the branches made this section of path significantly darker at night.

The path is now cleared and about 200% less sketchy than before.

Entering Bushnell Park from Frog Hollow, a section of the path had been in poor repair for years. The surface was uneven, with chunks of pavement missing, making the transition difficult for cyclists, particularly those unfamiliar with the area. Cyclists have wiped out on the spot. This is also where in winter months, snow is just dumped, blocking the path. The lack of communication and coordination between City, State, and Amtrak was visible here.

After some begging, the surface has been fixed. It’s not gorgeous, but the odds are good you won’t end up launching off your bike.

There is still room for improvement, but given how little has been done to maintain this space at all, this is a start.