EASTERN CONNECTICUT — Connecticut is considering bicycle rentals at trailheads in Pomfret, Hebron, Colchester, Bolton and Sterling, and is asking residents and prospective operators to comment before November 20.
DEEP’s November 2 announcement identifies four trails for the proposal: Air Line, Hop River, Moosup Valley and Farmington River. The Eastern Connecticut locations under consideration include Pomfret Station on Railroad Street; the Air Line parking lot in Hebron; Salmon River Parking at 208 River Road in Colchester; Bolton Notch State Park; and Moosup Rail Trail Parking in Sterling. Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury is also listed.
The proposal could include optional shuttle service, allowing riders to finish at a different location rather than make a round trip. DEEP says it wants feedback on where rentals would be useful, how they could serve visitors and whether potential operators are interested.
This is an early planning step, not an announcement that rentals are available or that a vendor has been chosen. The department is collecting comments on a proposed request for proposals, rather than accepting formal vendor bids. It says it will consider the feedback before deciding whether to release a formal solicitation.
Comments can be emailed to DEEP.parksdivisionRFP@ct.gov using the subject line “Bicycle Rentals Proposed RFP Comments.” The draft is linked from DEEP’s announcement and can also be found on the CTsource Bid Board under solicitation DEEP-2027-006-MM.
The proposal is part of the state’s Partnerships in Parks initiative. For local trail users, the immediate opportunity is to weigh in on potential services; the announcement gives no confirmed opening date or rental prices.
This article was prepared with AI assistance from DEEP’s original announcement and official trail information. The photograph is an Air Line State Park Trail file image supplied on the state parks website, not a photograph of an operating rental service.