Sylvia Ogloo, secretary of the Hop River Trail Alliance, read a letter of appreciation to the Bolton Board of Selectmen on Tuesday, thanking the board for supporting the recently completed Bolton Notch Tunnel lighting project and saying the lights will improve safety and accessibility for trail users.

"The tunnel lighting will make a significant impact on the safety, accessibility, and overall experience of all who use the Hop River State Park Trail," Ogloo said, noting the Connecticut Trail Census installed at the notch recorded 87,000 passes in 2024. Ogloo said survey respondents repeatedly cited darkness in the tunnel as their top safety concern and that the daytime lighting—timed to sunrise and sunset on a solar calendar—addresses that problem for daytime trail users.

Later on the agenda, the board considered a separate but related item: allowing Bolton to be included in a regional application to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Recreational Trails program. Ogloo described the grant as a two-step effort: first a study of crossing conditions, sight lines and motor-vehicle speeds across all seven towns on the trail, and then a later application to fund implementation of recommended fixes. "This first grant is just about study and recommendation," she said.

Selectmen voted to authorize Bolton's inclusion in the grant application and to provide a letter of support, and they authorized either Ogloo or town staff (Jim) to draft the supporting letter for the application. The motion passed on a voice vote recorded as six in favor and one member absent.

The board also heard logistical details: Ogloo invited the public to a celebration of the new lights on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 10:00 a.m., and emphasized the lighting is intended for daytime trail use because the state park is closed at night.

What happens next: the regional study, if funded, will produce a set of recommendations for each road crossing along the Hop River Trail; any implementation would require a separate funding request. The town's support means Bolton will be formally listed in the application and provide a local letter endorsing the study.