Wakelee Avenue Reconstruction Unearths Old Trolley Tracks

A photo posted on the Facebook page of the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments.

ANSONIA — The Wakelee Avenue reconstruction project unearthed a piece of the Valley’s transportation history earlier this month.

Old trolley tracks were discovered during the ongoing rebuild of the road.

Wakelee Avenue, which runs parallel to Route 8 connecting Derby to Seymour, is undergoing a $5 million rehabilitation.

The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments announced the find on its Facebook page.

Trolley lines were once an important part of the Valley’s transportation system. Ansonia’s trolley started in 1888 and was discontinued in 1937.

The City of Ansonia took to its Facebook page to tout a number of ideas regarding what to do with the old tracks.

Those ideas include turning the tracks into a sign for the latest extension of the city’s riverwalk on Pershing Drive, or making a sign welcoming people to downtown Ansonia.

Trolley museums in the area have also expressed interest in the old tracks, according to the city.

The city’s Facebook post is below:

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