In 1999, a bridge over Muddy Gutter Brook west of downtown East Hampton was designed and built by cadets of the United States Coast Guard Academy under the supervision of William O'Neill, an adjunct professor of engineering at the academy and former state governor. Due to confusion as to which state agency had ownership of the stretch of land, the bridge was built without the necessary permissions; it was almost demolished, but allowed to remain due to a lease agreement with the town. On November 1, 2002, the state DEEP acquired an additional section of railbed in East Hampton from ConnDOT; however, the trail was not actually improved over the section.
