Governor Ned Lamont’s office issued a press release Friday with advanced information contained in the CT Dept. Transportation (CTDOT) Greater Hartford Mobility Study, due to be released in November.
According to the governor, the wide-ranging redesign of bridges and highways in and around the Capitol City is aimed at “reimagining and reconnecting neighborhoods between Hartford and East Hartford.”
The study apparently has been vetted by the area’s local elected leaders as their comments are incorporated into Friday’s announcement.
East Hartford Mayor Mike Walsh, who has declined running for re-election to devote time to creation of a development plan for the East Hartford South Meadows and Riverfront called “Port Eastside”, noted the proposal dovetails with his $850-million concept.
“For East Hartford, this study is step one in the development connection of East Hartford to Hartford along the river.” he was quoted as saying in the release. “In particular, the study articulates an impressive vision, including the design of a new multi-use bridge over the Connecticut River with bicycle and pedestrian amenities between the Whitehead Highway and Riverfront Boulevard intersection in Hartford and East River Drive in East Hartford. This study looks into the future creating a vibrant plan of infrastructure improvement that benefits the region, and in particular East Hartford.”
Congressman John Larson, who secured federal funding for the study, and has suggested building of a set of tunnels beneath the Connecticut River from Flatbush Avenue in Hartford to Roberts Street in East Hartford – an excavation project that would have cost $30 billion in 2019 dollars – commended the mobility study. He said addressing traffic and development issues in Hartford and East Hartford is long overdue.
“I applaud governor Lamont and (DOT) commissioner (Garrett) Eucalitto for laying out a plan for the Greater Hartford region that has gone unaddressed for far too long,” Larson was quoted as saying. “Moving forward with the Greater Hartford Mobility Study will allow CTDOT to hear timely input and further concerns from residents, especially as they relate to the isolation of North Hartford, the mixmaster in East Hartford, the aging levees along the Connecticut River, and how this plan connects the region intermodally. I look forward to hearing from the community and working with them toward a vision that corrects the planning mistakes of the past and advances the interests of our region during this critical next phase.”
The study was launched in 2020. It was intended to solicit input for redoing the transit needs of the Hartford region and solicited input from neighborhood meetings, booths set up at public events, and online comments. The stated goal is to “improve the movement of people and goods, increase transportation options, accessibility, reliability, and safety, as well as accommodate future needs and emerging technologies, prioritize social equity, and minimize environmental impacts.”
Said the governor: “The Connecticut Department of Transportation has created a vision for the transportation future of the greater Hartford region. For too long, our national highway system has ripped cities in half, displacing communities and resources from one another. Through the Greater Hartford Mobility Study, the state – along with local, regional, and community partners – have taken a holistic look at how pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit users move through the city and in and out of the region, as well as how drivers navigate through the region. The future infrastructure and transportation projects coming out of the study will make our capital city economically vibrant and better connected within itself, to surrounding towns, and across the Connecticut River.”
DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto added: “CTDOT is proud to advance our Greater Hartford Mobility Study that is planning for the future of Hartford and the Greater Hartford region. Our project team has directly connected with over 10,000 individuals, both at community events and in collaboration with Voices of Women of Color. We listened and learned from many communities that were disconnected by the existing infrastructure to identify problems and solutions. Each program component can create new connections to transform this region into one true modern metropolitan area. The study’s final report will outline the next steps CTDOT will take to mobilize early action projects and plan and design longer-term projects. We thank Governor Lamont, Connecticut’s Congressional delegation, and local officials from the Hartford region for continuing to be key partners in the vision to reconnect and reimagine our capital city for the future.”
The details in the preliminary release of the plan call for adding two new bridges across the Connecticut River, and moving the problematic I-84/I-91 interchange northward in Hartford. A new bridge carrying traffic would be built north of the Bulkeley Bridge with all highway traffic rerouted to where the Governor Street exit ramps are now. A second local bridge is shown from the area of the Colt manufacturing complex to the top of the levee in East Hartford. That bridge would link the proposed Port Eastside project to the Coltsville National Park area. The new bridge “would connect the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood with a new, river-oriented, mid-rise neighborhood in East Hartford. The bridge would prioritize bus, bicycle, and pedestrian travel while accommodating automobile traffic.”
A video link to the FHI consultant’s presentation is here: https://vimeo.com/875211287
Said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal: “This reimagining of Hartford’s highways has the power to transform the city and make the Greater Hartford area an even better place to live and work. Reconnecting neighborhoods that have long been cut off by the highways, streamlining transportation, and improving safety for all pedestrians and road users will both bolster economic development and improve quality of life for residents across the region. I applaud Governor Lamont and Commissioner Eucalitto for their bold vision and will continue to fight for federal funds to make their plan a reality.”
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy also was quoted, stating “An upgrade to Hartford’s transportation system is long overdue. The Greater Hartford Mobility Study is an important tool to help CTDOT develop a plan that is safe for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, minimizes environmental impacts, and connects our communities – not displaces them. I’m glad to see this project move forward, and I look forward to seeing the final report soon.”
Hartford and the DOT have long sought to come up with an acceptable alternative to replace the deteriorating highway viaduct in the Asylum Hill neighborhood. That portion of the project alone would have cost an estimated $12 to $17 billion. Relocating the highway, redesign of the train station and train tracks and lowering the highway to allow for re-connection of neighborhoods cut off by the highway in the late 1950s occupied DOT planners for 15 years.
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin was quoted as saying “One of the planning sins of the last century was to cut Hartford in half with I-84 and to cut Hartford off from the river with I-91, and the Greater Hartford Mobility Study seeks to heal those wounds. This is an ambitious and transformative vision to reconnect our neighborhoods and truly recapture the riverfront, while also building a safer, healthier, more connected, and greener region. There’s a long way to go in this process, including lots more planning and community engagement, but this is a really important step forward and I’m grateful to everyone who’s been a part of that work. I’m thankful to Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their commitment and for listening and engaging with thousands of our residents, and thankful also to Congressman Larson, who has been a tireless advocate for this kind of transformative vision. We look forward to continuing to work closely with CTDOT so we move this work forward in the years ahead.”
“The Greater Hartford Mobility Study is organized into four major program components: 1. CityLink West addresses safety, reduces the number of ramps in the Study Core, and improves connectivity between neighborhoods and green spaces/parks. Lowering the highway would link neighborhoods currently severed by the highway and create additional develop-able land while improving rail and bus service that share the corridor. 2. CityLink East proposes to mitigate highway congestion in downtown Hartford by relocating the I-84/I-91 interchange and creating a new bridge connecting I-84 and Route 2 in East Hartford. This redesign would separate local and highway traffic and reclaim the historic Bulkeley Bridge for local traffic, including opportunities for dedicated high-capacity transit facilities, separated bike lanes, and improve sidewalks. 3. River Gateway connects Hartford’s central business district with the Connecticut River. It allows for equitable access to green space, would mitigate some of the visual and noise impacts of I-91, and create an urban boulevard to strengthen local travel options. In addition, a new bridge would connect the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood with a new, river-oriented, mid-rise neighborhood in East Hartford. The bridge would prioritize bus, bicycle, and pedestrian travel while accommodating automobile traffic. 4. Founders Gateway proposes to consolidate the I-84/Route 2 interchange ramps in East Hartford. It would open significant acres of land to potential development and provide opportunities to strengthen the local street grid.”
Matt Hart, executive director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), said, “We are pleased to see the Greater Hartford Mobility Study advance from the Planning and Environmental Linkages Study to the National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Act review phase. We appreciate the transformative nature of the Mobility Study and its many potential benefits for the region and our state. We look forward to a comprehensive analysis of project benefits and impacts in the upcoming planning and review phases to enable our team to continue to properly advise CRCOG’s Policy Board, which serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Hartford area.”
Charles Teale, advocate and retired chief of the Hartford Fire Department, said, “I have truly appreciated the manner in which the Connecticut Department of Transportation has worked with the Voices of the Women of Color and the community they represent in the Greater Hartford Mobility Study. As a resident born and raised in the city of Hartford, I have witnessed firsthand the calamitous outcome that accompanies transportation and infrastructure projects lacking participation of community residents it will impact during the planning stages. The continuous cycle of conversation, outreach, and engagement will be beneficial to the residents of this area for decades, and even centuries to come.”
Several early action projects would be implemented within the next five years for the traveling public to reap the benefits of improved mobility and safety while the four major components of the program undergo National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Act reviews. The Greater Hartford Mobility Study utilizes a planning process known as a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. The Federal Highway Administration encourages PEL use as it considers environmental, community, and economic goals early in transportation planning. CTDOT may adopt or incorporate Planning Products from this PEL Study into a federal or state environmental review process, pursuant to Title 23 U.S.C. § 168(d)(4). The project is formally identified as State Project No. 0063-0716. FMI go to hartfordmobility.com.
The study was led by AECOM, an engineering and consulting firm based in Rocky Hill, with FHI Studio serving as lead public involvement consultant. FHI Studio is a Hartford-based transportation, environmental, and community planning firm with offices in New York City and Greater Philadelphia. FHI Studio is led by Carla Tillery, a 30-year transportation engineer at FHI Studio and one of the company’s pioneers of its transportation engineering practice. Carla is active in the transportation industry as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Hartford, Director-at-Large for the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) CT Chapter, and an active member of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS). She received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut.
FHI Studio is also engaged in a multi-year Neighborhood Planning Initiative with the city of Hartford, guided by the Hartford City Plan 2035. The neighborhood planning process “will engage residents and community stakeholders” in the development of Neighborhood Plans over the course of the next several years. In the project’s first year, action-oriented Neighborhood Plans will be published for three neighborhoods: Frog Hollow, Northeast, and Upper Albany. Hartford said it will work closely with residents, neighborhood groups, and community stakeholders to create plans that reflect the unique needs and characteristics of the city’s historic neighborhoods.
“Two years ago, we adopted a new city plan – setting our city-wide aspirations for where we want to be when Hartford reaches its 400th anniversary in 2035,” said Mayor Bronin. “With this Neighborhood Planning initiative, we’re working with our community to identify the specific opportunities and goals that are unique to each neighborhood. Just as with the city-wide planning effort, this process will be driven by our residents and stakeholders, working hand-in-hand with our planning team. Hartford has such beautifully varied and distinct neighborhoods, and we want to build on their specific strengths, while always holding fast to the idea that a win for any part of Hartford is a win for all of Hartford.”
