Our statewide survey is off to a fantastic start with now 500+ respondents in week one. We'd love to see that number climb into the thousands though in the next week or two. Fairfield County is really making a statement with 8 towns appearing in the top 10 list for participation so far. Top 10 Towns for Participation 1 Stamford 2 New Canaan, West Hartford 3 Hartford 4 New Haven 5 Norwalk 6 Greenwich 7 Fairfield 7 Glastonbury 8 Westport 9 Darien, Simsbury, Wethersfield 10 Trumbull, Wilton No Show Towns Still Tallying 61-- We know you're out there! We want to hear from you! Take the Survey!
A big THANK YOU to the hundreds of you who have already completed our Bike-Friendly, Walk-Friendly town surveys! We're heard from people from 102 towns, but nada from any of the 67 towns below. Our town-by-town scorecard will be released by the end of June. Don't let your town be a no show! New Canaan and Stamford are currently tie for the lead in most responses, having edged out West Hartford, now in 2nd place. Norwalk and New Haven are tie for 3rd place, with Hartford coming in 4th and Greenwich at 5th place. A mighty fine showing by Fairfield County... Keep those responses coming in, Connecticut! Do you live in any of these towns where no one has responded yet? Take the Survey!
The Connecticut Department of Transportation will hold a public informational meeting regarding the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Extension.
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at the Cheshire Town Hall, Council of Chambers, 84 South Main Street, Cheshire, Connecticut. A design presentation will start at 7 p.m. with a question and answer period immediately following. The purpose of this project is to extend the shared use path known as the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in the Town of Cheshire. The Department is currently designing two sections of the trail. Section 1 – Project No. 25-145: Between Cornwall Avenue and Route 68/70 (West Main Street). Section 2 – Project No. 25-144: Between Jarvis Street and the Southington town line. The Town is also currently designing another section of the trail between Routes 68/70 (West Main Street) and Jarvis Street under Project No. 25-135. The completion of both the Town and State’s designed projects will close the 4.7 mile gap in the trail corridor to provide a continuous 23 mile trail from New Haven to Southington. The project will generally consist of a 12-foot wide paved surface with a 2-foot stone dust shoulder throughout the length of the 4.7 mile gap. A boardwalk section is proposed through much of the wetland area in Section 1 and consists of a 10-foot wide surface. The present schedule indicates that construction is planned for the Town’s section, Project No. 25-135, in 2015; and the State’s design Section 2 in 2016 and Section 1 in 2017. The estimated construction cost for the state designed project is approximately $4.6 million for Section 1 and $6.0 million for Section 2. Both are anticipated to be undertaken with 80% federal funds and 20% state funds. The public informational meeting is being held to offer a full opportunity for public participation and to allow open discussion of any views and comments the community may have concerning the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Extension in the town of Cheshire. Bike Walk Connecticut is very excited to launch a new effort to help make it safer and easier to walk and bike by implementing “complete streets” in cities and towns across Connecticut. The project is funded through a federal grant administered by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) to promote statewide implementation of policies and actions to promote health and prevent and control chronic diseases. The link between complete streets and health and disease prevention is physical activity. Complete streets make it easier and safer for people be more physically active by getting around on foot or by bike. What are Complete Streets? Complete Streets are streets that are designed to be safe for everyone to use. Complete Streets make it easier and safer to walk and bike to work, to school, to transit, for errands, or just for pleasure and exercise. Connecticut’s Complete Streets law (Conn. Gen. Stat. §13-153f) requires pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users to be routinely considered in the planning, designing, construction and operation of all roads. This effort will help communities implement aspects of this law. Public Opinion Survey and Scorecard As part of this initiative, Bike Walk Connecticut will conduct a statewide public opinion survey [take it now!] of the bike- and walk-friendliness of Connecticut’s cities and towns, develop an inventory of towns that have bike/pedestrian task forces and plans, and assess the degree to which those plans are being implemented by their respective towns. Bike Walk Connecticut will publish a town-by-town scorecard early this summer, ranking cities and towns on their bike- and walk-friendliness. The survey and scorecard are expected to be conducted annually. Complete Streets Leadership Workshop Implementing complete streets in Connecticut’s 169 towns will require citizen involvement, local leadership, and collaboration with town planners, engineers and public safety officials. To that end, Bike Walk Connecticut will also host an initial workshop to bring together people from communities that are already working to implement complete streets with others who want to make their own towns better places to bike and walk. This initiative is made possible through the financial support of the DPH through Cooperative Agreement 1305 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A new report titled Dangerous by Design 2014, that was released by the National Complete Streets Coalition, ranks Connecticut 27th in the U.S. in pedestrian safety. According to the report, between 2003 and 2012, 351 people were killed while walking in Connecticut, representing 12.6% of the 2,780 traffic-related fatalities in the state during this period. Connecticut’s overall Pedestrian Danger Index (PDI) is 35.02. For the years 2003 to 2010, these fatalities include 20 children under 16 and 107 adults aged 65 or older. Download Dangerous by Design 2014: Connecticut, including our state-specific findings and recommendations for decision makers at the state and federal levels. If you have noticed a lot of potholes throughout the streets lately from the past winter, some of those may be fixed soon. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced this week that an additional $11.9 million will be used to fund the state’s annual maintenance and road resurfacing program, which – combined with $57 million in previously approved funding – will repave and repair 264 miles of primary roads around the state. . Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced a series of grants under the state’s Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), which will be awarded to 27 towns throughout Connecticut for the purposes of funding a variety of economic development, community conservation and quality-of-life projects.
Several of the towns will use the grant money to repair sidewalks, streets and make their towns more bikeable and walkable. Below is a list from the Governor's Office of what some of these projects include: Bethel $430,000 for the installation and repair of sidewalks for various streets throughout the town. These upgrades will provide pedestrian and handicapped pathways to the Downtown Business District as we as the Bethel Metro-North train station. Cheshire $500,000 to fund the design and construction of 1,630 linear feet of sidewalks throughout the town center. This sidewalk extension project will connect the recently upgraded West Main Street commercial area to a number of municipal facilities, retail establishments and residential neighborhoods. East Hampton $500,000 to implement Phase II of a comprehensive blight removal, public safety and public parking project. The project promotes economic development and removes a public health threat by remediating a brownfield at the former site of the Summit Thread Powerhouse and turning it into a public parking area, which will provide easy access to public transportation, retail and restaurant establishments and other area businesses. Marlborough $500,000 for the North Main Street Exit 12 gateway Economic Enhancement Project. This project will improve the appearance, enhance vehicular access, improve public safety, and increase the visibility of the businesses located on and adjacent to North Main Street. The project includes sidewalk extensions, and streetscape and lighting improvements. Old Saybrook $500,000 for the Main Street Connections Park and Parking Lot Project. The project involves redeveloping the property where an irreparably storm-damaged municipal building is located and replacing it with a parking area and recreational park. This will create a place in the center of town where people can relax and recreate. Features include much needed additional downtown parking, multi-modal canopied pathways, and seating in the park. Portland $363,000 for the fourth and final phase of the Brownstone Avenue Extension project. The first three phases involved the extension of Brownstone Avenue, new sidewalks and parking, and the construction of a pavilion and outdoor amphitheater stage. The fourth phase involves installing water and sewer connections to the pavilion, completion of a storage facility, construction of ADA-compliant bathrooms, and various outdoor amenities such as grills and picnic tables. Ridgefield $320,000 for Phase III of the Danbury Road Streetscape project. Funding for this phase will go toward the installation of decorative streetlights, new sidewalks, and retrofitted handicapped ramps to enhance pedestrian safety. Ridgefield $180,000 for final design and construction of exterior site improvements to Ridgefield’s Town Hall, including the reconstruction of existing walkways and stairs, installation of new lighting, and drainage improvements to improve site safety and aesthetics. Seymour $200,000 for Phase III of the Seymour Sidewalk Replacement Project, making them ADA compliant. Streets include Pearl Street, Washington Ave and Roberts Street. Willington $500,000 for Phase III of the reconstruction of Turnpike Road, including drainage and improvements. The road was heavily damaged by flooding in October 2005 and the town has been working diligently to repair it to ensure a smooth and safe drive for commuters. Wilton $500,000 for the Wilton Train Station Walkway Project, which consists of the design and construction of a pedestrian travelway that connects the Wilton Train Station, Wilton Center and several multi-family residential communities. The project will provide a safe pathway for people to walk throughout the center of town. Woodbridge $500,000 for pedestrian and traffic flow improvements to the north entrance of the Beecher Road Elementary School. The renovation will improve safety and access to the school for students, employees and the residents of Woodbridge. Read the full list of grants here. It's official. It took five years to get it passed, but the Governor has now signed the Vulnerable User bill into law. Senate Bill 336 is now Public Act 14-31.
The vulnerable user law requires a fine to be imposed on reckless motor vehicle drivers who cause the death or serious injury of a pedestrian, cyclist, wheelchair user, or other vulnerable users who were using reasonable care. The fine is capped at $1000. Congratulations to us. Just another reminder that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens really can make a difference. Word got out around the state about Bike to Work Day this year. See below for a list of stories that came through our inbox. Let's keep biking and walking in the headlines.
Bike to Work Day: Health and Safety Promoted Friday - Public News Service-CT Hundreds are expected to ditch their car or the train and pedal to work tomorrow (Friday) as part of National Bike to Work Day in Connecticut. Comments from State Senator Beth Bye (D-W Hartford) who says in addition to being good for your health and the environment, the event also raises awareness about... More people riding bikes to work - Meriden Record-Journal We’re looking to shift the mode of travel, by having people walk or bike to work instead of hopping in a car,” said Kelly Kennedy, executive director of Bike Walk Connecticut... May 16 In Connecticut: An Invitation To Park The Car - Hartford Courant The advocacy group is promoting Bike to Work Day on May 16 as a chance for commuters to test-drive the idea of parking the car and setting out on ... Bike to Work Day is May 16 - Hartford Business Hartford nonprofit Bike Walk Connecticut is organizing this year's Bike to Work Day on May 16. The organization will help put together more than 20 ... Biking Instead of Driving to Work | Connecticut News Feed ctnewsfeed.com---Many trafficked by dual wheels Friday instead of four, trade in their cars for bicycles for Stamford's annual Bike to Work Day. “It's unequivocally about ... Biking Instead of Driving to Work It's Relevant: New Canaan Many traveled by two wheels Friday instead of four, trading in their cars for bicycles for Stamford's annual Bike to Work Day. "It's really about making a ... ADVISORY: Mayor Finch Hosts Bike to Work Day Ride - News Releases - City of Bridgeport, CT Bridgeport, Connecticut (May 14, 2014) – In celebration of National Bike to Work Day and CTRides Week, Mayor Bill Finch will ride his bike to the ... Trending: Where we bike to work | Connecticut Post A new Census Bureau report, released last week, finds that the number of people biking to work has increased 60 percent in the past decade, up from about 488,000 people in 2000 to about 786,000 people in the last five years. Bike to Work Day is Friday - The New Britain Herald Bike Walk Connecticut is promoting bicycle commuting across the state, ... Bike to Work Day breakfasts and events are scheduled in towns and at ... Connecticut bikes to work on May 16Minuteman News Center Fairfield, CT - Bike Walk Connecticut is promoting bike commuting all around the state on Friday, May 16 National Bike to Work Day. Bike commuting ... Friday is Bike to Work Day - Connecticut Postingsctnews.com Hartford, CT (May 13, 2014) – Bike Walk Connecticut is promoting bike commuting all around the state on May 16-National Bike to Work Day. Bike To Work Day | Hartford.com Bike Walk Connecticut is promoting bike commuting all around the state on May 16–National Bike to Work Day. Besides bringing a city to life, bike... Get Wheelin' Folks – Friday Is National Bike To Work Day | Capitol Watch - Hartford Courant Blogscourantblogs.com Friday is National Bike To Work Day and Connecticut cycling activists are urging commuters in this state to try using their bikes as an alternative to ... Pedal Power To Be Celebrated Statewide May 12-16 - The Newtown Bee May is National Bike Month, and the Connecticut government is encouraging citizens to take part in Bike to Work Week, May 12-16, or even Bike To ... Try two-wheeling it to your job on National Bike to Work Day - Shelton Herald Shelton-BikeToWorkDay According to the Bike Walk Connecticut organization, bike commuting reduces traffic, avoids pollution, saves gas, and burns ... Bethel To Participate In Annual Bike To Work Day « Bethel News « Bethel Bulletin – Bethel CT- Bethel CT – Join bike riders of all ages at the Bethel Train Station Monday May 12th at ... Bethel To Participate In Annual Bike To Work Day. Stamfords 5th Annual Bike to Work Day - Hey Stamford! |
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