Hartford's Parks and Open Space System Plan will hold its final parks public meeting on Monday, December 9. This is the last chance to provide input on the project. The meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Samuel Valentin Arroyo Recreation Center (formerly called Pope Park Rec. Center) at 30 Pope Park Drive in Hartford. Free parking is available in Pope Park's parking lot. Click here for more information. Many of you who attended the Annual Dinner & Silent Auction on November 12 asked for a copy of DECD Deputy Commissioner Kip Bergstrom's remarks. You can download your copy here.
And in case you missed it, here's his follow up OpEd that appeared in the Nov. 20 edition of the Hartford Courant, Cities, Towns Must Be Welcoming To Young. Click here for more highlights from the 2013 Annual Dinner & Silent Auction. Two upcoming programs offered by The Jonah Center will explain new plans to increase the walkability and bikeability of Middletown and Portland.
These events include: Bringing the Air Line Trail to Portland When: Tuesday, November 26 from 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Portland Library, Mary Flood Room, 20 Freestone Ave., Portland What: John Shafer, President of the Jonah Center for Earth and Art, and Deanna Rhodes, Planning and Zoning Administrator for the Town of Portland, will describe a proposed extension of the Air Line Trail from East Hampton to Portland. The discussion will include maps, ground level and aerial photographs, cost estimates, potential funding sources, and consideration of the planning and community organizing tasks that will be required to realize this vision. Middletown Street, Sidewalk & Trail Improvements for Walking and Bicycling When: Tuesday, December 3 from 7-8:30 p.m. Where: Russell Library, Hubbard Room, 123 Broad Street, Middletown What: Middletown’s Complete Streets Committee will present specific plans to make city streets and intersections safer and more inviting for bicyclists and pedestrians. This program will include priority areas of Middletown identified by the Master Plan; proposed routes to connect residential neighborhoods to the downtown area, parks, and schools; a new sidewalk along Saybrook Road near the Stop & Shop; proposed improvements in the area of Veterans Park and West Street; Safe Routes to School programs; results of a recent bike-pedestrian traffic count; and state-wide advocacy for biking and walking. Both of these programs are free, open to the public, and no advance registration is necessary. For more contact John Hall at 860-398-3771. The Connecticut Department of Transportation will conduct a public informational meeting concerning the proposed Pequonnock River Trail from Route 127 (White Plains Road) to Quarry Road in Trumbull on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 (Snow Date: January, 9, 2014) in the Council Chambers, Trumbull Town Hall, 5866 Main Street, Trumbull, Connecticut. An informal question and answer session will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by a formal design presentation at 7 p.m.
The purpose of the project is to continue the Pequonnock River Trail from Route 127 across the Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) Corridor to Quarry Road. This will enhance continuity with the existing bicycle trail system throughout Connecticut and provide an alternative to motor vehicle transportation. This project involves the construction of a multi-use trail from White Plains Road to Quarry Road in the town of Trumbull for a total length of approximately 4,500 feet. It is proposed to install a crosswalk on Route 127 from Twin Brooks Park to allow trail users to cross the road onto a new eight-foot wide section of bituminous trail along the south side of the road. The trail leads to a crosswalk at Rocky Hill Road. A new five-foot wide concrete sidewalk along the eastern side of Rocky Hill Road will accommodate pedestrians while bicyclists travel with the traffic on the roadway. The ten-foot wide multi-use bituminous trail will resume from the southern cul-de-sac on Rocky Hill Road. The trail then leads toward the Merritt Parkway crossings. The first crossing occurs at the southbound Merritt Parkway off-ramp to Route 25 (Exit 49) where a new box culvert tunnel structure is proposed. The trail then leads to an existing, abandoned railroad bridge over the Merritt Parkway and then back under the northbound Merritt Parkway on-ramp from Route 25 through a second new box culvert tunnel structure. The trail will require the total acquisition of one private property immediately south of this second box culvert tunnel to accommodate the trail alignment. Illumination will be provided within both tunnels for users’ safety. As the trail continues south, it passes a Connecticut Light and Power Company right-of-way with transmission lines traversing east-west, and ends in the vicinity of the Quarry Road cul-de-sac. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2016 based on the availability of funding. The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $3.5 million. This project is anticipated to be undertaken with 80% Federal funds and 20% State funds. The public informational meeting is being held to afford a full opportunity for public participation and to allow open discussion of any views and comments the community may have concerning this proposed project. Anyone wishing to discuss the project may contact Timothy M. Wilson at (860) 594-3189 or by e-mail at Timothy.Wilson@ct.gov. Plans are also available for review at the Trumbull Town Hall. Bike lockers have been installed at Union Station in Hartford. There are 4 in total and they are free to use. Just make sure you bring your own lock (Ulock or padlock are most secure, but you can use a cable lock too). If you use the lockers, please send your feedback to Sandy Fry at sfry@ghtd.org. Make sure to mark these dates on your calendar for 2014!
Bike to School day will be Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 16, 2014 May is also National Bike Month and Bike to Work Week is May
National Bike Month is May, Bike to Work Day is the third Friday in May, the week in which Bike to Work falls is Bike to Work Week. According to the League of American Bicyclists, last week, a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers in the House and Senate intro ducted identical bills (HR 3494 and S 1708)—the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act—to help reduce the number of bicycle and pedestrian fatalities on American roadways.
Learn more on HR 3494 and S 1708. Contact your U.S. Representative and/or Senator and let them know you want them to support these bills. A special town meeting will take place in Wilton tonight to discuss a proposed $2.2 million bonded purchase by the town of a conservation easement on land at the corner of Seeley and Cannon Roads.
The meeting will be held at the Clune Center at Wilton High School at 7:30 p.m. Following the meeting, residents can vote on whether or not to approve the expenditure by the town. Residents will also have a second chance to vote on Saturday, November 23 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Clune Center. Learn more about the proposal here. CTLCV EDUCATION FUND & The Rockfall Foundation will host a Community Forum on transportation titled, "Getting Where You Want to Go" from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the deKoven House, 27 Washington St., Middletown. It's all about connecting and preserving our communities with better transportation. > Learn more
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) will conduct a Joint Public Hearing and Public Scoping Meeting for a state project that involves the reconstruction of Atlantic Street in the City of Stamford and the replacement of the existing Metro-North Railroad (MNRR) Bridge over Atlantic Street.
The hearing will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the Stamford Government Center, Cafeteria Room, 888 Washington Boulevard, Stamford. The purpose of this project is to improve the horizontal and vertical geometry for Atlantic Street at the bridge, to increase the roadway capacity by providing additional travel lanes on Atlantic Street, and to improve pedestrian circulation in the vicinity of the Transportation Center. It was also determined that the project should include provisions for an additional track for the railroad, as well as a platform to service this track. The resulting layout accommodates these needs. Preliminary plans will be available for public review starting on November 12, 2013 at the Stamford Engineering Department, located at Stamford Government Center. Department personnel will be available during the hearing to discuss this project. More detailed information is available at the Department’s Office of Engineering, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, Connecticut, during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays. Anyone wishing to review the plans may contact Mr. Robert Brown at (860) 594-3207 or robert.brown@ct.gov to make an appointment. |
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