CTfastrak will soon be reality for New Britain and Newington
NEW BRITAIN — To take a tour along the New Britain and Newington legs of the CTfastrak route is to experience the wonders of change. Former back alleys and brownfields are being transformed into modern, 21st century transportation structures.
“Every project has its construction challenges,” said Michael Sanders, DOT Transit Administrator. “But construction has really gone smoothly.” Sanders was pleased to tell a visitor how the downtown New Britain station will have special curbing for articulated buses and saw-tooth platforms where local buses will pull in and out. “We’ve had no real issues,” said Richard Symonds, P.E., DOT project manager. “That includes Fairview Cemetery.” Previously, there had been strong neighborhood opposition when New Britain east side residents realized how close the bus route would come to some grave sites. “Since construction started and people are seeing it looks like a rapid transit system, there has been a positive change in perception,” Sanders said. Like all route stations, the East Main Street Station will boast a clear, see-through bay. This way, people in the transit shelter won’t be startled when someone walks around the corner. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
State funds OK'd for CT's Trees of Honor Memorial
MIDDLETOWN >> State bonds have been approved to create a pastoral walkway of flowering trees to honor those from Connecticut who gave their lives in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
State Rep. Joe Serra (D-Middletown) and State Sen. Paul Doyle (D-Middletown) joined Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Friday in announcing thr approval of $500,000 for the construction of the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial in Veterans Memorial Park. “I’d like to thank Gov. Malloy for his support to bring this plan for a memorial park closer to reality. The memorial will serve as an inspiration to future generations of the importance of unselfish devotion to duty and service,” Serra said. “I am proud to support the families of these fallen service men and women and carry their memory forward. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.” The 65 trees will be a combination of cherry and dogwood and will be in a pear-shaped path. Each will have its own plaque with the name of one of the 65 service members. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Crews begin digging channels at Meriden Hub site
MERIDEN — LaRosa Construction Co. has begun digging a channel through the center of the Meriden Hub site to divert three brooks into one flowing stream, the first step in turning the former industrial and commercial property into a downtown park.“It’s going to get crazy,” said job superintendent Peter Haber. “It’s getting hot, but we don’t mind after this winter.” Workers used excavators to uncover a culvert on the west side of the parcel where Clark Brook flows behind a building on Colony Street and enters the site on State Street. “If you punch through the concrete, you’ll see the brook,” Haber said. Harbor Brook flows from the northeastern corner of the 13-acre parcel under the Mill Street bridge and winds its way through to the southwestern tip. The flow line is marked with stakes, and excavation for the channel to contain the new stream has started. The existing pipe will be removed. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
UConn trustees approve $115M Hartford campus move
UConn's board of trustees on Tuesday approved the move of the university's West Hartford campus to downtown Hartford and unveiled the first rendering of the new facility, which will be housed at the former Hartford Times building.
Construction of the $115 million building will start next year and could be ready for classes as early as fall 2017, Uconn said. It would be able to accommodate approximately 2,300 students and 250 faculty members. Presiding at a lawn signing ceremony across from the Hartford Times, UConn President Susan B. Herbst said UConn's Hartford campus is returning to its original base from 1939 to 1970.
The downtown campus will be called UConn Hartford. "A century from now, UConn will still be here in a thriving campus in a thriving city,'' Herbst said. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who led a phalynx of city, state and civic officials in attendance, said, "It was wrong that UConn didn't have a major campus in downtown Hartford. This is an important day.'' CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Crews ready to break ground on new Food Bank headquarters in Wallingford
Six months after the Connecticut Food Bank announced that it was relocating from East Haven to Wallingford, construction crews are officially breaking ground this week on the 82,251-square-foot building that will be the organization’s new home. The groundbreaking scheduled for Friday morning comes as the Connecticut Food Bank has completed the institutional phase of its fundraising drive to pay for the $15.7 million facility, said Nancy Carrington, president and chief executive officer of the organization. The state donated $2.5 million to project in January. Construction of the facility, which is being built at the intersection of Research Parkway and Route 68 near Interstate 91, is expected to take about a year to complete, she said. “Fundraising is off to a good start,” Carrington said. “We’ve raised over $10 million of what we need and we’ll open up with the public giving later this year. While I know that still a have long way to go, I’m confident that we can bring this to a successful conclusion.” Claris Construction of Newtown is serving as general contractor for the project, she said. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE