Officials: Redesign of Mixmaster likely more sustainable
LANCE REYNOLDS
WATERBURY — State transportation officials say they prefer
to fully reconstruct the Mixmaster on different road alignments and connections
between the Interstate 84-Route 8 interchange than replace the stacked decks
with new ones.
Officials reiterated the project dubbed the “New Mix” is
looking at the long-term future of the interchange and surrounding areas unlike
the ongoing Mixmaster rehabilitation project, which will extend the
interchange’s serviceable life another 20 to 25 years.
Informational forums held Thursday by the state Department
of Transportation and engineering firm HNTB Corp. provided the public insight
on the long-term vision.
The stacked structures, which opened to travel in 1968, are
aging and don’t meet current safety standards, officials say. Factoring in the
local roadway network surrounding the interchange is essential to its long-term
viability, said Jacob Argiro, HNTB’s project manager.
“To effectively replace those decks, we were looking at
major, major lane closures over a very long period of time – something like
16-hour days over four to five years,” Argiro said. “This kind of impact
obviously could not be sustained by the city, by the region and by the state.”
Improving the interchange’s safety and functionality,
reducing traffic and complementing Waterbury’s economic development goals while
meeting Connecticut’s long-term transportation needs are the priorities driving
the New Mix project.
David Schweitzer, HNTB’s deputy project manager, presented
options DOT could pursue, including replacing the Mixmaster with a full system
built about a half-mile east of its current location, according to the
project’s website. That would provide additional space for a north and south
frontage road system to improve access to Route 8 from downtown Waterbury, the
website states.
Under that proposal, the Route 8 alignment would run through
an area on Freight Street that city officials are looking to redevelop.
“We’ll have new connections between these roadways,”
Schweitzer said. “As far as meeting our goals and our objectives, our
opportunities to meet these are greatly increased.”
The public can provide feedback on Thursday’s presentations
by Sept. 30 and review project alternatives at newmixwaterbury.com.
New Haven plans transformation of State Street
Mary E. O'Leary
NEW HAVEN —State Street, the old Route 5 car-centric
workhorse, will be put on a "road diet" and transformed downtown,
with a large portion made safe for cyclists and land freed up for green space
and development.
More than 50 people showed enthusiasm at a recent hearing
for the proposed transformation that builds on previous studies and will use a
$5.3 million state grant to redesign the infrastructure of this section of the
major corridor.
"This is about building a street that connects our
neighborhoods — Wooster Square, downtown, East Rock and the Hill — and brings
folks in the city together," Alder Eli Sabin, D-7, said.
Development Administrator Michael Piscitelli said over the
years the road has been beautified, but has failed to function in the manner it
was intended to support the growth of downtown with its explosion of apartments
and bioscience startups, while enhancing biking and pedestrian connections to
the area and the rail stations.
This revision, which extends from Water Street north to Trumbull
Street, used the Toole Design Group as its traffic consultant with the original
direction to make better use of all the parking lots along the Metro-North rail
line reviewed by the Wooster Square Study Group and consultant Utile in 2016.
City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said the plan is to shift all
the motor vehicle traffic to the west side of the State Street median with the
east side dedicated to a two-way protected cycling corridor and an
expansion of the narrow lots for a higher and better use.
"It creates a large amount of valuable space on the
east side of the median ..reminiscent of the promenades you see in
Europe," Zinn said. "We believe it will create a roadway that
is a lot safer for all the different users.
"The proposed concept will transform an
automobile-oriented corridor to a truly multimodal street, with high quality
walking and biking infrastructure, more efficient and convenient transit
operations, and greatly improved safety for all users," the Toole Group
wrote.
One of the major goals is to connect the Farmington
Canal Greenway to both the State Street Station and Union Station.
Zinn said the new configuration will create some 4.4 acres
of space on State Street and another 0.9 acre on George Street. He said
the State Street portion makes sure the lots are wide enough up against the
railroad tracks to allow for double-loaded corridors where housing units could
be on either side.
Dean Mack, a city economic development officer, said there
could be a total of three building sites with some 130 apartments at 417 State
St., which would be closest to the State Street Station area on almost an acre
of land.
The conceptual apartment could be cantilevered over surface
parking with similar designs for two more sites, one at 253 State St. and
another at 183 State St.
The plan estimates space for some 450 apartments and 20,000
square feet of commercial space. The structures were estimated at 6 stories,
but Mack said these are just conceptual.
City officials stressed that any potential apartments here
would all fall under the new inclusionary zoning requirement with a 20 percent
affordable housing minimum.
Zinn said traffic volumes have been going down in the past
15 years and they expect the trend to continue, but if they were to increase,
Toole said the proposed changes for State Street still hold up.
He said this is the case because there will be improvements
to signalization with standardized cycle lengths and more time for pedestrians
and cyclists to cross the street.
Some of the intersection changes include:
Water Street: Drivers could turn north onto State
Street to the west of the Knights of Columbus Museum rather than going across a
railroad bridge and rejoining State Street farther up. The Farmington
Canal Trail would come down the back side of the Knights of Columbus building
and then come down Fair Street.
Zinn said they are looking for public space ideas for the
bridge over the rail. "There is an opportunity for a really unique
public space back here," Zinn said.
George Street: Stays relatively similar with the
addition of northbound traffic on State. Zinn said generally speaking, a lot of
the intersections will become more regular and more compact.
Crown Street: The existing State Street north roadway
is here with a lot of the former roadway now part of a development opportunity.
It will not have a traffic signal, but rather rectangular rapid flashing
lights similar to those on Olive Street for pedestrian safety.
Chapel Street: All of the crossings on the side streets
will be on raised crosswalks. Zinn said they took inspiration from Boston where
bikes and pedestrians will have the same amount of time as vehicles and will be
protected from vehicles making right and left turns.
Grand Avenue: There will be a turn to allow drivers to
make a left off State Street onto Grand Avenue. There will be a raised
crossing for walkers and some dedicated bus space. The city still wants to make
Elm Street, which starts on Grand, two-way, and has reserved space for
that to happen in the future.
Grove Street: Traffic still remains on the west side of
the median on State Street. There will, however, be a one-block stretch of the
Farmington Canal Trail on Grove Street so the entirety of the canal in New
Haven will be off-street protected infrastructure. There will also be one block
of a one-directional bike lane on the west side to allow cyclists coming south
on State Street who want to use the new Wall Street bike lane.
Interstate 91 and Trumbull Street: There will be a
raised crosswalk and rapid flashing beacons for pedestrians from anyone
accessing the northern part of downtown from the State and Trumbull parking
lot. The project ends just shy of the overpass for the Exit 3 on-ramp for I-91.
Piscitelli said they want to lock in the roadway design
before making any decisions on the development components. He said this week's
discussion is the first of many on the project.
He said the city has 10 years to build out the corridor in
its agreement with the state and wants to take its time to "get it
right," including thinking of design elements beyond the podium
construction flooding New Haven, such as the more sustainable mass timber
method.
"It is an opportunity for us to do something a little
bit more creative here, dive deeper on climate," he said.
Chris Ozyck, an active environmentalist, said the Rose
Kennedy Greenway in Boston could be a model to follow. He said it will be
important to get right how the frontages of the new developments
interrelate with the bike lanes. "That takes a lot of discussion," he
said.
He also suggested that the city look at the old Farmington
Canal Line that is still exists near the rail line and try to get an easement
and air rights for another potential trail, which would eliminate any
at-grade crossings.
"The interaction of a new development and the public
space is very much on our minds, as well," Zinn said.
He feels the people who move into these spaces will
appreciate having this public space in front of them. "I think that's why
we want to have something ambitious developers will recognize as
ambitious," Zinn said.
Anstress Farwell, president of the New Haven Urban Design
League, suggested the city think about some small lots be used by live-work
opportunities for residents. She also supported thinking about mass timber
design for the buildings.
Another resident talked about the need for amenities that
will attract people to the public spaces in the new developments, beyond just
using the cycle tracks, such as trees, benches, lighting and parklets to make
it a destination.
Zinn said the city hasn't gotten to that level of detail,
but that it is along the lines they were considering, particularly since they
are making the radical move to essentially cut the road in half.
$21 million expansion of Rich's Foods in New Britain to begin this fall
NEW BRITAIN – A $21 million expansion of Rich’s Foods is set
to begin later this fall.
Headquartered at 263 Myrtle St. the company, also known as
Rich’s Products Corporation, is set to begin the expansion project in the
fourth quarter of 2022, according to Mayor Erin Stewart.
“New Britain is a prime location for business to come to and
thrive,” Stewart said. “The fact that Rich’s Foods chose to stay here after
conducting a nationwide search for a location to expand operations is proof of
that, and we look forward to having them as a part of our community for many
more years to come.”
Rich’s will be adding a new production line, new
manufacturing equipment, cold storage and an innovative palletizing and
shipping addition to its facility.
The building expansion will match its current height,
dimensions and facade materials.
The project is expected to bring over 300 construction and
project support jobs to the City, along with close to 100 new manufacturing
jobs.
The Buffalo- N.Y.-based Rich Products purchased the property
at 1 Celebration Way from Celebration Foods over a decade ago.
Hartford’s Batterson Park renovation delayed; targeted mid-2023 reopening at risk
Hartford — A city official has confirmed that work to
renovate 15 acres of Batterson Park will not begin this fall, contrary to
initial plans to rehabilitate the once-popular summertime swimming spot.
But the city remains committed to the project, according to
Thea Montanez, the city’s chief operating officer.
“The City of Hartford has engaged Construction Solutions
Group to serve as project coordinator, and they are currently in the planning
process, prioritizing elements of the project and preparing to issue bids for
design and construction,” she wrote in response to a series of email questions
from The Courant.
“While the planning and design work is moving forward,
construction will not begin this fall,” she wrote.
The delay could push back the targeted mid-2023 reopening of
the park, which is owned and operated by Hartford, but is located between New
Britain and Farmington.
In June 2021, officials from Hartford, New Britain and
Farmington announced that the
long-neglected park would be receiving $10 million from the state —
largely due to the efforts of House Speaker Matt Ritter — for a significant
makeover. The funding was available to clean up the park’s 165-acre pond,
remove invasive plants, truck in more sand for the beach and replace the
decrepit and vandalized concession building and bath house.
Ritter on said he was disappointed the construction on the
project won’t begin this fall.
“Securing the funds for the park is one of the things I’m
most proud of in my time as speaker and as a legislator,” Ritter said.
“It’s a huge financial commitment from the state of
Connecticut to restore that park so that it’s usable for families who otherwise
might not have beach access anywhere close to home,” he said. “It’s a park that
has served so many families for so many years.”
Indeed, decades ago, Batterson was one of Hartford’s main
parks. With Long Island Sound more than an hour away, Batterson’s pond served
as a beach venue for city residents.
In the ‘60s and ‘70s, thousands of people, for a small fee,
used the park every day in summertime. But budget constraints ultimately led
the city to shut down the park by 2015.
The confirmed construction delay comes on the heels of the
summertime dissolution of the Batterson Park Conservancy, a group composed of
neighbors of the park and volunteers, that planned to preserve the park’s
upkeep once the renovations and improvements were complete.
The effort to create the Batterson Park Conservancy was
spearheaded four years ago by Connors, an attorney, and his wife, Allison
Cappuccio.
Montanez said the city would work with the two towns as well
as other potential groups concerning the care of the park.
“Mayor Bronin looks forward to working with his counterparts
in New Britain and Farmington to establish an effective mechanism for ensuring
coordination and collaboration among the three municipalities,” Montanez wrote.
C.J. Thomas, the chairman of the Farmington Town Council,
said “My concern is the long-term upkeep of the property.”
Thomas added that he was unaware if the city has visited the
park since the June 2021 announcement.
New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said her city is also
committed to the project in cooperating with Farmington and Hartford.
“I’m looking forward to productive conversations with the
mayors’ offices in each respective town to come together on a maintenance
agreement to ensure the parks success for decades to come,” Stewart said. “It
benefits all communities that we get it right from the start.
The decision to dissolve the original conservancy still
troubles Connors.
“The volunteers and board members of Batterson Park
Conservancy, myself included, are deeply saddened and hurt by this decision to
terminate the Conservancy for what could only be personal or retaliatory
reasons,” he said. “I just hope that the successor organization Hartford
creates will fulfill the purpose that was intended of transparency, long-term
sustainability and community involvement.”
With the dissolution of the conservancy, the Avon crew team being barred from using the park as a
practice facility and the delay in construction, some residents
expressed their concern over how committed the city is to the rehabilitation of
Batterson.
Montanez said, however, that the city is moving forward with
the project.
“The City of Hartford is determined to see Batterson Park
restored as a recreation area and a regional asset,” she said.
Ritter, for his part, also confirmed that the state funding
was still secure.
“I’m disappointed it may not be open when we thought it was
going to be open, but I can assure everybody that the state funding is still
there,” he said.
“[As for any alleged] plans to not go ahead and renovate
that park, I would be very vocal in my opposition to not using these funds for
the purpose that they were allocated,” Ritter said. “The state is not going to
financially support anything but that park.”