December 15th's Bond Commission Agenda CLICK HERE
Amtrak Promises ‘Clean Sheet,’ But Seeks Viable Off-Corridor Route From New Haven to Providence
Gregory Stroud, Cate Hewitt,
In a phone call on Thursday, Rep. Joe Courtney told CT
Examiner that he had met with Amtrak officials for a briefing that focused on
on-corridor investments and a “clean sheet” for the agency’s reboot of
high-speed rail planning between New Haven and Providence.
“‘Clean sheet,’ they must have repeated that a number of
times,” said Courtney, “and again, I think they are approaching this thing with
a fresh set of eyes … beginning this with no preconception about the fact that
there’s some intrinsic weakness in terms of the existing line.”
But in series of emailed exchanges on Thursday and Friday,
Amtrak officials acknowledged that the ground rules for the new study guarantee
a new off-corridor route and require the same metrics previously used to
justify a controversial high-speed-rail bypass through coastal Connecticut and
southern Rhode Island.
Jennifer Flanigan, a spokesperson for Amtrak, told CT Examiner that “the
foundational goals remain the same but will be supplemented by goals
established through robust public outreach.”
Six years ago, the Federal Railroad Administration’s preferred alternative for
high-speed rail included a “Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass” that would have
significantly impacted the towns of Old Lyme, Stonington and Charlestown, Rhode
Island, but was dropped in the face of widespread public opposition.
The resulting record of decision left the thorny issue of
connecting New Haven and Providence unresolved, instead appearing to throw the
political hot potato to the state governments.
But in early November it was announced that Biden
administration would be giving $4 million of the $5 million cost for completing
the study to Amtrak as part of $16.4 billion of spending along the Northeast
Corridor including significant spending toward replacing lift bridges across
the Mianus, Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers.
Courtney told CT Examiner that, given his Wednesday briefing
by Amtrak, it appeared that one alternative, a direct route between Hartford
and Providence, was already off the table, based on a market
study of the region completed in the spring.
“One thing that they have done, which they shared with us
yesterday,” Courtney told CT Examiner, “was they actually did a market study of
the travel patterns between New York and Boston. And because, you know, there
was definitely some pretty big, loud
chatter about maybe the high-speed rail should go from Hartford
directly to Providence.”
Former Regional Plan Association Head Bob Yaro and Kip
Bergstrom, the former Deputy Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of
Economic and Community Development, have been pitching a more ambitious plan,
called North Atlantic Rail,
that would connect Connecticut directly to Long Island and link Hartford to
Providence. At one time, their plan had gained the support of departing
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and then New Haven Mayor Toni Harp.
With new market data, Courtney said, Amtrak appeared to nix
the idea of a Hartford to Providence route.
“I think the market study really squelched the notion that
that was a feasible pathway, because the market studies showed that there is
still high volume, passenger traffic, that still is connected to the shoreline
rail pathway,” said Courtney.
But with Amtrak leading the new study, Courtney said the
agency also made clear that the Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts
departments of transportation were to be “active participants” in the study
process, as well as the regional Councils of Government which had been left out
of the previous NEC Future effort overseen by FRA.
Asked by email whether the Dec. 6 meeting with Amtrak had
discussed any ground rules for the planning, Courtney’s office told CT Examiner
that no parameters from the 2017 record of decision had been mentioned in the
briefing.
The binding record of decision which governs the announced
New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study, mandates that “expanding
largely within or along the existing NEC right-of way is not possible and does
not meet the NEC FUTURE Purpose and Need.”
But with a Hartford to Providence route unlikely, and no
other solution other than the Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass proposed in the
previous NEC Future studies, it remains unclear how the new study will satisfy
both the demands for great speed and capacity along the Northeast Corridor, and
the opposition to an off-corridor shoreline route.
Asked about the possibility of reviving the Kenyon to Old
Saybrook Bypass, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a vocal critic of the plan at the
time – once calling the idea of a coastal bypass “half-baked and harebrained” —
made clear his continuing opposition to the idea.
“The proposed Kenyon to Old Saybrook bypass was a recipe for
economic and environmental disaster – and I will oppose it again just as
strongly if it is revived,” Blumenthal told CT Examiner by email. “While the
goal was to accelerate rail travel, the plan failed to consider the impact on
the people who live and work in the region. The Northeast Corridor rail system
is an essential economic engine. We must continue to make it safer, faster, and
more reliable. I’ll continue to fight for communities that should be heard on
the shoreline and elsewhere.”
Asked about the apparent disconnect between a “clean sheet”
and the requirement for a significantly off-corridor route between New Haven
and Providence, Courtney said on Friday that his office was asking for
clarification from Amtrak.
“Based on my introductory call with Amtrak on December 6, I
was glad to hear Amtrak was ‘starting from scratch’ in their work to study ways
to improve the New Haven to Providence route,” Courtney told CT Examiner.
“Given the preliminary nature of my call with Amtrak, they did not share any
parameters to the study or their impact on the study. My office and I are
awaiting response from Amtrak’s team to understand if and how requirements set
in the 2017 record of decision may inform the path forward. As I have told
Amtrak, every step taken must be made in coordination with and supported by
communities across eastern Connecticut.”
Asked about the apparent discrepancy between the agency’s briefing of Courtney,
and responses to questions from CT Examiner, Jason Abrams, a senior
spokesperson for Amtrak, drew a distinction between the goals of the new study
and the prior planning process.
“The information appears to be different because these are two different topics
being discussed – one with the reporter (NEC Future ROD) and one with Rep.
Courtney (goals for the Planning Study). But the heart of the conversation and
details are the same in both – this is a framework but is not the final
process,” explained Abrams.
Courtney, who strongly opposed the Kenyon to Old Saybrook Bypass six years ago,
said that his conversation with Amtrak this time was aimed in part at avoiding
a repeat of past failures.
“Honestly, it was the same sort of concern – in terms of making sure this is
not a repeat of FRA,” said Courtney in a call with CT Examiner. “I mean, as you
know, it was a complete fiasco. The whole process that FRA employed where the
NEC Futures Plan was basically designed completely in isolation from any input
from the community or on the ground analysis of what that map was going to do.”
Meanwhile, the towns that were once hotbeds of opposition to
the planning appear, as of yet, largely out of the loop.
In Old Lyme, newly-elected First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker told CT Examiner
the study was “on her radar,” and that she’d briefly discussed the matter with
State Rep. Devin Carney and the local Council of Government.
In Guilford, First Selectman Matt Hoey appeared well-versed in the issue,
mentioning conversations with Yaro, a resident of Guilford, and concerns about
whether possible plans for quad-tracking adjacent to Route 146 would interfere
with planning to raise the coastal road to reduce flooding.
Hoey said that no one yet had reached out to him about the
New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning study, but that if the project
couldn’t be stopped, he would press Amtrak to raise the existing trestles to
ease access along Route 146.
“If there is an inevitability to the quad being implemented because of federal
and Amtrak desire to do so and, and potentially the power to just do it – we
would lobby heavily for considerations around those trestles.”
Carney, in response to a query from CT Examiner, called the
revival of a bypass through Old Lyme a “non-starter,” but said he was
encouraged by what appeared to be a more thoughtful approach by Amtrak.
“While I appreciate Amtrak taking a more thoughtful approach
in designing rail upgrades, any potential for a return to the Old Lyme – Kenyon
bypass proposal is a non-starter. As this study moves further along, I
encourage Amtrak to include the local stakeholders as much as possible to
ensure transparency and sufficient opportunities for public comment,”
Carney wrote in an email to CT Examiner.
State Senator Christine Cohen, who heads the legislature’s
Transportation Committee, and whose district includes Branford and Guilford –
the towns affected by plans for quad-tracking – told CT Examiner that she was
keeping an open mind, even regarding an off-corridor route.
“I don’t ever think there’s a downfall to weighing options
and understanding them better, but until those are presented with timelines,
costs and other implications — both positive and negative — I couldn’t say
which would be on the chopping block and which would be prioritized,” Cohen
told CT Examiner in email. “Fast, efficient and affordable interstate
connectivity is something that residents want to see. It’s incumbent upon us to
explore options to make that happen.”
I-95: Still Connecticut’s clogged artery
Last week’s column (“Why
We Love To Hate I-95”) apparently struck a nerve, generating a lot of
comments, some of which I thought I’d share here.
Carolanne wrote “I-95 needs to be re-paved. Ever
notice how uneven the interstate is? It’s very unsafe. As for [lack
of state] police, thank you Democrats [for defunding law enforcement.”]
Commenting on the highway’s condition, Pam from Darien said
“I need to follow up with CDOT about the claim I put in for $350 for repairs to
my car after driving on freshly laid pavement this summer. The black
splatters covering my white car had to be removed professionally. I HATE
I-95.”
The biggest number of comments came after my suggestion
that, to reduce the use of I-95 by local traffic, some of the road’s 93 exits
be closed.
For background, this was an idea studied 20 years ago by
the Transportation
Strategy Board (TSB). While some people loved the idea of
closing exits (many of which are less than a mile apart), they only wanted to
close exits they never used, not of course “their” exits. So
this idea, like so many suggestions of the TSB, went
nowhere.
Barb in New London reminded me that the only way to cross
the Thames and Connecticut Rivers (and not drive 20 miles out of your way) is
to use I-95’s bridges, one of which was in gridlock recently after emergency
repairs due to crumbling concrete headers. She also pointed out
that CDOT is not keeping the roadway or breakdown lanes clear of debris…
“furniture, dog crates and bags of garbage… sometimes there for days,” she
wrote.But the best email I received was from a retired traffic and ITS
(Intelligent Traffic Systems) engineer now living in Glastonbury. He
writes “I-95 was designed and built over 65 years ago. The world and highway
design has changed a lot since then. It’s long past the time that I-95 is
brought into the 21st Century but the regional planning agencies who set
priorities for spending, have long refused to prioritize improvements.”
He continued…”I remember 40 years ago thinking the state
will someday address it but here we are 40 years later and it’s worse than
ever. Everyone I know complains about it and says something should be
done. So why then, after decades, is nothing being done? That is what should be
addressed. Who is to blame? CTDOT? WestCOG? The Governor? The State
Legislature? The towns? This is what the media should be addressing. It’s the
only way to break the never ending logjam that has led to more ‘do nothing’ .
Love it or hate it, I-95 is the carotid artery of this
state’s economy. It is vital to all of our lives (even if you never drive
on it). But like many of our own arteries, it’s beyond being
clogged. It’s a heart attack waiting to happen.
Developers moving forward with $32.47M ground-up apartment development near Hartford City Hall
Partners rehabbing a former Hartford firehouse and shuttered
municipal building into apartments are moving to launch an estimated
$32.47 million construction of a new 126-unit residential building on
surface parking lots near Hartford City Hall.
Daniel Klaynberg, president of Spectra Construction &
Development, said Tuesday his group recently applied to the city to build an
eight-story, reinforced concrete building on a parking lot at 17 and 21
Wells St. The lot slopes sharply and plans call for 58 spaces to be
incorporated on the first two levels of the new building.
The two city-owned lots – which take up about one-third of
an acre – sit behind a shuttered municipal building at 525 Main St., across
from City Hall.
Klaynberg and his partners – brothers Matthew, Dean and Evan
Levy – are more than halfway through an $8 million redevelopment of the former
municipal building at 525 Main St., into 42 apartments over three retail
spaces.
They have made similar progress on a $9.5 million effort to
redevelop a former firehouse at 275 Pearl St., into 34 apartments and 4,200
square feet of restaurant space.
Klaynberg said he expects the firehouse and municipal
building to be completed by June or July.
Klaynberg is seeking $9.4 million in low-interest financing
from the Capital Region Development Authority for the proposed
100,467-square-foot ground-up development. He said he hopes to begin
in “early” 2024 on a project that will take about two years to complete.
Plans call for 20% of units to be allocated as
"workforce housing. The tentative design would include 84 studio units
averaging 360 square feet, 20 one-bedroom apartments averaging 660 square feet
and 24 two-bedroom units with an average size of 856 square feet.
Klaynberg’s father, Joseph, heads Wonder Works Construction
Co., a New York firm that was involved in the redevelopment of several
long-vacant downtown Hartford buildings over the past decade. Daniel Klaynberg
has since taken over the family interests in Connecticut, which includes a
stake in hundreds of recently developed apartments in several buildings, along
with ongoing development projects in the Capital City and beyond.
In November 2022, the City Council signed off on a deal to
sell the shuttered Pearl Street firehouse and former Main Street municipal
building to Klaynberg’s development group for $785,000, in return for a
commitment to redevelop the sites.
The agreement also included a $32,000 annual lease of the
parking lots behind the municipal building with an option to buy at any point
for $162,000.
Klaynberg, on Tuesday, noted the agreement gave his group a decade to begin a
promised development on the parking lots.
“We are ready to do it now,” Klaynberg said. “We are bullish
on Hartford. All of our buildings are continuing to do well.”
Demolition of blighted Cromwell hotel may start in spring; new complex may be finished in 2027
CROMWELL — Demolition of the vacant, severely
blighted former Red Lion Inn at the intersection of Berlin Road and
the northbound entrance ramp to Interstate 91 should begin “roughly” in the
spring — possibly earlier if weather and financial markets permit.
That’s what Chris Riley, the president of Lexington
Partners LLC, the development company for the project, has told town
officials about its timing.
The goal is to replace the dilapidated hotel building with
at least 274 housing units, related amenities and some 30,000 square feet of
commercial space, in an attractive new complex.
But it will take significant time and financial commitment
to get there.
Lawyer Peter J. Alter, representing the developer, told
the Town Council at an Oct.
17 meeting that demolition of existing buildings and environmental
cleanup of the site is expected to take a year and cost more than $4 million,
according to a video recording of the meeting.
He stressed the financial challenge of coming up with that
much money “before you put a shovel in the ground” to build the new complex,
particularly at a time when interest rates have roughly doubled since the
beginning of the project, to about 8 percent.
That is why the developer asked for significant tax
abatements to help get the project going, Alter said.
The council unanimously approved the developer’s requested
abatements at the October meeting.
When construction of the new complex finally starts, it is
expected to take 24 to 28 months, depending on the severity of winter weather
during that period, Alter told the council.
Those figures would put the expected completion date of the
project sometime in 2027.
The tax abatement agreement is complex and contains features
more generous to the developer than some similar agreements, officials
explained at the October council meeting.
The agreement does not take effect until the final building
in the complex receives its certificate of occupancy, the developer decides to
activate the agreement, or four years have elapsed since issuance of the first
building permit, according to Alter and lawyer Kari L. Olson, representing
the town.
Before the agreement takes effect, the property’s assessment
is governed by the settlement of a court appeal of a past assessment. The
settlement set the property’s assessment at about $2.6 million but will be
revised as new structures are built, according to town Assessor Shawna M.
Baron.
When the tax abatement agreement takes effect, the
property’s assessment will be fixed at about $26 million for 10 years,
according to Olson and Baron. But 100 percent of that amount will be tax
exempt for the first two years, Baron said, with taxable amounts increasing at
10 percentage points each year after that for the remainder of the 10 years.
After the agreement expires, the assessment will jump from
$26 million to “some significantly higher number,” Alter told the council.
The 20 townhouse condominium units and the “personal
property,” or business equipment, in the commercial part of the project will
not receive tax abatements, Town Manager Anthony J. Salvatore said.
When the property is fully developed, Alter said, it will
generate more than $1 million in tax revenue annually for the town.
In return for the tax break, the developer has agreed to set
aside 21 of the rental units in the complex for affordable housing for 40
years, with rental rates designed to be within the reach of a family making 80
percent of the area’s median income, Alter said.
He said the monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment set
aside as affordable would be about $1,650, compared to a market rate of about
$2,800.
These are the Norwalk development projects to look out for in 2024, with 2,400 units in the pipeline
NORWALK — Norwalk is on track to add over 2,400 units over
the next few years. From North Seven’s over 1,300 units to 1 Cemetery St.
77-units, here is a look at some of the development coming in 2024 and
beyond.
Transit Oriented Development projects
In March, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans
for a 77-unit
mixed-use apartment building in East Norwalk despite resounding public
opposition.
Nestled next to Mill Pond, the property’s development
proposal was met with outcry from many East Norwalk residents. The East Norwalk
Neighborhood Association created an online petition and gathered 745
signatures to protest the application’s approval.
The development was able to boost the allowed density by
adding public amenities, including public waterfront access. Traffic was
another main concern for the neighborhood association, which advocated for the
city to establish residential parking passes.
Currently home to an old Wells Fargo bank, the property is
situated within walking distance of the East Norwalk station, aligning with the
goals of the East Norwalk Transit-Oriented Development Zone.
With a brand new station and heated platform, the Merritt 7
neighborhood is poised for an influx of development in the coming years. The
North Seven development from Stamford developers Building
and Land Technology plans to add 1,303 units across seven apartment
buildings, according to the Planning and Zoning website.
So far, the city has green-lit phase one of the project,
which would add the first 500 units, 30,000 square feet of retail, and 700
parking spaces across two buildings with a town square amenity space.
Approval for phases two and three is dependent on road
improvements along Glover Avenue and Gristmill Road by adding
sidewalks and crosswalks to connect the corridor to Main Avenue. The state
Department of Transportation highlighted the Glover Avenue and Gristmill
Road improvements as a potential feature in the Route
7 and Merritt Parkway interchange project.
North Seven’s project area is in the Merritt Station Village
Transit-Oriented District, a zone known as MSVTOD and designed to
promote walkability and alternative forms of transportation. Masterminds
behind Stamford’s Harbor Point, the BLT developers have already built
700 units with The Curb apartments and 130 units at One Glover in the MSVTOD.
15
and 17 Chestnut St: 200 units
Adjacent to the South Norwalk train station, Spinnaker Real
Estate Partners' proposal to build
200 units with 20,000 square feet of commercial space at 15 and 17
Chestnut was approved in September.
Earlier this summer, the city sold a 60-space
parking lot for $4.6 million to Spinnaker to expand the project’s
footprint and connect the development to the Sono station.
This development also frees up a $6
million grant for the city to improve infrastructure in the South
Norwalk Transit-Oriented District.
Another $1.3
million was awarded to the project as part of the Connecticut
Department of Economic and Community Development’s Brownfield Remediation and
Development Program.
West Avenue and Wall Street
Wall
Street Place (POKO building): 151 units
After
years of delay due to legal issues, plans to finally finish
the half-constructed building on Wall Street are underway. Developers
presented refinements to their plan to the commission in June, and in November,
the project was granted a one-year extension.
“We are hoping to have financing secured so that we can pull
the building permit and continue site activity in early 2024,” said project
attorney Jason Klein to the Planning and Zoning Commission in November. “The
problem is that your approval expires very early in 2024, in early January, so
a one-year extension will provide us that extra cushion to secure our
financing, obtain a building permit, and go ahead with delivering this
important project.”
P&Z
granted the extension for developers to finish 61 Wall Street and
construct a new building at 17 Isaacs St. The project ran into some roadblocks
after original parking plans fell through.
Now, 61 Wall St. will consist of 105 units and have 40
parking spaces in a garage, and 17 Isaacs St. will have 50 units and 152
parking spaces.
370-394
West Ave (Old Norwalk YMCA): 204 units
Home to the decommissioned Norwalk YMCA, plans to fill the
corner of Maple and West Avenue with a 204-unit
mixed-use apartment building were approved
in September.
Sandwiched between the Norwalk River Valley Trail and West
Avenue, the development features 14 townhome-style units and a corner
restaurant space. The apartment will also have rooftop space available for
tenants, including a pool.
RMS’ project will join the fleet of apartment units
along the West Avenue Corridor,
including Waypointe and the Berkeley.
Also along West Avenue, the
Pinnacle at Waypointe project was approved by Planning
and Zoning in 2021 and will include 393 units with 576 parking spaces.
Construction has begun on the
Pinnacle at 467 West Ave. This development will be across the street
from the original Waypointe developments located on West Avenue.
Affordable housing projects
6
Butler St.,Pacific House: 20 units
Twenty affordable units are planned on a small property
nestled along the edge of Matthews Park at 6 Butler St. The Waypointe developer
with Greenwich Realty Development has teamed up with Stamford-based nonprofit
Pacific House to build
a five-story building of just affordable units.
Located across the street from the Pinnacle, parking for the
units will be provided in the 576-space parking garage.
All 20 units will be reserved for people making 25 percent
to 50 percent below the area median income.
24
Berkeley St.: 5 units
Across West Avenue at 24 Berkeley St., P&Z approved
another nonprofit development project.
Plans
for five affordable, three-bedroom townhomes were presented to the
P&Z Commission by Open Doors Shelter this August. Each townhome will have a
two-car garage.
Open Doors said these townhomes will be available for people
making 30 percent or below the area median income.
Oak
Grove: 69 units
State and local officials recently celebrated the groundbreaking
of another affordable housing project off West Cedar Road.
The 69 units will be spread out into 18 small buildings in a
neighborhood-style development. The project includes a new community center
with a free after-school program for elementary school children.
This project will provide units for tenants making 30 to 80
percent below the area median income.
New Bloomfield-Simsbury trail increases East Coast Greenway regional trail connections
SIMSBURY — A new trail connecting
Bloomfield to Simsbury marks one step closer to establishing a trail
network throughout the Hartford region and connectivity along the East Coast.
Bridging about a 1-mile gap from Bloomfield to the village
of Tariffville in Simsbury, the recently completed multi-use trail is part of
the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile walking and biking route spanning Maine
to Florida.
Connecticut is home to 200 miles of the trail, with the
route currently 54 percent completed in the state. The new section's
opening will allow the East Coast
Greenway Alliance to re-sign the Greenway's travel route through
Simsbury Center once again, continuing south through the center of Bloomfield
and eventually into
Hartford.
Located along Route 189, this new trail is part of the
“Hartford connector,” which ultimately would connect the Farmington Canal
Heritage Trail with the state capitol, said Bruce Donald, the East Coast
Greenway Alliance’s Southern New England Manager.
Around a million people use the Farmington Canal Heritage
Trail every year, Donald said. And for decades, that corridor has been
recognized as necessary to connect to Hartford.
The goal is for it to become a commuter corridor through
more trail connections across the region, connecting the city of Hartford to
its surrounding towns and working to complete the state's East Coast Greenway
route, he said.
Throughout Connecticut, the Greenway combines multiple local
trails, but in the gaps between long-distance trails, bicyclists and
pedestrians make connections on the road, which can be dangerous.
While the Bloomfield-Tariffville segment has been years in
the making, the specific route was partly initiated because of safety issues,
as bicyclists previously needed to scale a steep hill along a cliff.
"We knew we had to go there because, you know, nobody
should be on Route 189. It's incredibly dangerous," Donald said. "So
we kind of knew the trail was gonna go there."
A cyclist
death on Route 189 in 2014 led to more conversations surrounding what
changes needed to happen in order to make the route accessible
for pedestrians.
“That was one of the impetuses to get this trail built,”
Donald said.
Now, pedestrians and cyclists alike, as well as those
using ADA-compliant uses like electric wheelchairs and e-bikes, can enjoy the
12-foot wide asphalt trail that goes straight to the center of Tariffville.
From Tariffville, where there are also newly added bike
racks and a parking area, the trail goes along Route 189 and loops upward to
the end of the Bloomfield Greenway, which goes just under two miles farther to
Old St Andrews Episcopal Church.
The Bloomfield and Tariffville project cost around $2.71
million, Donald said, and was funded through state bonding. Construction began
November 2022, and it was opened to the public last month.
And as the state works to further improve connectivity
across the region, another phase of the Bloomfield-Simsbury trail is already in
the works, which would go west from the Tariffville Center to the Farmington
Canal Heritage Trail. That section, which would be about 1.6 miles, is in the
initial planning stages, Donald said.
The goal is that once the other phase is built, as well as
one more trail portion in East Hartford, they’ll have finished connectors to
Hartford by potentially 2027, he said.
With every new Greenway link, it limits the need for road
travel, in turn making sustainable, non-motorized transportation more
accessible for various communities. So, while the East Coast Greenway
spans from Maine to Florida, incremental efforts between towns like Simsbury
and Bloomfield are vital in working towards interconnected communities across
the state.
"This plan is a regional plan," Donald said.
And as gaps in long-distance trails are filled, cities and
towns see dramatic growth in local economies and community activity, Donald
said.
Economic development and tourism is a critical component of
the benefits of these trails, which are used not only by local residents, but
by people from all throughout the region, bringing in money that would not
otherwise be in that municipality, Donald said.
“I'm convinced this is going to transform Tariffville,” he
said.
These segments are also a huge amenity for the community, he
added, fostering social interaction and a sense of community across the
towns that these trails bring together.
"These trails become kind of the central meeting place
for a community,” Donald said. "Everybody loves these trails, and they're
hugely used."
Currently, the East Coast Greenway Alliance has 18
fully-funded projects in the state of Connecticut through 2027, Donald said,
totaling just under $100 million in allocated or currently funded money. But
with all of the money that these trails bring into these local economies, the
projects end up paying for themselves.
And the state's trail infrastructure could see even more
expansion and improvement, as the Connecticut Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection announced on Dec. 11 that it is making $10 million
available to improve Connecticut’s recreational trail infrastructure, the
largest funding round in the history of the Recreational Trails Grant program
since it was established in 1997.
Donald estimates that by 2027, the Alliance's 18 current
projects alone would bring Connecticut's Greenway to 64% complete.
"In the Northeast, we are getting the East
Coast Greenway done," he said. "And it's really exciting."
Winsted's greenway project will continue in 2024
WINSTED — In late 2022, Winsted extended its portion of the
Sue Grossman Still River Greenway farther north along Winsted Road, adding more
recreational space on the already popular trail.
Selectmen were reminded recently to stay with the project,
which is funded by grants from the state Department of Economic and Community
Development.
"This is a fully funded project, and I encourage you to
get it done," said former Selectwoman Candace Bouchard, speaking to the
board during its Dec. 4 meeting.
"We had a fully funded greenway that was not taken care
of, and now it is," Bouchard said. "I encourage you (the board) to
keep on it; it's a big economic driver for the town."
The Winsted portion of the greenway trail extends from
Winsted Road at Lanson Drive, near the town line, and now ends at the
Department of Motor Vehicles. The extension's construction was completed
in December
2022.
The town's plan is to continue the trail, which is paved and
suitable for walking running, cycling and roller-blading, to Willow
and Rowley streets, where athletic fields, a recreation area and
playground are located.
For Winsted, moving the project forward means using the
grant funds for engineering and design work, and obtaining easements from
property owners along the final portion of the trail.
"There are easements that are required, but we've got a
lot to do before we even get to that point," said Interim Town Manager
Robert Geiger. "We've been working on this for a long time."
Selectmen discussed the easements during their conversation
with Bouchard on Dec. 4. Bill Pozzo noted that the trail had a lot of activity,
while Paul Marino asked if the property owners had been contacted.
"In the past, there's not been a lot of willingness or
interest," Geiger said.
Without those permissions, Winsted could lose some of its
greenway funding, Bouchard said.
She suggested that when the next phase of design work
starts, perhaps alternatives could be found to avoid requiring permission from
private property owners on Winsted Road. "We could maybe work around
them," Bouchard said.
According to traillink.com,
Winsted's greenway is on the right-of-way of the Naugatuck Division of the New
York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Locomotives once hauled freight and
carried passengers between Bridgeport and Winsted (then an unincorporated
community within Winchester). Following a slow decline in demand, rail service
was discontinued in 1958 and the stretch between Torrington and Winsted
was left fallow. The incarnation of the Naugatuck Division offers seasonal
themed excursions that run from Waterbury to Winsted.
Torrington's portion of the greenway begins on the city's
side of Winsted Road and continues south toward Main Street. The most recent
expansion of that trail's footprint began
in January, when members of the Torrington Trails
Network, a volunteer group, applied for funding from the state Department
of Energy and Environmental Protection's Recreational Trails Grant
program.
The Red
Mountain Road trail is behind Planet Fitness in the former K-Mart
shopping center off Main Street. When it's completed, the trail will lead
walkers from McDermott Street off North Elm Street, through a wooded area and
ending at Norfolk Road. This section is known as the Red Mountain Trail because
it runs parallel to Red Mountain Avenue off North Elm Street. There are also
new trail areas near the Sullivan Senior Center along the river.
Mollie Hersh
DARIEN — Despite a year-long delay to bring down the cost,
the price tag to renovate three Darien elementary schools is going up by
millions.
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Following a second round of construction bids, renovations
for the Hindley, Holmes and Royle elementary schools are now expected to cost
closer to $100 million, up from the $82,250,000 originally allocated for
the project.
The renovations call for an overhaul
of the three schools that would remove all portable classrooms and
bring in new classroom wings, libraries and playgrounds.
Based on the latest construction estimates, revealed in a
Dec. 6 meeting, the HHR Building Committee will have to go before the town to
request additional funds for all three schools.
The new requests would be at least $17 million, HHR Building
Committee co-chair Chris Price told Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday
morning, and figures from Dec. 6 were estimated around $19 million. The
committee is expected to vote on final appropriations for the three schools on
Wednesday night.
This is the latest complication to the schools’ renovations,
originally estimated at $68 million in the design phase. The project has been
delayed twice, first
by a month to include additional design work and then nearly
a full year following a round of construction bids that came back at
higher-than-anticipated costs.
Under the current timeline, the project would be underway in
June 2024 and be completed in August 2026.
KG+D Architects Vice President Erik Kaeyer, said the
increase came largely from an “unforeseen” change in the market between the
design phase and when construction bids went out.
“The bidding climate was just so significantly different
than what the expectation was six months earlier when the estimates were put
together,” Kaeyer said. “It was really a timing thing when we went out to bid,
as well as just a market thing.”
The increase was not the most welcome news, with Board of
Finance member David Martin warning that the committee will face some scrutiny
from boards over a price hike of potentially 23 percent based on estimates from
Dec. 6.
“I'm just sweating a little bit because I know the type of
questioning and level of detail that we get on other projects in town,” Martin
said. “The more in-depth detail I have, the better chance we can get it
approved because this is going to be hard.”
Selectman Sarah Neumann also stressed to KG+D and
construction company O&G Industries that it was crucial to be able to
explain the costs in detail because the committee would have to “explain
to hundreds of people” why the project required the additional funds.
The costs went up for several reasons, O&G Assistant
Vice Principal Dave Cravanzola said. These included escalation between the
original July 2023 start date and the new June 2024 date, some of the natural
swings that come during the bidding process and general market conditions for
bidding.
Because of the price increase, the higher cost also includes
about a half a million dollar increase for contingency — money set aside for
unexpected circumstances — from 4.5 percent of the work to 5 percent.
Kaeyer said raising the contingency to 5 percent would be
standard for a project of this scale, noting that renovations are often more
challenging and unpredictable projects than construction on an entirely new
building.
“It's better to ask for it now, and then if we don't need
it, return it,” Kaeyer said. “In this case, you're opening up walls, and we
didn't open up every wall, so we're not sure exactly what's going to be behind
them. And there's going to be cases where you're going to have to spend a
little bit of money to address conditions that were unforeseen.”
The HHR Building Committee is expected to go before the
Board of Selectmen on Dec. 18 and the Board of Finance on Dec. 19.
OSHA Announces Switch From Traditional Hard Hats to Safety Helmets
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and
Health Administration announced that the agency is replacing traditional hard
hats used by its employees with more modern safety helmets to protect them
better when they are on inspection sites.
In 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported head
injuries accounted for nearly 6 percent of non-fatal occupational injuries
involving days away from work. Almost half of those injuries occurred when
workers came in contact with an object or equipment while about 20 percent were
caused by slips, trips and falls.
Dating back to the 1960s, traditional hard hats protect the
top of a worker's head but have minimal side impact protection and also lack
chin straps. Without the straps, tradition hard hats can fall off a worker's
head if they slip or trip, leaving them unprotected. In addition, traditional
hard hats lacked vents and trapped heat inside.
On Nov. 22, 2023, OSHA published a Safety
and Health Information Bulletin detailing key differences between
traditional hard hats and more modern safety helmets and the advancements in
design, materials and other features that help protect workers' entire heads
better. Today's safety helmets also may offer face shields or goggles to
protect against projectiles, dust and chemical splashes. Others offer built-in
hearing protection and/or communication systems to enable clear communication
in noisy environments.
The agency recommends safety helmets be used by people
working at construction industry and the oil and gas industry; in
high-temperature, specialized work and low-risk environments; performing tasks
involving electrical work and working from heights; and when required by
regulations or industry standards.
OSHA wants employers to make safety and health a core value
in their workplaces and is committed to doing the same by leading by example
and embracing the evolution of head protection.
Construction Adds 2,000 Jobs in November, Up 200,000 Year Over Year
The construction industry added 2,000 jobs on net in
November, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis
of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has increased
by 200,000 jobs, an increase of 2.6 percent.
Nonresidential construction employment increased by 1,400
positions on net in November, with growth concentrated in one subcategory.
Heavy and civil engineering added 3,300 positions, while nonresidential
building and nonresidential specialty trade lost 1,100 and 800 jobs,
respectively.
The construction unemployment rate rose to 4.8 percent in
November. Unemployment across all industries decreased from 3.9 percent in
October to 3.7 percent in November.
"U.S. employers once again added jobs at a faster pace
than expected in November," said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu.
"While construction added only 2,000 jobs for the month, the industry has
added jobs at a significantly faster pace than the broader economy over the
past year. That's especially true for the nonresidential sector, in which
employment has increased by an impressive 3.2 percent over the past year. That
momentum is largely attributable to megaprojects in the manufacturing sector.
"Faster hiring in the industry has coincided with
worsening labor shortages, and that has led to rapid increases in labor
costs," said Basu. "Average hourly earnings for construction
employees increased at a faster pace than economywide earnings on both a
monthly and yearly basis in November. With nearly half of contractors planning
to increase their staffing levels over the six months, according to ABC's
Construction Confidence Index, wage pressures will remain firmly in place
through the early parts of 2024."