Route 72 Overpass Redesign
By Robin Vinci at September 25, 2023 | 6:00 pm | Print
Coming soon, the walk over the Route 72 overpass will not feel so lonely and never-ending.
The future renovation of the Route 72 overpass is high on the list of changes coming to downtown in the Spring of 2015.
On Oct. 15 a public hearing will be held at the Community Room of Police Department at 6 p.m. to gain input from residents on the future of the overpass.
According to Mark Moriarty, public works director, the Route 72 project will take an unattractive, boring overpass and try to transform it with sculpture and other landmarks. The theme is expected to be built around the City symbol of a beehive.
“We want something similar to the impact of the Frog Bridge in Willimantic. We are drawing inspiration from that bridge,” said Moriarty. “Our intention is to have it have a personality reflecting New Britain.”
“It’s really cool to rebuild that bridge. It will be incredible to transform that,” said Stewart. “You need something there to reconnect our downtown. All the buildings that were there were knocked down when Route 72 as built.”
Stewart said New Britain is referred to as a tale of two downtowns separated by the highway. One part, near Broad St. has thrived and the other part died off.
“We need something there to give people an incentive so that when people get off the CTFastrak they can go right or left,” said Stewart. “We need to make it more pedestrian friendly and inviting to walk across it.”
Stewart said the City has been trying to gain more funds for it. She has told the state that getting funds to fix that is the least they can do after putting their state highway through the downtown.
“No matter how many years ago people still remember that,” said Stewart. “Give us the fort so we can reconnect and start growing our base again. We are receiving grants because we ask.”
Fuss & O’Neil is the project managers who is leading the team for this project. The art & architecture will be done by Pirie Associates and Svigals Partners both of New Haven.
“We want people to understand the history of the city in a creative way,” said Moriarty. “It’s history and art. It will really make the City more friendly. Right now, the overpass is forbidding. It is long and narrow. People who walk it feel really exposed and just want to get across.”
The new project will make it narrower and hopefully one of the most recognizable things about New Britain. People should recognize from both the top and when driving underneath it on Route 72 after the project is complete.
“We have from that October meeting until January to come up with a concept. The project will go into construction in 2015,” said Moriarty. “It is a very interesting project, but it deserves a lot of public comment. It is going to transform downtown. I want a lot of people at the table.”
The overpass is being done through a $1.6 million bus livability grant. The goal is to have the project reflect the people who live in New Britain.
“We are also trying to get more money from the state for the project,” Moriarty added.
