Busway Leads to Downtown Grant
By Robin Vinci at April 29, 2024 | 7:00 am | Print
The City received a $212,000 Sustainable Communities Planning Grant in order to look at how to beautify downtown. The grant became available because the Busway Project was approved.
“We are using it to look at making downtown New Britain more pedestrian friendly and have a better balance between cars and pedestrians,” said Mark Moriarty, public works director. “We will look at parking issues and make it function better and be more attractive for both.”
Sidewalks, streets, decorative street lighting, trees as well as intersections may be redone.
“Where there is a wide intersection it is very intimidating for a pedestrian to cross,” said Moriarty. “We are looking at narrowing some of the roadways and make it feel safer.”
Angle parking is also being considered.
“Downtown businesses do not have suitable parking,” said Moriarty. “A lot of north/south traffic is also routed down downtown but does not stop and support businesses. We are trying to re-route some of that traffic away from downtown while attract traffic to want to stop.”
Possibly, similar to West Hartford Center ?
“We are just in the process as we are looking at consultants,” added Moriarty.
A consultant will be chosen by the end of June.
“We want to find one that has the best ability to help us,” said Moriarty. “We will have public meetings. The Downtown District and the department of municipal development will also be involved in the process.”
Moriarty said this money only became available because of the Busway Project.
“It’s hard to get funding, but there is funding if it is a Transit Oriented Development project,” said Moriarty. “With the Busway coming we will be a center for Transit Oriented Development. It should help the city get money devoted to downtown. That will work in our favor long term.”
In 2008 the city did a master plan for development. Public safety concerns and the benefit of a Busway was found to be important to the future of the City.
The Busway will be finished in 2014.
“This is one of the positive things going on for the City’s long-term future,” said Moriarty. “The downtown has some reasons to feel positive. When the Busway and police station get built, other projects will be built. We are reassuring developers that we can support more housing and business. Downtown will be more friendly and a nicer and safer place to walk. It will have an overall better environment.”
Design is expected to take place over the next year.
“With Route 9 and 72 splitting downtown, we want from Broad St. to the end of Main Street planned out and have standards in place,” added Moriarty. “We want downtown New Britain to have a distinct feel. It needs character and to reflect New Britain. We want to capitalize on the heritage of the City.”
The City is hopeful that plan will attract more federal grant money to fund construction.
“We think because of the Busway and Transit Oriented Development we can get more grant money for that,” said Moriarty. “We are trying to capitalize on all the things that are happening. We are encouraging developers to beautify the City and we are doing it as well.”
