Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | August 1, 2022 13 What is complete streets? The term complete streets refers to designing, constructing or modifying roadways to be safe and accessible for all people, regardless of age, ability or transportation mode. Such projects also help spur economic development. Examples include: • Expanded or new sidewalks • Protected bike lanes • Narrower driving lanes • Comfortable and accessible transit stops • Frequent crossing opportunities • Accessible pedestrian signals • Lighting • Street furniture • Wayfinding signage Source: City of New Britain Elmwood and Flatbush CTfastrak bus stations, with hopes of marrying rapid transit with denser, more pedestrian-friendly development. The town has also focused on complete streets projects within that zone. Its $3.8 million New Park Avenue Complete Street Improvement project dates back to 2017 and is expected to be completed at the end of 2024, according to James Brennan, West Hartford's assistant town engineer. It entails making improvements on almost a mile of road on New Park Avenue from New Britain to Oakwood avenues. It will, among other things, take four traffic lanes down to three while also adding bicycle lanes. That will help support recent residential projects in the area including 616 and 540 New Park, which have added, or will add, dozens of new apartments in town, bringing more feet to the street. "Streetscape improvements are a fundamental way to enhance the viability of a street or neighborhood," Brennan said. Beehive Bridge, which turned a dull concrete highway overpass into a honeybee sculpture that adds an artistic sense to an old industrial city. Investments like that, Stewart said, have helped renew interest from developers like Krohn, of Jasko Development. In one of his earliest projects, Krohn took a long-neglected building on Main Street and renovated it into a mix of first- floor retail and luxury apartments. He also renovated the Rao and Raphael buildings into mixed use. He's now in the middle of two of his largest New Britain projects — "The Highrailer," a 114-unit apartment building going up at 283 Main St., and "The Brit," a nearby 100-unit residential development being erected at the corner of Main and Bank streets. "The extensive city and state investment in the planning and execution of the streetscape projects has spurred continued development from Jasko and others," Krohn said. "When a downtown is walkable, pedestrian- friendly and beautiful, new businesses and residents feel compelled to live and work within that environment. Interconnectivity within the downtown and the neighborhoods is key to the overall growth of the city and its success." New Britain's complete streets strategy started over a decade ago and has focused largely on downtown, but Stewart said she wants to expand those efforts into other neighborhoods. Safer travel The city of Hartford is in the midst of either recently completing or working on four complete streets projects valued at $125 million, according to Aimee Chambers, Hartford's director of planning. One includes redesigning Albany Avenue to make it more pedestrian friendly. Another project on Farmington Avenue is expected to start next year and will focus on pedestrian safety and urban design, Chambers said. It will have various beautification aspects to it, including new light poles, trees, flower and planter beds. Complete streets projects are aimed at making travel safer with new roundabouts and signals, creating bicycle facilities for riders, and making areas greener and more friendlier for residents, businesses and bicyclists, Chambers said. "The end result is about beautification and mobility around the city," Chambers said. "We are trying to encourage more feet on the street and, in turn, more utilization of our businesses and to explore the environment more. There is a lot of development in the city and these (complete streets projects) are a good way to continue to spur development." The town of West Hartford recently adopted a new transit-oriented development zone that includes its Your Local Cash Management Specialist Here to Help Your Local Business Flourish. Sherrie Dubois, Cash Management Specialist SDubois@ThomastonSB.com | 860.283.3651 Member FDIC ThomastonSB.com | 855.344.1874 ACH Origination, Positive Pay, Remote Deposit Capture & More

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