Bollards have been removed and drivers on LaSalle Road can use the former alley/driveway to access the Town Center garage and South Main Street.
There is two-way traffic between South Main Street and the Town Center garage, but those exiting the garage can still only head east. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
By Ronni Newton
Drivers now have a new way to access what has historically been an under-utilized garage and town officials are hopeful that newly-opened access between LaSalle Road and South Main Street, through the alley/driveway between Bricco and PeoplesBank, will improve traffic flow in West Hartford Center.
Director of Community Development Duane Martin told the Town Council’s Community Panning and Economic Development Committee last month that the “Memorial Road Connector” would be opening on a trial basis in early January, and indeed on Wednesday the bollards were removed allowing drivers a through-route in one direction between LaSalle Road and South Main Street.
The driveway just south of Bricco is now part of the Memorial Road Connector and through traffic is permitted eastbound. A stop sign has been added before the garage entrance. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Martin said some West Hartford Center businesses had expressed resistance to the opening of the connector during the holiday season, which is why the trial, which had been slated to begin in the fall, was postponed until January.
A portion of what had been the alley/driveway between Bricco and PeoplesBank is one-way only. Traffic is permitted to travel in an eastbound direction from LaSalle Road to the entrance to the Town Center parking garage. Traffic is permitted both eastbound and westbound between the garage and South Main Street, where there is a signalized intersection with Memorial Road.
Public Works crews have installed signage and painted arrows on the roadway indicating the direction of traffic flow. They also placed barrels along the north side of the connector, which are bolted to the ground.
The driveway just south of Bricco is now part of the Memorial Road Connector and through traffic is permitted eastbound. Barrels narrow the pavement. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
The traffic flow is one-way only because the connector is not quite wide enough for two-way traffic to pass safely, and the barrels further narrow the pavement area to keep the speed reduced and prevent delivery trucks from parking there, Martin told We-Ha.com.
“This is a trial,” Martin emphasized. “We will listen to the property owners and managers, who will provide feedback.” The trial is expected to last at least through the winter.
Temporary easements were required from three different property owners in order to open access to the Memorial Road Connector, even just for the trial, Martin said.
Most of the Memorial Road Connector property is owned by Town Center building owner Bruce Simons and LaSalle Road Partners II, owner of the building where Bricco is located, but a final survey of the property indicated that a tiny sliver of the pavement is part of the 102 LaSalle Road property, which is controlled by Robert Udolf.
The driveway just south of Bricco leads to a private parking area, which remains accessible from LaSalle Road. It is now part of the Memorial Road Connector and through traffic is permitted eastbound only. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
Under the provisions of the temporary easements, the town is responsible for the maintenance of the roadway, including snowplowing. If the Memorial Road Connector trial is successful, permanent easements will beed to be obtained, Martin said.
“The idea for this came out of the West Hartford Center Master Plan,” Martin said. Town staff and Stantec, the consultant working on the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan, agreed that opening of the Memorial Road Connector could significantly improve connectivity and ease traffic in what has been referred to as a “super block.”
Screenshot from draft West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan prepared by Stantec
While the master plan is still being finalized – and some changes are likely after significant pushback was received from West Hartford Center businesses at a stakeholder meeting in late fall – Martin said town staff did not feel that this particular action needed to wait for the overall plan or the future reconstruction of LaSalle Road.
“We’re also hoping people will use the Town Center garage,” Town Manager Rick Ledwith said, which will free up some other space in the Center.
Martin said that the wayfinding project that is also in the works will provide new signage directing motorists to the the Town Center garage along with other garages and parking lots.
Regarding the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan status, Martin said the town is working with Stantec on some options that address and balance the concerns of business owners regarding parking, deliveries, the duration of construction, with the goal of adding protected bike lanes and following a “complete streets” approach. Another public meeting will likely be held in early February to discuss those options, he said.
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I see the town spending all kinds of money on one way streets, and everything except the roads. For the amount of money we pay in taxes, the roads in the this town are deplorable.
This car obsession is out of control. We have a walkable downtown and a lovely central bike path. Our local government needs to make this area safer and more accessible for human beings. Prioritizing car access above all else is making this area less safe, less profitable for the businesses, and destroying our environment to boot.
This garage is already easy to get to from Main Street. There’s a protected light from almost every direction. People don’t use it because there’s just plenty of street level parking even closer to the businesses. Just tear it down and put something useful there.
Totally agree here. Last night returning from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Commission meeting, I realized making this one-way meant I needed to find a different way to get home. I used to go through the light, pass by the garage and travel through the pedestrian bollards to safely get to LaSalle (only having to watch for cars entering/exiting the LaSalle open lot). There are already so few ways to safely navigate the center on a bicycle, especially given town ordinance banning bikes from sidewalks in the center, taking this away hurts both pedestrians and cyclists.
Yet another risk for pedestrians and bicyclists.
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