A public meeting will be held at the Elmwood Community Center on Sept. 17, 2024.

Courtesy image

By Ronni Newton

The long-discussed plan to implement a complete streets project on West Hartford’s New Park Avenue is in its final design phase and with construction slated to begin in 2025 a public information session will be held to explain the nature of the project and obtain valuable feedback from the community.

Town of West Hartford staff, along with design consultant VHB, will host the informational meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m., in the auditorium of the Elmwood Community Center, 1106 New Britain Avenue..

Plans to improve the New Park Avenue streetscape have been in the works for years, and with the initial grant funding from the state announced in 2018. Town officials said a total of $3.7 million in state funds will be provided for the project, with the town contributing the remaining estimated $2.3 million through the Capital Improvement Program for the overall work, which is estimated to cost $6 million based on the semi-final design plans.

The area which will be affected is New Park Avenue, between New Britain Avenue and Oakwood Avenue.

According to an announcement from the town, the entire project will include resurfacing of the roadway, upgraded traffic signals, construction of a separated two-way bicycle facility and restriping of the remaining portion of the roadway to provide one lane of traffic in each direction with a two-way left-turn lane in the center. Sidewalks will be improved and raised landscape medians will be added, and there will be enhanced crosswalks and improved connections to CTfastrak and the soon-to-be-completed Trout Brook Trail.

Many of the updates were originally recommendations resulting from the process – which included public input – of creating the 2017 New Park Avenue Transit Area Complete Streets Study.

Town of West Hartford image

“Located in the heart of the evolving New Park Avenue corridor, this project will improve safety and mobility while supporting Transit-Oriented Development and fulfilling the town’s Complete Streets Policy,” the town said this week.

In June 2022, the West Hartford Town Council unanimously adopted an ordinance – the culmination of several years of work – establishing the Transit-Oriented Development District Zone in the areas directly surrounding the Flatbush Avenue and Elmwood CTfastrak stations, with the intent of promoting the creation of mixed-use, higher-density, pedestrian-friendly development that activates the streetscape and is accessible to mass transit.

The New Park Avenue corridor has been undergoing a surge of development, with new housing developments recently opened or approved for construction, as well as successful businesses like GastroPark, a thriving food truck park and experiential dining experience that opened in 2020. While longtime West Hartford restaurant owner Ted Vetter decided to retire and close The Corner Pug this summer, that property was immediately snapped up by award-winning chef Ashley Flagg, who plans to open her first restaurant, The Laurel, at 1046 New Britain Avenue in early 2025.

In addition to attending the public meeting on Sept. 17, anyone interested in obtaining more information or providing input may also contact the West Hartford Engineering Division at 860-561-7540. Additional details are also posted on the project Facebook page. : https://www.facebook.com/newparkavenue?ref=embed_page

Anyone requiring auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or modification of policies or procedures to participate in a meeting, service, program, or activity of the Town of West Hartford should contact Suzanne Oslander, ADA Coordinator, at [email protected] or 860-561-7580, as soon as possible, preferably seven days beforehand.

Anyone requiring language assistance services such as language interpretation to participate in this meeting of the Town of West Hartford should contact Claudia Tata, Language Access Coordinator, at claudia.tata@westhartfordct.gov or 860-561-7483, as soon as possible, preferably seven days beforehand.

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