The town has announced that a second public workshop will be held on Thursday, Feb. 2 as part of the development of the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan.

By Ronni Newton

The Town of West Hartford, in collaboration with its hired consultant, Stantec, is examining the design of the Center’s roadways, sidewalks, and other infrastructure elements on a holistic basis, and the public is invited to provide additional feedback at a public workshop scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 2, from 6-8 p.m., in the Town Hall Auditorium.

The West Hartford Infrastructure Master Plan has been in development since the summer of 2022, and is now in the concept design phase. Input has been solicited from the community through workshops held in September, a survey that was available through the end of October, and an interactive map on which the public could add their comments and suggestions.

The Feb. 2 workshop will feature a presentation of concept designs for the streets in West Hartford Center, and a summary of public comments will also be reviewed, followed by an open house where those in attendance will be able to provide direct feedback. The presentation portion will be recorded and available for viewing on the project website.

Stantec’s task is to provide planning-level recommendations for West Hartford Center, and when decisions are made about implementation, they will also provide detailed design and construction plans for LaSalle Road and Farmington Avenue – which have already been slated for reconstruction.

The cost of the West Hartford Center Master Plan implementation will ultimately depend on how many changes and updates will be made, but the current cost estimate is $3.5 million, plus $400,000 for the consulting fee. The work will be paid for through the town’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds – which are able to be used for expanded outdoor dining, economic development, and other purposes.

According to Director of Community Development Duane Martin, the Master Plan will address transportation issues, including the implementation of Complete Streets, connectivity to the Trout Brook Trail, whether bike lanes should be dedicated or shared lanes, and a comprehensive review of vehicle use of LaSalle Road. It will build on a participatory visioning process for the Center that was conducted in 2017, and follow the goals of the town’s 2020-2030 Plan of Conservation and Development.

More information about the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan can be found on the project webpage. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

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