Improving Streetscape Will Be Discussed
REGIONAL – In an effort to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, the town of Old Saybrook will be embarking on a project to improve its North Main Street corridor.
When visitors arrive at the Old Saybrook Train Station, one of the first things they see is North Main Street.
Old Saybrook Selectman Bill Peace, a former DOT engineer, hopes a project to create more sidewalks and streetscape will beautify this area and encourage people to walk from the station into downtown.
Additionally, the state of Connecticut is embarking on a project changing conditions for those departing the Westbrook stop with its proposal for a new train station and additional parking.
The reconstruction of North Main Street in Old Saybrook from the intersection with Route 1 and the Saybrook Junction Rail Station will cost approximately $665,000 with $532,000 coming from federal government, $67,000 from the state government, and the town will pay $67,000.
Peace said when the new CVS on Boston Post Road opens to the public, sidewalks will be in place so pedestrians can easily go between the train station and the drugstore.
Crosswalks are already in place to allow pedestrians to cross Route 1 at North Main Street
Peace is hoping the project will “encourage people to walk, bike, and drive slowly,” and is one listed in the annual Transportation Improvement Program, TIP, which is a list of projects receiving federal funds in the next five years.
“The streetscapes will green up the area with trees overhanging the road encouraging people to slow down,” Peace said.
Slowing down traffic is important so pedestrians and bicyclists can feel safe, Peace said, and one way to do this is to narrow lanes of travel.
“We are trying to get the state to paint narrower travel lanes, at one point they were putting in 14 foot lanes, now they are putting in 11 foot lanes but we are trying to get them to come down to ten feet,” Peace said, adding drivers are inclined to go slower in narrower lanes.
Ten foot lanes would be wide enough for all types of vehicles, Peace said.
“This will go through the process of plans, a public hearing, going to the planning commission, and coming up with money but is a very doable job that will take some time to work through,” Peace said, adding he believes the project will go into full swing next July.
Final plans are expected to include key priorities listed in the February 1, 2006 Sidewalk Plan Draft.
These priorities include the completion of the three-way crosswalk at the intersection of Route 1, Main Street, and North Main Street and a sidewalk on the eastern side of North Main Street from Route 1 to the railroad station.
The first part of the plan will provide a beautified streetscape from North Main Street to Lynde Street, Peace said.
The draft calls for a new crosswalk across Route 1 at Elm Street on the western side from Dunkin Donuts to Chucky’s, and across Elm Street to the Old Saybrook Shopping Center parking lot as well as adding a crosswalk across Lynde Street at Route 1.
While the Old Saybrook project would provide connections to downtown, the Westbrook project would satisfy basic needs.
The proposed $7,000,000 Westbrook Railroad Station would allow the town to have a modern facility with more free parking.
According to the DOT, the station currently has 45 parking spaces, the smallest parking lot of all the Shoreline East rail stations.
Stations in Guilford, Branford, and Clinton have already been reconstructed with additional parking while renovations to the Madison station have started.
Construction of a Westbrook station has been delayed as the town considers a proposal by the DOT to swap the town garage parcel next to the railroad station parking lot with the DOT maintenance facility on Route 145.
If the swap is approved, the DOT plans to demolish the town garage facility so a train station can be built alongside additional parking.
It is expected $5,600,000 of federal government funds and state funds totaling $1,400,000 will be used for the new station.
The TIP document shows the town has not made a financial commitment to the project.
The proposed TIP, which also includes funds to rehabilitate and replace bridges in Chester and Deep River will be discussed at the Connecticut River Estuary Metropolitan Planning Organization, CREMPO, meeting on July 12 at 8:30 a.m. at the CRERPA office at 455 Boston Post Road, next to the rail station, in Old Saybrook.
Opportunity for public comment will be provided prior to and at this meeting and the public can view the TIP at www.crerpa.org.
When visitors arrive at the Old Saybrook Train Station, one of the first things they see is North Main Street.
Old Saybrook Selectman Bill Peace, a former DOT engineer, hopes a project to create more sidewalks and streetscape will beautify this area and encourage people to walk from the station into downtown.
Additionally, the state of Connecticut is embarking on a project changing conditions for those departing the Westbrook stop with its proposal for a new train station and additional parking.
The reconstruction of North Main Street in Old Saybrook from the intersection with Route 1 and the Saybrook Junction Rail Station will cost approximately $665,000 with $532,000 coming from federal government, $67,000 from the state government, and the town will pay $67,000.
Peace said when the new CVS on Boston Post Road opens to the public, sidewalks will be in place so pedestrians can easily go between the train station and the drugstore.
Crosswalks are already in place to allow pedestrians to cross Route 1 at North Main Street
Peace is hoping the project will “encourage people to walk, bike, and drive slowly,” and is one listed in the annual Transportation Improvement Program, TIP, which is a list of projects receiving federal funds in the next five years.
“The streetscapes will green up the area with trees overhanging the road encouraging people to slow down,” Peace said.
Slowing down traffic is important so pedestrians and bicyclists can feel safe, Peace said, and one way to do this is to narrow lanes of travel.
“We are trying to get the state to paint narrower travel lanes, at one point they were putting in 14 foot lanes, now they are putting in 11 foot lanes but we are trying to get them to come down to ten feet,” Peace said, adding drivers are inclined to go slower in narrower lanes.
Ten foot lanes would be wide enough for all types of vehicles, Peace said.
“This will go through the process of plans, a public hearing, going to the planning commission, and coming up with money but is a very doable job that will take some time to work through,” Peace said, adding he believes the project will go into full swing next July.
Final plans are expected to include key priorities listed in the February 1, 2006 Sidewalk Plan Draft.
These priorities include the completion of the three-way crosswalk at the intersection of Route 1, Main Street, and North Main Street and a sidewalk on the eastern side of North Main Street from Route 1 to the railroad station.
The first part of the plan will provide a beautified streetscape from North Main Street to Lynde Street, Peace said.
The draft calls for a new crosswalk across Route 1 at Elm Street on the western side from Dunkin Donuts to Chucky’s, and across Elm Street to the Old Saybrook Shopping Center parking lot as well as adding a crosswalk across Lynde Street at Route 1.
While the Old Saybrook project would provide connections to downtown, the Westbrook project would satisfy basic needs.
The proposed $7,000,000 Westbrook Railroad Station would allow the town to have a modern facility with more free parking.
According to the DOT, the station currently has 45 parking spaces, the smallest parking lot of all the Shoreline East rail stations.
Stations in Guilford, Branford, and Clinton have already been reconstructed with additional parking while renovations to the Madison station have started.
Construction of a Westbrook station has been delayed as the town considers a proposal by the DOT to swap the town garage parcel next to the railroad station parking lot with the DOT maintenance facility on Route 145.
If the swap is approved, the DOT plans to demolish the town garage facility so a train station can be built alongside additional parking.
It is expected $5,600,000 of federal government funds and state funds totaling $1,400,000 will be used for the new station.
The TIP document shows the town has not made a financial commitment to the project.
The proposed TIP, which also includes funds to rehabilitate and replace bridges in Chester and Deep River will be discussed at the Connecticut River Estuary Metropolitan Planning Organization, CREMPO, meeting on July 12 at 8:30 a.m. at the CRERPA office at 455 Boston Post Road, next to the rail station, in Old Saybrook.
Opportunity for public comment will be provided prior to and at this meeting and the public can view the TIP at www.crerpa.org.
