The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is advancing its Greater Hartford Mobility Study, which is aimed at reimagining and reconnecting neighborhoods between Hartford and East Hartford, Conn.
The study was launched in 2020 as a community-driven vision for creating a vibrant, equitable and sustainable multimodal transportation network. A final report will be released in November. Its goal is to improve the movement of people and goods, increase transportation options, accessibility, reliability and safety, as well as accommodate future needs and emerging technologies, prioritize social equity and minimize environmental impacts.
“The Connecticut Department of Transportation has created a vision for the transportation future of the greater Hartford region,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. For too long, our national highway system has ripped cities in half, displacing communities and resources from one another. Through the Greater Hartford Mobility Study, the state – along with local, regional and community partners – have taken a holistic look at how pedestrians, bicyclists and public transit users move through the city and in and out of the region, as well as how drivers navigate through the region. The future infrastructure and transportation projects coming out of the study will make our capital city economically vibrant and better connected within itself, to surrounding towns and across the Connecticut River.”
“CTDOT is proud to advance our Greater Hartford Mobility Study that is planning for the future of Hartford and the Greater Hartford region. Our project team has directly connected with more than 10,000 individuals, both at community events and in collaboration with Voices of Women of Color. We listened and learned from many communities that were disconnected by the existing infrastructure to identify problems and solutions. Each program component can create new connections to transform this region into one true modern metropolitan area. The study’s final report will outline the next steps CTDOT will take to mobilize early action projects and plan and design longer-term projects. We thank Gov. Lamont, Connecticut’s Congressional delegation and local officials from the Hartford region for continuing to be key partners in the vision to reconnect and reimagine our capital city for the future,” said Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto.
The Greater Hartford Mobility Study is organized into four major program components:
- CityLink West addresses safety, reduces the number of ramps in the study core and improves connectivity between neighborhoods and green spaces/parks. Lowering the highway would link neighborhoods currently severed by the highway and create additional developable land while improving rail and bus service that share the corridor.
- CityLink East proposes to mitigate highway congestion in downtown Hartford by relocating the I-84/I-91 interchange and creating a new bridge connecting I-84 and Route 2 in East Hartford. This redesign would separate local and highway traffic and reclaim the historic Bulkeley Bridge for local traffic, including opportunities for dedicated high-capacity transit facilities, separated bike lanes and improve sidewalks.
- River Gateway connects Hartford’s central business district with the Connecticut River. It allows for equitable access to green space that would mitigate some of the visual and noise impacts of I-91 and create an urban boulevard to strengthen local travel options. In addition, a new bridge would connect the Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood with a new, river-oriented, mid-rise neighborhood in East Hartford. The bridge would prioritize bus, bicycle and pedestrian travel while accommodating automobile traffic.
- Founders Gateway proposes to consolidate the I-84/Route 2 interchange ramps in East Hartford. It would open significant acres of land to potential development and provide opportunities to strengthen the local street grid.
CTDOT says several early action projects would be implemented within the next five years for the traveling public to reap the benefits of improved mobility and safety while the four major components of the program undergo National and Connecticut Environmental Policy Act reviews.
The Greater Hartford Mobility Study utilizes a planning process known as a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study. The Federal Highway Administration encourages PEL use as it considers environmental, community and economic goals early in transportation planning. CTDOT may adopt or incorporate Planning Products from this PEL Study into a federal or state environmental review process, pursuant to Title 23 U.S.C. § 168(d)(4). The project is formally identified as State Project No. 0063-0716.
