Connecticut Department of Transportation

CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
NEWS RELEASE
2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546
NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546
FOR RELEASE: April 15, 2015
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062
FAX: (860) 594-3065
WEB SITE: www.ct.gov/dot
Public Information Meeting - Project No. 0063-0633 - US 44 (Albany Avenue) Safety Improvements, City of Hartford
The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Office of State Highway Design in conjunction with the City of Hartford (Department of Economic Development), will be holding a public informational meeting regarding proposed corridor improvements on Route 44 (Albany Avenue) in the City of Hartford.  The meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at the Konover Campus Center Great Room, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, Connecticut.  A formal presentation by the project's designer VHB Inc. will begin at 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by a question and answer session. 
This project consists of operational, safety, roadway, and streetscape improvements along the Albany Avenue (Route 44) corridor between Homestead Avenue and Bedford Street in the City of Hartford.  The project begins approximately 275 feet west of the intersection of Albany Avenue and Homestead Avenue.  The project terminus is approximately 70 feet east of the intersection of Albany Avenue and Bedford Street.  The length of the improvements along the Albany Avenue corridor is approximately 6,000 feet (1.14 miles).  
The intent of the project is to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety throughout the corridor. The streetscape and roadway improvements will address pedestrian safety, pedestrian accessibility, area connectivity, vehicle access, traffic operations, and minor drainage modifications.  One of the methods used to improve pedestrian safety is the construction of proposed bumpouts at many of the intersections.  The proposed bumpouts will improve pedestrian safety by providing  pedestrians a shorter crossing distance and the ability to see beyond parked vehicles.  There have been numerous crashes in this corridor with patterns of angle, turning movement, and rear-end type crashes.  The addition of left-turn lanes at intersections will help to reduce these patterns of crashes.  Some of the design elements proposed to improve vehicle safety are realigning several intersections, eliminating one of the eastbound travel lanes and replacing it with an alternating left-turn lane, proposed signal improvements to provide modified signal timing, and modifying several of the one-way traffic flow patterns.  The modifications to some of the one-way traffic flow circulations provides signalized access onto Albany Avenue when entering from many of the side streets while providing one-way circulation away from Albany Avenue at non-signalized intersections. 
The present schedule indicates that the design will be completed in August 2016, with construction anticipated to start in spring 2017.  This project will be undertaken with 80% federal and 20% state funds.
It is the Department’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken.  It is important that the community share its concerns with us to assist in the project’s development.  The public informational meeting is being held to offer an opportunity for the community to review and comment on the proposed safety improvements.  The meeting facility is ADA accessible.  Deaf and hearing impaired persons wishing to attend this meeting and requiring an interpreter must make arrangements by contacting Don Chapman of City of Hartford at (860) 757-9048 (voice only) at least five working days prior to the meeting.  Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public, and efforts will be made to respond to requests for assistance.
Anyone interested in receiving information on this project may do so by contacting Mr. William W. Britnell, Principal Engineer of Highway Design, at (860) 594-3274, or by e-mail at William.Britnell@ct.gov. Please make reference to State Project Number 0063-0633.