The City of Hartford is hosting a public open house and presentation in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (CTDOT) Office of State Highway Design on Thursday, January 5, 2017, from 1:00pm – 7:30pm at the Artists Collective Building, 1200 Albany Avenue, Hartford CT., to update the community about the upcoming Albany Avenue (Route 44) Reconstruction Project.

During the open house, designers will be on hand to discuss the specific safety enhancements and answer questions from residents and business owners about the upcoming construction. A formal presentation will be conducted at 6:00 p.m. by the project's designer, VHB Inc., followed by a question and answer session.  Additionally, team members from CTDOT’s Office of Contract Compliance will present information about On-The-Job Training opportunities in the 6 o’clock hour. 

The $30 million Route 44 reconstruction project design was initiated and overseen by the City, while CTDOT will function as the Construction Managers.  The project consists of operational, safety, roadway, and streetscape improvements along Albany Avenue (Route 44) between Homestead Avenue and Bedford Street in the City of Hartford. The goal of the project is to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety throughout the corridor along with streetscape and beautification enhancements.

Pedestrian safety will be improved by several elements, including more signalized crosswalks and the addition of sidewalk bump-outs which decrease crossing distances.  The introduction of new dedicated left-turn lanes at intersections will be one of many features that will increase traffic safety. They will help reduce the high crash rate that currently exists in the corridor.

"The Albany Avenue Streetscape project is a key part of our effort to revitalize Albany Avenue and invest in neighborhood economic development, and pushing this project forward has been one of my top neighborhood development priorities. As we move toward construction, I've asked the State DOT to keep residents and businesses fully engaged through every step of the process, and I appreciate the State's partnership on this very important project," said Luke Bronin, Mayor of Hartford.

CTDOT Commissioner James Redeker shared that sentiment stating, “This is a vitally important project that will improve pedestrian safety, reduce vehicular accidents and at the same time help beautify an important small-business district in the City of Hartford.”

This open house is the first meeting of 2017 in a continuous effort to keep the community and public engaged and informed as we near the beginning of the construction period.   Construction is anticipated to start in spring 2017.  This project is 80% federal and 20% state funded.

The meeting facility is ADA accessible. Free language assistance or sign interpretation, or additional information may be requested by contacting Dennis Goderre, City of Hartford – Development Services, at (860) 757-9074 (voice only), or 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting.