The new Route 72 extension, which won’t be finished until summer, is already proving a hit.
The $61 million road has eased morning and evening congestion for commuters, officials said, by providing drivers with more options and a nicer, safer route through Forestville.
“All the comments I’ve heard have been positive,” said Mayor Art Ward.
There are no longer traffic jams in the morning, said Dayton Schroeter, the project engineer for the state Department of Transportation, and evening rush hours are also seeing “a big improvement.” Click here for story.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Showing posts with label Route 72. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Route 72. Show all posts
November 29, 2010
September 27, 2010
The new Route 72 is open, to a point
When dozens of dignitaries gathered in a light rain Monday morning to cut a purple ribbon stretched between two orange construction barrels to mark the opening of a stretch of the new Route 72 extension, the man most responsible for the road wasn’t there.
Former state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, who brokered the 1993 compromise that allowed the 2.2-mile road to win approval, said he didn’t really mind.
“It’s a beautiful road,” Diamantis said. “It’s everything I expected it to be. They’ve outdone themselves.”
For Susan Halloran, a Plymouth resident, the new byway is “a lot nicer than I thought it would be.”
She was one of the first drivers to head east along the four-lane boulevard-style extension between the end of the expressway in Plainville and Emmett Street.
The road opened, with a 40-mile-an-hour speed limit, about noon Monday after Gov. Jodi Rell and other officials held a short ceremony to mark the event.
“Go ahead, pinch yourselves. It is real,” Rell told the crowd of about 60 people who snuggled under several small catering tents set up in the median a few hundred yards past the intersection with Route 372. Click here for the full story.
Here's some video that Press photographer Chris Richie took during the opening ceremony:
For those who have been on it today, what do you think? Better than expected? Worse?
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Former state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, who brokered the 1993 compromise that allowed the 2.2-mile road to win approval, said he didn’t really mind.
“It’s a beautiful road,” Diamantis said. “It’s everything I expected it to be. They’ve outdone themselves.”
For Susan Halloran, a Plymouth resident, the new byway is “a lot nicer than I thought it would be.”
She was one of the first drivers to head east along the four-lane boulevard-style extension between the end of the expressway in Plainville and Emmett Street.
The road opened, with a 40-mile-an-hour speed limit, about noon Monday after Gov. Jodi Rell and other officials held a short ceremony to mark the event.
“Go ahead, pinch yourselves. It is real,” Rell told the crowd of about 60 people who snuggled under several small catering tents set up in the median a few hundred yards past the intersection with Route 372. Click here for the full story.
Here's some video that Press photographer Chris Richie took during the opening ceremony:
For those who have been on it today, what do you think? Better than expected? Worse?
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 24, 2010
Route 72 section will open on Monday
Following the opening ceremony, the road will open from the end of the existing expressway in Plainville to Emmett Street.
The section from Emmett Street to Riverside Avenue won’t open until next spring, though Pine Street will remain available for use during construction.
Among the officials who are expected to attend is Gov. Jodi Rell, according to Mayor Art Ward.
Here's a recent story with some of the background.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 22, 2010
Portion of Route 72 may open soon
Work on the Route 72 extension is reaching the point where much of the new road will soon be able to open.
The state Department of Transportation has tentatively scheduled a September 27 grand opening for the stretch of road between the expressway and Emmett Street.
The opening date isn’t yet certain, said Dayton Schroeter, the project engineer, but the section of road will be ready for traffic soon – easing commutes for many.
Click here for the story.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
June 27, 2010
Route 72 extension to open in November
Route 72: You've come a long way, baby
Traffic on Route 72 will face 'some challenges'
Bristol plans for development of new corridor
I don't see this little piece online so here's another:
How much will it cost?
Pegging the cost of the new Route 72 extension is inherently problematic because so much has been spent over the course of decades that’s not figured into the bottom line from the state.
Manafort Brothers, the New Britain-based general contractor, won the right to build the road three years ago with a $39.7 million bid.
But the state has also spent millions acquiring rights of way, moving utilities, making plans, holding hearings and more.
During groundbreaking for the project, transportation officials guessed that the total tab probably amounted to $61 million over the course of decades. It may even be more, they admitted.
There isn’t a solid figure because the money has come from different transportation accounts, some of which don’t even exist any longer.
But state officials said the construction project is coming in pretty close to budget.
All told, it appears the new road cost a little less than $30 million a mile – or half the per mile cost of the proposed busway between Hartford and New Britain that’s slated to get underway next year. *******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
November 11, 2009
Vandals strike new pedestrian bridge in Forestville
Vandals are having a field day painting the pavers and concrete beneath the new pedestrian walkway over the not-yet-open Route 72 extension in Forestville.
In addition to an array of curse words, they’ve painted the outline of a bicycle in white paint, written ‘KKK’ in bold, black letters and used a can of purple to write ‘Anonymous’ in big letters facing north.
Neighbors said they’ve seen crews trying to clean it all up, but the paint reappears regularly.
Mayor Art Ward said he hasn’t heard about the problem, but he’s not happy to hear that vandals are defacing the state bridge.
“It can’t be tolerated,” the mayor said, because it costs money to clean it up and hurts the image of the city in the meantime.
He said that if police catch the culprits, they’ll be socked with the heaviest possible charges because the city is determined to make examples of vandals who are caught.
Thanks to the neighbor who sent me the picture!
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 16, 2009
Eastern section of Route 72 won't open early
Press release from Mayor Art Ward:
DOT reconsiders opening a portion of new Route 72
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 17, 2009
A portion of Route 72 may open this fall -- but not if the mayor can stop it
Stand in the middle of the new section of Route 72 as it crosses Lincoln Avenue and it looks like the road is almost done.
Though there’s still a pile of dirt at the end of the existing expressway and construction crews swarming to lay pavement and build drainage, officials say that a portion of the new boulevard between Plainville and Central Street could open this fall.
But it’s not clear whether it will.
“I don’t see any advantage to doing that,” Mayor Art Ward said.
The $63 million project [see map here] will create a 2.4-mile, four lane road between the end of the expressway and Riverside Avenue. It is slated to open in the fall of 2010.
Ward told state transportation officials recently that opening a short section of the eastern portion of the new road early “will have serious adverse impacts that far outweigh any gains.Ward said that he doesn’t want to see cars heading west with the option of getting off only on Lincoln or Central because neither street is capable of handling the volume of cars likely to use them.
Lincoln Avenue, which runs between the O’Brien Funeral Home and Greene-Hills School, doesn’t have a traffic light on the Pine Street.
Traffic heading north on Central Street toward Forestville’s center is not allowed to turn left because a traffic island blocks the way, forcing drivers there to head only east, back toward Plainville.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat and former mayor, said that he’s concerned that opening the short stretch might cause problems that would “create a sour taste” among the public about a project that ought to relieve congestion when it’s all done next year.
“After all this work, all this money,” Nicastro said, he doesn’t want the new road “to start off on the wrong foot.”
When the road is finished, the mayor said, it will offer the community “a whole different perspective” on transportation within the city, opening the possibility to the revival of Riverside Avenue as well as Forestville’s struggling commercial center.
After waiting for a half a century to get the road built, Ward said, there’s no reason to rush it now.
There’s more benefit to the community to open the road next year, Ward said.
Nicastro said he plans to talk soon with state transportation officials to find out if there is a way to alleviate the concerns Ward raised. If there are, he said, that would be fine.
But, Nicastro said, after “fighting like mad” for many years to have the road built, it would be best to make sure it opens under the best possible circumstances so everyone can see its benefits.
“It’s going to solve a major problem” that has hurt Bristol for a half century, Nicastro said.
“We want to get this thing done and moving as quickly as possible,” Nicastro said, but also to do it right.
The new road features a sunken, boulevard-type street that slices through a residential section of Forestville between Route 372 in Plainville and Todd Street. A raised median will separate the road.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before cutting north behind Dunkin’ Donuts to align with Riverside Avenue.
State officials said the Pine Street section of the project will be done next year.
The new road will end at Middle Street after crossing a new bridge that’s under construction across the Pequabuck River about a quarter of a mile east of the intersection with Riverside.
Ten intersections with traffic lights will be included along the new road.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the construction contract in August 2007 to carry out the work for nearly $40 million. It was delayed 16 months by problems getting utilities moved, officials said.
A long road to completion
As one of the few cities its size in the nation without a four-lane highway, Bristol has pushed for one since the 1950s.
For decades, plans called for a limited-access superhighway that would have swung through Forestville, cut south of downtown and ultimately linked up with Route 8 near Thomaston.
The plan spurred widespread opposition within the community, particularly in neighborhoods that faced devastation, and politicians could never settle on a single scheme.
Twenty years ago, the state pulled the plug on the increasingly costly plan, leaving few options.
But former state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, a Bristol Democrat, pumped life back into it with a compromise proposal in 1993 that led to the approval of a four-lane road through Forestville.
Most politicians in the city, with strong urging from the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce, rallied behind the project.
Stretch Norton, a former mayor, led the opposition, insisting the new road would do nothing to relieve congestion. He said it will simply shift the tie-ups to Middle Street, without speeding up the commute for most drivers.
Supporters said that traffic studies showed the project would help -- and pointed to the advantage of having an easy to follow path from the highway to downtown.
Mayor Art Ward said that downtown’s revitalization hinges on the successful completion of the road.
After so many years of feuding and delay, “it’ll be nice to get it open,” the mayor said.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Though there’s still a pile of dirt at the end of the existing expressway and construction crews swarming to lay pavement and build drainage, officials say that a portion of the new boulevard between Plainville and Central Street could open this fall.
But it’s not clear whether it will.
“I don’t see any advantage to doing that,” Mayor Art Ward said.
The $63 million project [see map here] will create a 2.4-mile, four lane road between the end of the expressway and Riverside Avenue. It is slated to open in the fall of 2010.
Ward told state transportation officials recently that opening a short section of the eastern portion of the new road early “will have serious adverse impacts that far outweigh any gains.Ward said that he doesn’t want to see cars heading west with the option of getting off only on Lincoln or Central because neither street is capable of handling the volume of cars likely to use them.
Lincoln Avenue, which runs between the O’Brien Funeral Home and Greene-Hills School, doesn’t have a traffic light on the Pine Street.
Traffic heading north on Central Street toward Forestville’s center is not allowed to turn left because a traffic island blocks the way, forcing drivers there to head only east, back toward Plainville.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat and former mayor, said that he’s concerned that opening the short stretch might cause problems that would “create a sour taste” among the public about a project that ought to relieve congestion when it’s all done next year.
“After all this work, all this money,” Nicastro said, he doesn’t want the new road “to start off on the wrong foot.”
When the road is finished, the mayor said, it will offer the community “a whole different perspective” on transportation within the city, opening the possibility to the revival of Riverside Avenue as well as Forestville’s struggling commercial center.
After waiting for a half a century to get the road built, Ward said, there’s no reason to rush it now.
There’s more benefit to the community to open the road next year, Ward said.
Nicastro said he plans to talk soon with state transportation officials to find out if there is a way to alleviate the concerns Ward raised. If there are, he said, that would be fine.
But, Nicastro said, after “fighting like mad” for many years to have the road built, it would be best to make sure it opens under the best possible circumstances so everyone can see its benefits.
“It’s going to solve a major problem” that has hurt Bristol for a half century, Nicastro said.
“We want to get this thing done and moving as quickly as possible,” Nicastro said, but also to do it right.
The new road features a sunken, boulevard-type street that slices through a residential section of Forestville between Route 372 in Plainville and Todd Street. A raised median will separate the road.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before cutting north behind Dunkin’ Donuts to align with Riverside Avenue.
State officials said the Pine Street section of the project will be done next year.
The new road will end at Middle Street after crossing a new bridge that’s under construction across the Pequabuck River about a quarter of a mile east of the intersection with Riverside.
Ten intersections with traffic lights will be included along the new road.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the construction contract in August 2007 to carry out the work for nearly $40 million. It was delayed 16 months by problems getting utilities moved, officials said.
A long road to completion
As one of the few cities its size in the nation without a four-lane highway, Bristol has pushed for one since the 1950s.
For decades, plans called for a limited-access superhighway that would have swung through Forestville, cut south of downtown and ultimately linked up with Route 8 near Thomaston.
The plan spurred widespread opposition within the community, particularly in neighborhoods that faced devastation, and politicians could never settle on a single scheme.
Twenty years ago, the state pulled the plug on the increasingly costly plan, leaving few options.
But former state Rep. Kosta Diamantis, a Bristol Democrat, pumped life back into it with a compromise proposal in 1993 that led to the approval of a four-lane road through Forestville.
Most politicians in the city, with strong urging from the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce, rallied behind the project.
Stretch Norton, a former mayor, led the opposition, insisting the new road would do nothing to relieve congestion. He said it will simply shift the tie-ups to Middle Street, without speeding up the commute for most drivers.
Supporters said that traffic studies showed the project would help -- and pointed to the advantage of having an easy to follow path from the highway to downtown.
Mayor Art Ward said that downtown’s revitalization hinges on the successful completion of the road.
After so many years of feuding and delay, “it’ll be nice to get it open,” the mayor said.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
April 22, 2009
Pine Street fix is coming
Yeah, they know Pine Street is a mess.
Mayor Art Ward said the contractors working on the Route 72 extension have promised to try to patch up the road as much as possible.
It's not going to be anything beautiful or pristine because, of course, the new state road is going to go right along its path from Yarde Pond to Todd Street. There's no point in repaving something that's going to be rebuilt soon enough.
But officials are trying to do what they can to make it a bit better.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Mayor Art Ward said the contractors working on the Route 72 extension have promised to try to patch up the road as much as possible.
It's not going to be anything beautiful or pristine because, of course, the new state road is going to go right along its path from Yarde Pond to Todd Street. There's no point in repaving something that's going to be rebuilt soon enough.
But officials are trying to do what they can to make it a bit better.
*******
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
March 27, 2009
Route 72 extension delayed another year
When Gov. Jodi Rell cut the ribbon on the $63.5 million Route 72 extension project in 2007, she said Bristol has “been waiting for years” for it.
It turns out they’ll have to wait a little longer.
The massive new roadway that construction crews are cutting through Forestville to create was supposed to open in June.
Instead, the state Department of Transportation now anticipates the long-anticipated roadway won’t be done until the fall of 2010.
That’s an extra 16 months of disruption and delay, if the current timetable holds up.
The department said in a statement this month that “significant progress has been made” on the road construction itself, but work on secondary streets and utilities has lagged behind.
According to the department’s monthly report for March, AT&T’s work on conduits is “lagging significantly” and CL&P hasn’t done what’s required either.
The power company apparently had to send some of its crews to Kentucky and New Hampshire over the winter to deal with emergencies there, reducing its ability to focus on the work connected to Route 72.
The new road will run between the end of the expressway in Plainville to Riverside Avenue just south of the railroad bridge on Middle Street.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the construction contract in August 2007 to carry out the work for nearly $40 million.
Finishing by the late spring of 2009 would require "a pretty aggressive schedule," the former state transportation commissioner, Ralph Carpenter, said at the groundbreaking in the fall of 2007. But, he promised, it would be done.
The new road will feature a sunken, boulevard-type street slicing through a residential section between Route 372 in Plainville and Yarde's Pond. Parts of it will be as much as 17 feet beneath the surrounding terrain.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before crossing a new Pequabuck River bridge in order to align directly with Riverside Avenue.
Ten intersections with traffic lights are included along the new road.
It turns out they’ll have to wait a little longer.
The massive new roadway that construction crews are cutting through Forestville to create was supposed to open in June.
Instead, the state Department of Transportation now anticipates the long-anticipated roadway won’t be done until the fall of 2010.
That’s an extra 16 months of disruption and delay, if the current timetable holds up.
The department said in a statement this month that “significant progress has been made” on the road construction itself, but work on secondary streets and utilities has lagged behind.
According to the department’s monthly report for March, AT&T’s work on conduits is “lagging significantly” and CL&P hasn’t done what’s required either.
The power company apparently had to send some of its crews to Kentucky and New Hampshire over the winter to deal with emergencies there, reducing its ability to focus on the work connected to Route 72.
The new road will run between the end of the expressway in Plainville to Riverside Avenue just south of the railroad bridge on Middle Street.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the construction contract in August 2007 to carry out the work for nearly $40 million.
Finishing by the late spring of 2009 would require "a pretty aggressive schedule," the former state transportation commissioner, Ralph Carpenter, said at the groundbreaking in the fall of 2007. But, he promised, it would be done.
The new road will feature a sunken, boulevard-type street slicing through a residential section between Route 372 in Plainville and Yarde's Pond. Parts of it will be as much as 17 feet beneath the surrounding terrain.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before crossing a new Pequabuck River bridge in order to align directly with Riverside Avenue.
Ten intersections with traffic lights are included along the new road.
Here's the DOT's overview page on the project.
*****
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
*****
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
November 20, 2008
Route 72 project in the slow lane
When Gov. Jodi Rell came to town a little more than a year ago for the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the $60million Route 72 extension project, officials said the work would be done in June 2009.
Now it looks as though the massive construction project won't be done until at least year's end and possibly not until 2010.
"It's almost anybody's guess" when the work will be finished, said city Public Works Director Walter Veselka.
Mayor Art Ward said that initially the new four-lane road was to be done by July 2009, then it was pushed back to September and now he's hearing December.
City Councilor Kevin McCauley said Thursday it would be 2010.
"I know," Ward responded.
The $60 million project was supposed take 19 months for completion of a 2.4-mile extension from the end of the expressway in Plainville to Riverside Avenue just south of the railroad bridge on Middle Street.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the contract in August 2007 to carry out the work.
Finishing by the late spring of 2009 would require "a pretty aggressive schedule," the former state transportation commissioner, Ralph Carpenter, said at the groundbreaking. But, he said, it would be done.
Veselka said contractors plan to work on a new bridge over the Pequabuck River over the winter, but Manafort is beginning to lock down the road work for the winter.
The new road will feature a sunken, boulevard-type street slicing through a residential section between Route 372 in Plainville and Yarde's Pond. Parts of it will be as much as 17 feet beneath the surrounding terrain.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before crossing a new Pequabuck River bridge in order to align directly with Riverside Avenue.
Ten intersections with traffic lights will be included along the new road.
Check back over the weekend. I'll add some photographs that Paul Blanchette took from his helicopter that show the progress so far.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 10, 2008
New commuter lot opens Monday
Press release from the state Department of Transportation:
The Department of Transportation announced today, that a new Commuter lot at Lake Avenue in Bristol will open on Monday, August 11, 2008. In conjunction with the opening of the new lot, the existing commuter lot at Todd Street will be closed. Signs have been posted and pamphlets distributed to notify commuters of this upcoming change. This new commuter lot is part of the ongoing Route 72 Relocation project in Bristol and Plainville.
Work on this $40 million project is being performed by Manafort Brothers, Inc. of Plainville, Connecticut under contract with the Department of Transportation. The anticipated completion date for this project is in November 2009.
Motorists are urged to obey the posted speed limit and proceed with caution through this and all other construction work zones.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
The Department of Transportation announced today, that a new Commuter lot at Lake Avenue in Bristol will open on Monday, August 11, 2008. In conjunction with the opening of the new lot, the existing commuter lot at Todd Street will be closed. Signs have been posted and pamphlets distributed to notify commuters of this upcoming change. This new commuter lot is part of the ongoing Route 72 Relocation project in Bristol and Plainville.
Work on this $40 million project is being performed by Manafort Brothers, Inc. of Plainville, Connecticut under contract with the Department of Transportation. The anticipated completion date for this project is in November 2009.
Motorists are urged to obey the posted speed limit and proceed with caution through this and all other construction work zones.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
April 7, 2008
Route 72 work going full steam again soon
The reconstruction of
Work on
Utility relocation work on
Motorists are urged proceed with caution and obey the posted speed limits when traveling through this and all other construction zones.
The photographs are courtesy of Ultimate Wireform's friendly flyer, Paul Blanchette. They were taken about two weeks ago.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 22, 2007
Johnson calls Route 72 ombudsman "unnecessary"
Hot off the presses, a new press release from Republican mayoral candidate Ken Johnson:
Ken Johnson, the Republican nominee for Mayor of the City of Bristol, answered his opponent’s call for a Route 72 ombudsman. Johnson described the need for a dedicated ombudsman as “unnecessary.”
Johnson stated, now that Route 72 construction is underway as of the Governor’s groundbreaking ceremony last week, regular meetings will be held with the city and the State Department of Transportation. The Republican nominee stated that as Mayor he would see that the two Councilmen from the 3rd district, as well as our State Representative and State Senator, are included in all project meetings between the city and DOT.
“I believe communication is critically important on this project.” Johnson added, “I’m sure many Bristol residents will want to be informed as questions and inconveniences due to construction arise. Getting everyone at the table, up front, is the right way to go.”
The candidate believes that his opponent’s proposal is a “feel good” position, and one that is not needed. He suggested that the two Councilmen from the 3rd district would serve as “ombudsmen” because that is their job as members of the City Council. “On November 6th the people of the third district will decide who they want as their ombudsmen,” said Johnson.
“My expectation is that one of those Councilmen will be Bob Merrick -- he has a good feel for what the city needs to do to better communicate with its residents.” Johnson concluded, “After 14 years as a member of the city council, my opponent is fully aware that the people of our community feel ‘left out of the loop’ and that communication is part of our elected leaders’ job description.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Ken Johnson, the Republican nominee for Mayor of the City of Bristol, answered his opponent’s call for a Route 72 ombudsman. Johnson described the need for a dedicated ombudsman as “unnecessary.”
Johnson stated, now that Route 72 construction is underway as of the Governor’s groundbreaking ceremony last week, regular meetings will be held with the city and the State Department of Transportation. The Republican nominee stated that as Mayor he would see that the two Councilmen from the 3rd district, as well as our State Representative and State Senator, are included in all project meetings between the city and DOT.
“I believe communication is critically important on this project.” Johnson added, “I’m sure many Bristol residents will want to be informed as questions and inconveniences due to construction arise. Getting everyone at the table, up front, is the right way to go.”
The candidate believes that his opponent’s proposal is a “feel good” position, and one that is not needed. He suggested that the two Councilmen from the 3rd district would serve as “ombudsmen” because that is their job as members of the City Council. “On November 6th the people of the third district will decide who they want as their ombudsmen,” said Johnson.
“My expectation is that one of those Councilmen will be Bob Merrick -- he has a good feel for what the city needs to do to better communicate with its residents.” Johnson concluded, “After 14 years as a member of the city council, my opponent is fully aware that the people of our community feel ‘left out of the loop’ and that communication is part of our elected leaders’ job description.”
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 21, 2007
Route 72 ombudsman needed, Ward argues
With work getting underway on the $53 million Route 72 extension, the city needs to create an ombudsman for advisory panel to help residents who run into problems caused by the massive construction project, said Democratic mayoral candidate Art Ward.
Ward said that having someone, or a group of people, serve as “a conduit between the citizens and what was going on with the Route 72 project as it progresses” could help minimize problems for homeowners, businesses and others.
“It would give the populace one specific person or panel to address their concerns,” Ward said, and make it more likely that issues can be resolved quickly.
Back in the 1990s, the city appointed a volunteer ombudsman, Anthony Potocki, who helped residents deal with the state Department of Transportation when it was busy selling off surplus property that was no longer needed for the downscaled Route 72 that eventually won approval.
Ward said that Potocki proved a great help both for residents and city officials because he knew who to call and had many of the answers to questions readily available.
Being able “to focus the concerns into one venue,” Ward said, makes it simpler for everyone.
“Needless to say, that person would be accountable to the mayor and the City Council,” Ward said.
Ward said that the person or panel selected would ideally live near the project “and have a direct, hands-on approach” to resolving issues.
He said he envisions them getting to know the state officials and key construction personnel so they can go directly to the people with firsthand knowledge to answer queries or handle complaints.
Ward first made the suggestion last spring, but nothing happened in response. He said he is “not really surprised” that Mayor William Stortz didn’t follow up on the idea, adding that it’s only become crucial lately as construction gets underway.
A formal groundbreaking for the project occurred Monday, but contractors haven’t truly begun the massive job of putting in 2.4 miles of new road from the end of the expressway in Plainville to Route 229.
The road, which is expected to take 19 months to finish, will slice through a residential area in Forestville before crossing Yarde Pond, creating a boulevard-like section.
It will follow the same path as Pine Street starting at Todd Street, and then cut behind Dunkin’ Donuts across a new bridge over the Pequabuck River.
A pedestrian bride would be erected over the boulevard section of the road at Forest Street and a commuter lot would be relocated to Lake Avenue.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Ward said that having someone, or a group of people, serve as “a conduit between the citizens and what was going on with the Route 72 project as it progresses” could help minimize problems for homeowners, businesses and others.
“It would give the populace one specific person or panel to address their concerns,” Ward said, and make it more likely that issues can be resolved quickly.
Back in the 1990s, the city appointed a volunteer ombudsman, Anthony Potocki, who helped residents deal with the state Department of Transportation when it was busy selling off surplus property that was no longer needed for the downscaled Route 72 that eventually won approval.
Ward said that Potocki proved a great help both for residents and city officials because he knew who to call and had many of the answers to questions readily available.
Being able “to focus the concerns into one venue,” Ward said, makes it simpler for everyone.
“Needless to say, that person would be accountable to the mayor and the City Council,” Ward said.
Ward said that the person or panel selected would ideally live near the project “and have a direct, hands-on approach” to resolving issues.
He said he envisions them getting to know the state officials and key construction personnel so they can go directly to the people with firsthand knowledge to answer queries or handle complaints.
Ward first made the suggestion last spring, but nothing happened in response. He said he is “not really surprised” that Mayor William Stortz didn’t follow up on the idea, adding that it’s only become crucial lately as construction gets underway.
A formal groundbreaking for the project occurred Monday, but contractors haven’t truly begun the massive job of putting in 2.4 miles of new road from the end of the expressway in Plainville to Route 229.
The road, which is expected to take 19 months to finish, will slice through a residential area in Forestville before crossing Yarde Pond, creating a boulevard-like section.
It will follow the same path as Pine Street starting at Todd Street, and then cut behind Dunkin’ Donuts across a new bridge over the Pequabuck River.
A pedestrian bride would be erected over the boulevard section of the road at Forest Street and a commuter lot would be relocated to Lake Avenue.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 15, 2007
Rell at Route 72 groundbreaking
Press release from Gov. Jodi Rell:
Governor M. Jodi Rell today led a groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited, four-lane extension of Route 72 in Bristol. Earlier this summer, a $39.7 million contract was awarded to Manafort Brothers of Plainville for the project.
“Extending Route 72 will not only help central Connecticut commuters, it will provide a strong boost to economic development for the City of Bristol, local downtown merchants and companies along this corridor,” said Governor Rell. “The people of Bristol – and the region – have been waiting for years for this extension, which I regard as an investment in the community and Connecticut’s overall economy.”
Joining the Governor were Department of Transportation Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter; Mayor William Stortz; Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce President John Leone; state Reps. Betty Boukus, Ron Burn, William Hamzy and Frank Nicastro and state Sen. Thomas Colapietro.
The project calls for a 2.4-mile, four-lane section of highway extending from Route 372 (the end of the existing Route 72 roadway leading off I-84 in Plainville) to Middle Street in Bristol. It will include a new bridge over the Pequabuck River and a new pedestrian bridge over the new section of Route 72 near Forest Street.
The project is expected to take about 19 months to complete. The cost is being split between the state and federal governments, with 20 percent funded by the state and 80 percent by the federal government.
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Governor M. Jodi Rell today led a groundbreaking ceremony for the long-awaited, four-lane extension of Route 72 in Bristol. Earlier this summer, a $39.7 million contract was awarded to Manafort Brothers of Plainville for the project.
“Extending Route 72 will not only help central Connecticut commuters, it will provide a strong boost to economic development for the City of Bristol, local downtown merchants and companies along this corridor,” said Governor Rell. “The people of Bristol – and the region – have been waiting for years for this extension, which I regard as an investment in the community and Connecticut’s overall economy.”
Joining the Governor were Department of Transportation Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter; Mayor William Stortz; Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce President John Leone; state Reps. Betty Boukus, Ron Burn, William Hamzy and Frank Nicastro and state Sen. Thomas Colapietro.
The project calls for a 2.4-mile, four-lane section of highway extending from Route 372 (the end of the existing Route 72 roadway leading off I-84 in Plainville) to Middle Street in Bristol. It will include a new bridge over the Pequabuck River and a new pedestrian bridge over the new section of Route 72 near Forest Street.
The project is expected to take about 19 months to complete. The cost is being split between the state and federal governments, with 20 percent funded by the state and 80 percent by the federal government.
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Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 9, 2007
Route 72 groundbreaking on Monday
Groundbreaking for the long-awaited Route 72 extension is slated to take place on Monday.
The ceremony, originally slated for last year, is scheduled to take place in the Todd Street commuter parking lot at 3:30 p.m.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Democrat whose 79th District includes the proposed roadway, said he’s glad to see it getting started at last.
The $60 million project is slated to begin this month and take 19 months to complete a 2.4-mile extension from the end of the expressway in Plainville to Riverside Avenue just south of the railroad bridge on Middle Street.
State and city officials, including Gov. Jodi Rell, are expected to attend the groundbreaking.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the contract in August to carry out the work.
The new four-lane road will run between the end of the expressway in Plainville and Middle Street, crossing a new bridge over the Pequabuck River in the process.
The new road will feature a sunken, boulevard-type street slicing through a residential section between Route 372 in Plainville and Yarde's Pond, which is beside the commuter lot on Todd Street where Rell spoke Tuesday. Parts of it will be as much as 17 feet beneath the surrounding terrain.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before crossing a new Pequabuck River bridge in order to align directly with Riverside Avenue.
Ten intersections with traffic lights will be included along the new road.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
The ceremony, originally slated for last year, is scheduled to take place in the Todd Street commuter parking lot at 3:30 p.m.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Democrat whose 79th District includes the proposed roadway, said he’s glad to see it getting started at last.
The $60 million project is slated to begin this month and take 19 months to complete a 2.4-mile extension from the end of the expressway in Plainville to Riverside Avenue just south of the railroad bridge on Middle Street.
State and city officials, including Gov. Jodi Rell, are expected to attend the groundbreaking.
The New Britain-based Manafort Brothers got the contract in August to carry out the work.
The new four-lane road will run between the end of the expressway in Plainville and Middle Street, crossing a new bridge over the Pequabuck River in the process.
The new road will feature a sunken, boulevard-type street slicing through a residential section between Route 372 in Plainville and Yarde's Pond, which is beside the commuter lot on Todd Street where Rell spoke Tuesday. Parts of it will be as much as 17 feet beneath the surrounding terrain.
After that section, the four-lane road will follow the existing right of way on Pine Street before crossing a new Pequabuck River bridge in order to align directly with Riverside Avenue.
Ten intersections with traffic lights will be included along the new road.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 13, 2007
Groundbreaking CANCELED for today
This just in, from the state Department of Transportation:
IMMEDIATE ADVISORY
Today's planned DOT groundbreaking ceremony for the Route 72 extension in Bristol has been CANCELED for today because of the religious holiday. It will be rescheduled.
Judd Everhart
Director of Communications
Connecticut Department of Transportation
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
IMMEDIATE ADVISORY
Today's planned DOT groundbreaking ceremony for the Route 72 extension in Bristol has been CANCELED for today because of the religious holiday. It will be rescheduled.
Judd Everhart
Director of Communications
Connecticut Department of Transportation
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Gov. Rell coming to Bristol this morning
The official groundbreaking for the long-delayed Route 72 expansion project is slated for 11 a.m. in the Todd Street commuter lot. If it's like last time, that's the parking lot on the north side of Pine Street, pretty close to Pine Lake.
Gov. Jodi Rell is among the dignitaries slated to attend.
It's hard to believe this project is actually getting started soon. I sure hope it helps because it's going to create almost two years of construction craziness along an already congested route in and out of town.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Gov. Jodi Rell is among the dignitaries slated to attend.
It's hard to believe this project is actually getting started soon. I sure hope it helps because it's going to create almost two years of construction craziness along an already congested route in and out of town.
*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 12, 2007
Route 72 groundbreaking on Thursday
And some thought they'd never live to see the day....
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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