Access Restored to Flower Street
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Pedestrian and cyclist access has been restored on Flower Street, connecting Farmington Avenue and Capitol Avenue. Continue reading 'Access Restored to Flower Street'»
Category: access
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Constitutional Veto
By Kerri Provost, June 12, 2013 12:33 pm
Reader-submitted photo
If you’ve used Constitution Plaza in recent months, you have no doubt noticed the ongoing reconstruction of the area around the Boat Building.
The plaza is about to become trickier to navigate. From June 17th-July 3rd a large section of the plaza will be closed; pedestrians have been instructed to use State Street and Columbus Boulevard.
For those who use the pedestrian/cyclist segment of the Founders Bridge to commute between Hartford and East Hartford — which overlaps with part of the East Coast Greenway — what alternate routes will you be using to get around this closure?
Growing Urban Roots
By Kerri Provost, June 10, 2013 2:07 pm
If this TED Talk piqued your interest, you might want to stop by the community conversation, “Growing Urban Roots” on June 19th at Knox Parks Foundation, 75 Laurel Street.
Charmaine Craig, the Community Outreach Director of Knox Parks Foundation, and Jim Gooch, the Executive Director of Connecticut Farmland Trust, will be speaking on the impact of urban farming and community garden. Continue reading 'Growing Urban Roots'»
Move in Right Direction with Farmington Avenue
By Kerri Provost, June 7, 2013 9:04 am
While the Vulnerable User bill stalled once more, Hartford cyclists have one reason to not despair.
After being told that bike lanes on Farmington Avenue would be impossible, a reassessment of that area found space on the major thoroughfare. We are being told by those involved with promoting cyclist- and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure that lanes will be created in both directions between Sherman and Marshall Street. Continue reading 'Move in Right Direction with Farmington Avenue'»
Summer Market at Billings Forge Opens
By Kerri Provost, June 6, 2013 2:00 pm
The market on Broad Street runs year-round — even in January — but has moved from the Studio to the courtyard between Capitol Avenue and Russ Street.
It’s open on Thursdays, 11-2. Continue reading 'Summer Market at Billings Forge Opens'»
Multicultural Festival Promotes Immigration Reform
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Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance (CIRA) and Connecticut Immigrant Voices Coalition (CIVIC) sponsored a rally and festival in Bushnell Park this weekend, with the afternoon’s events including musical performances, dance, and the telling of personal challenges with the immigration experience. Continue reading 'Multicultural Festival Promotes Immigration Reform'»
¿Ausente? Indeed.
By Kerri Provost, May 22, 2013 11:01 pm
(L-to-R) Charles R. Venator-Santiago, Olga Delarosa Moya, Victor Quinones, Ana-Maria Garcia, Madelyn Colon, y Evelyn Mantilla
The gymnasium of St. Anne / Immaculate Conception Church on Park Street was the venue for a true community dialogue about the history and current state of the Latino vote in Hartford. The dialogue did not dwell in the past, nor did it center on the panelists’ contributions, as audience members readily joined in.
Evelyn Mantilla, who served as the event’s moderator, explained that of the approximately 54,000 individuals registered to vote in the city, 38% are Latinos. Of the small number who voted in the 2012 primary, only 13% of those voters were Latino.
“Why don’t more Latinos vote in Hartford?” was the question that held this conversation together. Everyone had theories.
Panelist Victor Quinones said, “we are not educated politically.” People will vote all Democrat instead of thinking about the individual candidates.
“There is also the hours,” he said. Very few people stop by the polls between 6-9am, and then people work all day. He said the polls should open and close later. Continue reading '¿Ausente? Indeed.'»
New Verdict for Flower Street
By Kerri Provost, May 20, 2013 4:01 pm
This afternoon, Judith Almeida, a staff attorney at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, ruled that unless a grade separated pedestrian/cyclist bridge is constructed over the crossing, the Connecticut DOT may not permanently close Flower Street to pedestrian and cyclist usage. The Flower Street crossing will remain closed to vehicular traffic.
You can read the full ruling below:
Temporary Closure of Flower Street for Pedestrians
Comments Off According to the CTfastrak “Construction Bulletin,” “The current pedestrian crossing on Flower Street Amtrak rail line will be completely closed from Monday, May 13, 2013 to Friday, June 14, 2013. A temporary pedestrian walkway has been installed.”
Though they say nothing about cyclist usage, it can be assumed that this unrecognized population will also be banned from using the north-south route while this construction occurs.
The “temporary pedestrian walkway” is useless for those seeking a direct north-south route alternative, but if you’d like a lovely stroll through a parking lot below the interstate, go ahead and enjoy the walkway that links Flower Street to Broad Street, an east-west route.
Construction is weather-permitting and may be rescheduled if necessary.
Reveal the Path to Nowhere
By Kerri Provost, April 23, 2013 10:42 am
If you’ve been following the Flower Street debacle at all, you’re familiar with the CT DOT’s desire to “mitigate” the closure of a north-south route by creating an east-west one between Broad Street and Flower Street. Continue reading 'Reveal the Path to Nowhere'»