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02/12/2018 11:00 PMOn the evening of Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Chester Meeting House, residents can weigh in on a topic that affects them directly: the future appearance of downtown Chester. While Chester’s Main Street Project was approved years ago, the details of the current phase of the plan—Phase III—are not yet set in stone.
“We do want feedback,” said Selectman Charlene Janecek, and a member of the Main Street Project Committee. “We want the residents to say, ‘Wow, we really like what you’ve come up with,’ or ‘Wait a minute, do we really want this?’”
Overall, the master plan encompasses Main Street from its intersection with Route 154 to the Chester Meeting House. While the members of the committee would also like to see improvements along Route 148, the state highway falls under state jurisdiction.
“I don’t believe we can do much there except ask the state nicely,” Janecek said.
The project’s overarching goal is to improve infrastructure: road repair, improved drainage and sidewalks, landscaping, street lighting, new crosswalks, plus the addition of trees and benches. While the plan has always been to revitalize downtown Chester, those on the 11-member Main Street Project Committee have not always agreed on how that should be done. Suggestions have ranged from confining the improvements to necessary repairs to replacing the area by the flag pole.
“Some of us on the committee have grand ideas, and some wanted us to have Chester stay Chester and fix what’s broken,” said Janecek. “We have healthy discussions—we go back and forth at our meetings.”
“This isn’t just about making the town pretty; it’s actually necessary,” emphasized Michael Joplin, chairman of the Main Street Project Committee. “Some of the drainage doesn’t work properly, some of the curbs are so old that they are no longer four or five inches above the road—the road and the sidewalk are the same height because the road has been repaved so many times. The lighting is inadequate, the ADA parking is actually not up to code.”
Currently, the plan is to fix what’s broken.
“The plan we’ve come up with now is basically repairing what’s there and putting some plantings in, some signage, and an information kiosk that would be built on top of the Chester Wall,” said Janecek.
The latter would not be a freestanding kiosk, but an informational display with space for pamphlets, posters, and a town map.
Joplin estimates that the project will cost between $1.8 million and $2.2- or $2.3 million—at least 50 percent of which should be covered by the state. The group has applied for state funding through the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP). Part of the reason the committee is seeking public feedback is so that it can lock down a design. Having detailed plans in hand will help secure funds for the project.
“Once transportation funds become available, we had better be ready to jump in, since these projects and applications for funding are competitive and towns jockey for priority positions in funding,” said First Selectman Lauren Gister. “Even if funds became available immediately, there would still be much coordination that would be required—with the Connecticut Water Company for simultaneous replacement of the water main, with the merchants for timing that provides them with the least amount of disruption to their business, and to put the project out to competitive bid for construction.”
“Shovel-ready projects will get the money,” added Janecek. “Right now the state’s not financing anything. It’s a process. We’ve applied for a grant—without the grant it’s not going to get done; the town can’t afford it.”
Phase III, in particular, will have a large impact on local businesses: It covers Main Street Bridge to Laurel Hill Cemetery, along with about 500 feet of Maple Street. The affected businesses should be able to stay open while work proceeds.
Although the planning documents are only about 35 percent complete, the remainder consists of mostly technical details that won’t affect the appearance.
“This is the time to speak up—not a year from now when the plans are complete,” said Joplin. “I would especially encourage anyone who lives near downtown or frequents downtown to come hear what we’re thinking about. We’d like citizens to know what we’re doing and we’ll accept comments or criticisms or ideas. Come out and give us your support; this is going to change the way Chester looks.”
The Main Street Project Committee is holding a public presentation of the design and plans of Phase III on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Chester Meeting House. The Master Plan is available for viewing in the Selectman’s Office at Chester Town Hall.