This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/12/2018 04:45 PMHave an idea for what one of the entrances to Clinton should look like? Public opinion is being sought as part of a Route 81 corridor study public workshop being held at the at The Morgan School Cafeteria on Monday, June 25.
The study is the latest step in an ongoing effort to redevelop Clinton, including the key sites of the former Unilever headquarters and the old Morgan School . The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an open house, followed by a presentation and working sessions starting at 6 p.m. According to a press release on the project, “the study will address current and future travel, economic development, and quality of life along Route 81.
The study area runs from Route 1 to Rocky Ledge Drive. The study will be conducted by Fitzgerald and Halliday, Inc., with assistance from TranSystems and Ninigret Partners. First Selectman Christine Goupil said the study will be completed this fall. Goupil said that the corridor is “diverse” in that it traverses several different zoning areas, from a historic district to a residential district to an industrial one.
The next steps in the study are to obtain more data, conduct a market analysis, and speak with members of the community. Additionally, there is an online survey that is available for the public to share their opinions at www.surveymonkey.com/r/RT81. The survey is 18 questions long and asks residents to share their input on the kinds developments they would like to see at the old Morgan School and Unilever sites, and the traffic on Route 81, among other concerns.
While several of the survey questions, and undoubtedly most of the public interest, focuses on the potential redevelopment of the old Morgan School and Unilever properties, business development won’t be the only focus of the study.
“A huge portion of the study is road design and usability,” said Goupil. “Through this grant the town will work closely with Fitzgerald & Halliday engineers and planners, Connecticut DOT, and the key entities along Route 81 and create a ‘complete street’ that connects the north and south sides of the I-95 interchange, access to the Shoreline East Rail Station and Estuary Transit District transfer hub, and knits the historic, commercial, and residential areas in a way that is friendly to pedestrians, bicycles, and vehicles alike.
“A key goal of the corridor study is to identify infrastructure improvements that will beautify the corridor, reduce congestion, and improve safety,” Goupil added.
Goupil said that it is “vital to get input” from the community on the corridor and encouraged residents to bring their ideas and visions to the workshop.
The corridor study kicked off in the beginning of April. Rory Fitzgerald, a community planner from Fitzgerald and Halliday, said that the study will take the opinions of the residents that live in the area seriously.
“People who live in the area know the corridor better than we would,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald said that during the study the group plans to speak with different stakeholders who represent different groups of people to listen to their ideas for the corridor. Fitzgerald reasoned that someone from the Economic Development Commission for example, may have different priorities or ideas than a member of a bicycling club in town.
“A lot is going to hinge on community input,” Goupil said. “I’m excited to be working on it.”
The corridor study is the result of nearly three years’ worth of work. Goupil said that the grant for the study was written in October 2015 by John Guszkowski, the consultant planner, and herself; she was the vice chair of the Planning Committee for the Planning & Zoning Commission at the time.
Questions on the project can be directed to Senior Project Manager Francisco Gomes at fgomes@fhiplan.com.