The Northwest Corridor Transit Study was undertaken to preserve the viability of the Griffin (or northwest) corridor for future busway deployment. The project was designed to build transit ridership in the corridor, insure the viability of Union Station as the busway terminus, and insure that busway buses can be efficiently added to downtown transit traffic.
A consulting team, led by TranSystems, assisted with this project and the study was completed in May 2010. The study recommendations were presented at a public meeting on May 26, 2009.
More detailed information on the study is available below.
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! We are always interested in your feedback. Use this comment form or send an email to sfry@crcog.com to tell us your thoughts on the study. We would be happy to make a presentation of the recommendations to your group or organization. Contact Sandy Fry, sfry@crcog.org, 860-522-2217 x220 to arrange for a presentation.
Build Transit Ridership in the Corridor
The study area for this element of the project includes suburban style employment sites and low density residential development. It is challenging to provide transit to suburban job locations because transit is most efficient when it focuses upon a major destination (like a downtown) and brings riders from dispersed residential locations to the major destination. While the Day Hill Road/Airport employment areas include many square feet of space and significant numbers of employees, they do not come close to the concentration of employment in the downtown. This study has examined employment, demographic, and travel characteristics of the corridor and has developed a service plan to provide improved transit to the area. The recommendations include the creation of a mini transit hub at the Poquonnock park and ride lot (Exit 38 on I-91) with frequent shuttle service providing transportation to employment sites.
Following are resources that describe the study effort and the recommendations:
Insure the Viability of Union Station as the Busway Terminus
Union Station currently serves as the City of Hartford’s passenger rail station and intercity bus station. As busways are built in the region (the first busway, the New Britain/Hartford Busway will come on line in 2013), and as commuter rail is improved, Union Station will become an even more important passenger hub. This study has evaluated the current condition of the station and makes recommendations for improvements to the layout and the operation of the station.
Downtown Hartford Transit Circulation
When the New Britain Hartford Busway service begins in 2013, there will be an additional 29 buses operating on City streets in peak hour traffic. This element of the study examined current bus circulation in downtown and makes recommendations for improvements. The key recommendation is for the development of a Transit Center, a location where City bus routes come together, making transfers between bus routes more convenient and helping to make the bus system more understandable. The recommended location for the Transit Center is near Union Station, in a quadrant of downtown that is north of Asylum Street and south and west of Main Street. Documents that explain the data analysis and recommendations can be downloaded below.
The study also examined the experience with free downtown shuttles to determine if this concept might play a role in improving downtown transit circulation.
|
HOME 