Picture It Better Together : Taking Transportation Goals From Policy to Reality A Partnership Project between the: City of Hartford Parkville Revitalization Association Capitol Region Council of Governments Working with the Towns of Suffield and West Hartford

Rural Suffield Suburban West Hartford Parkville neighborhood Urban Hartford OUR PROTOTYPE AREAS Summary of Project and Products

Enhance understanding at the local level of the regional system that connects and supports municipalities. Develop a replicable model of regional understanding and cooperation. Ascertain support for sustainable regional development policies and design. –Public Engagement Campaign Visual Preference Exercise Phone Survey Regional Forums, Focus GroupsVideo Media Outreach Project Committee Structure CRCOG’s Picture It Better Goals and Products Identify some of the behaviors and regulations that lead to sprawl and assist towns in developing locally appropriate alternatives. Determine economic development tools/techniques that enhance the strengths of each type of community and that utilize anti-sprawl concepts. –Land Use Regulation Analysis –Best Practices Research and Development Guide

Parkville’s Picture It Better Goals and Products Traffic Calming. Pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environments & pleasant streets. Parking that supports business while reinforcing pedestrian activity. Improved truck flow to industry. Park design for Pope Park West: more green space for Parkville. Plan for transit stations for proposed Hartford-New Britain busway. Plan for proposed I-84 improvements – ensuring improved access and preservation of neighborhood character. Improved connections with other neighborhoods and the region.

Recent headlines that help tell the story as to why we need to address growth and development in the region and the need for varied strategies.

Partnership Development The City of Hartford, on behalf of Parkville Revitalization Association (PRA), and CRCOG submitted two separate letters of intent Both shortlisted Regional scope to examine an urban, suburban, and rural community as prototypes Parkville scope to create urban design, land use and transportation plans Parkville fits well as the urban prototype Combining brings additional benefits –Brings together the big picture with concrete plans –Provides an extra research opportunity to measure how a neighborhood group and a regional agency can become better partners

Innovation by Major Themes Creating Partnership Building the Knowledge Base Demonstrating Results Innovation in Planning Practice Strengthening of the Transportation Planning Process Leveraging Opportunities

Creating Partnership –Project Working Committee comprised of regional planners, city staff, and neighborhood volunteers. –Other partners are a rural and suburban town. Our project brings together rural, suburban, and urban and is finding and building on common interests. Building the Knowledge Base –The scope of work integrates design, open space, economic development and transportation. Demonstrating Results –Adoption of outreach tool yielded success in another CRCOG project. –Parkville neighborhood realizes its vested interests in regional issues. Innovation in Planning Practice –Neighborhood leadership role. –Outreach program. Strengthening the Transportation Planning Process –Neighborhood not just “involved” but creator of alternatives giving better results and early support. Leveraging Opportunities –Evidence already of the TCSP adding value to the bus rapid transit project. –Same potential with proposed interstate interchange modifications, Bradley Airport traffic recommendations, private sector project review, and in general to enhance infrastructure investments by raising the concept of regional development. Innovation by Major Themes

Building the Knowledge Base-- blending design, open space, transportation

Evolution of Parkville’s Rapid Transit Innovation in Planning Practice –Neighborhood leadership role. Strengthening the Transportation Planning Process –Neighborhood not just “involved” but creator of alternatives giving better results and early support. –Increased neighborhood ownership. Leveraging Opportunities –TCSP is adding value to the bus rapid transit project.

ConnDOT’s Initial Split Station Concept-- Long walk required in industrial space Platform At-Grade Pedestrian Crosswalk Sidewalk

ConnDOT’s Initial Model Station

ConnDOT’s Initial Parkville Station Proposal Station set back and farther from neighborhood center Orange St. Francis Ave. Park St.

Parkville’s Alternative Busway Station Located closer to center, reinforces urban street edge Parkville alternative proposed and accepted by ConnDOT

Parkville’s Alternative Busway Station Parkville alternative proposed and accepted by ConnDOT Peter Miniutti Landscape Architect

Parkville’s Transit Next Steps: As a consequence of increasing the knowledge base, the neighborhood advocates for a new transit service.

Innovation in Planning-outreach

Innovation in Planning--outreach

Innovation in Planning-outreach

Demonstrating Results: The outreach technique has extended to other CRCOG projects.

Evaluation Approach Data Sources –Secondary Data Zoning database Assessed property values along the busway Census data Economic indicators –Primary Data Photographic database Survey data Methods –Qualitative Review of partnership development Community interaction with busway Interviews Self-Assessment –Quantitative Trend Analyses Surveying

Evaluation Approach Timing –Baseline data nearly in place –Processes in place to track qualitative data –Analysis begins next year Responsibility –CRCOG & Parkville’s Project Managers sharing responsibility for evaluation

Data Examples: Capitol Region Land Zoned Residential Green = 8+ du/ac Orange = 4 to 8 du/ac Yellow = other residential zones (white areas non- residentially zoned) 78% zoned residential 5% of residential land zoned for du/acre 2% of residential land zoned for 8+ du/acre

Data Examples: Capitol Region Land Zoned Residential

Busway Route

Data Examples: Existing Zoning along the Proposed Busway Purple = Industrial Red = Commercial Bright Green, Orange, and Yellow = Residential Dark green, blue = resource Gray tic marks = proposed busway (see previous slide for residential density key)

Data Examples: Capitol Region Housing Growth, 1990 to 1998 Green = 12% + Orange = 8% to 12% Pink = 4% to 7.9% White is 0 to 3.9%

What We Are Learning About Evaluation Without dedicated resources, the evaluation plan must be targeted. Be realistic about data collection and time for analysis. Good knowledge of secondary sources essential. Write a thorough evaluation plan initially, then fine tune it after the project is underway. The most innovative parts of the project may not be apparent at the beginning. An increased appreciation about the role of evaluation in projects.

Taking Transportation Goals From Policy To Reality: What We Have Learned How a MPO and a neighborhood work together. Bringing about regional change takes person to person contact. There is a distinction between Smart Growth and Smart Development. Pedestrian improvements is a distinct strategy from traffic calming. TCSP resources have been essential for: –Advancing busway station planning to station area planning. –Crafting a vision of regional growth and priorities. –Providing to communities and neighborhoods of our region with Smart Growth/Development tools that are appropriate by community type and regional context.

For further information: Richard Porth, Executive Director Linda Osten, Project Manager Capitol Region Council of Governments, 241 Main Street, Hartford, CT David Morin, President Kathleen McCabe, Project Manager Parkville Revitalization Association, 1429 Park Street, Hartford, CT Gerry Maine, Principal Planner City of Hartford, Planning Division, 10 Prospect Street, Hartford, CT