Frequently Asked Questions
Our FAQ will be updated throughout the project. Please check back periodically for new information!
1. What are the goals of this project?
- The Main Street Reconstruction project’s primary aim is to enhance the connectivity and public safety of the corridor by taking a Complete Street approach to design while considering the historical context of the downtown and need to support local businesses. Complete Street concepts ensure safe access throughout the corridor by improving the public realm’s support of every mode of transportation (walking, biking, taking the bus, and driving).
2. What type of improvements will the design team consider?
The Main Street Reconstruction project will:
- Repave and Upgrade the Roadway: remove buried trolley tracks, replace all the deteriorating pavement, fix uneven crosswalks, improve signage, and enhance and introduce traffic calming measures.
- Improve Accessibility and Mobility for all Users: reach American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, improve transit accessibility, and improve pedestrian safety and signaling at crosswalks.
- Reconstruct Existing Streetscapes: dining spaces, bicycle parking, new brick sidewalks and crosswalks, lighting upgrades, and street furniture (garbage cans, etc) will be upgraded.
- Update Stormwater: Use green infrastructure (like rain gardens and tree boxes) to improve water quality, help reduce urban flooding, and meet MS4 permitting requirements.
3. How is this project being funded?
- In February 2020, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved the Board of Finance’s recommendations to provide temporary construction funding to improve and rebuild the Main Street. The construction costs of the project will be reimbursed through the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP). The design portion of the project was funded through the Town’s capital budget.
4. Why is construction scheduled now? Why not during the shutdown?
- Funding was approved by the Town’s Board of Finance and RTM in early 2020; however, we were not able to obtain funding through DOT and SCRCOG until late 2020, and an increase in funding in the summer of 2022. While we would have preferred to have construction occur while everything was shut down, the funding was not available.
5. What is the construction schedule? How long will construction last?
- The project is entering Final Design, where the plans will then undergo rigorous Third-Party and DOT review. While we're not certain and have no control over how long that process will take, we're hopeful construction can break ground in the Spring of 2024. This project has an extremely complicated, logistical component to construction. As the project is a massive overhaul of the entire streetscape of the center of town, project timelines will be difficult to project until a contractor is selected through the bidding process. That said, we expect construction to last every bit of 2024, barring unforseen circumstances. The Town understands communication will be key throughout the process, and will make all attempts to keep the residents, visitors, and businesses updated throughout the project.
6. What public input have you solicited? What feedback has been incorporated into the plans?
- The Town solicited feedback through a public survey, where 233 responses were received, and through a public event on the Town Green where we welcomed folks to provide feedback. Overwhelmingly, and not surprisingly, speeding, pedestrian safety, and the want to keep the traditional New England feel were the most repeated. The Town has always considered pedestrian safety and speeding to be a priority, so bumpouts, enhanced signage, and keeping the narrow lanes have been in design since the start. To keep the New England feel, the design includes stone curbing, clay brick pavers, and rehabbing the existing street poles, while adding in new amenities like seatwalls, rain gardens, and required ADA upgrades.
Have a question or comment? We welcome your input! Send your thoughts to MainStRecon@branford-ct.gov