Columbus Boulevard, Hartford
Hartford
In 2003, the Capital City Economic Development Authority of Connecticut (CCEDA) retained Greenberg Consultants, assisted by Gorove Slade Associates of Washington D.C. to advise on possible design refinements to Columbus Boulevard. The roadway design provided needed access to the adjoining Freeways, but its pedestrian qualities were marginal and limited, potentially working against the vitality of the Convention Center and new Front Street District. With major traffic flows, wide crossings, a large number of lanes and complex turning movements, and fragmented pedestrian-unfriendly sidewalks, there was concern that the previous design would create a new barrier. This review process produced a series of practical refinements to the design including: a tree-lined median and widened sidewalks, a strong gateway image at Arch and State Streets, the redesign of the intersection at Columbus and Front Street, the elimination of lanes in selected locations and lane-width reductions, enhanced sidewalk and crosswalk treatments, and off-peak on-street parking. The changes were approved by ConnDOT and the modified plan has been implemented.
A centerpiece of this effort has been the Learning Corridor, a $100 million educational campus immediately east of the College and now in operation. The Learning Corridor contains an Inter-District Montessori School and Family Resource Center, a Neighborhood Public Middle School, a Math, Science and Technology Magnet High School Resource Center, the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts, the Aetna Center for Families and a parking garage with ground level retail stores. The Master Plan integrated the educational campus with the surrounding community and positioned it as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. The Learning Corridor: Southside Institutions Neighbourhood Alliance Plan was the recipient of the 2000 American Planning Association Outstanding Planning Award for a Special Community Initiative.