Road Safety Planning Targets Albany Avenue

March 9, 2006
Report By Courant Staff

The city is in the planning stages of a major project to improve road safety on Albany Avenue, officials said Wednesday.

The $12 million to $15 million project includes traffic and pedestrian safety improvements, lane reconfigurations, roadway resurfacing and drainage improvement from Homestead Avenue and Westbourne Parkway to Garden Street.

Also, there will be streetscape improvements such as new sidewalks, brick pavers between the sidewalks and the curb, new curbs, ornamental lighting and street trees.

Finally, the project includes parking improvements and direction changes to the one-way streets of Irving, Magnolia, Edgewood, Cabot, Lennox and Sterling. A cul-de-sac will be created on the north end of Burton Street, removing access from Burton Street to Albany Avenue. Burton Street will then be converted to a two-way road.

About $2 million of the project cost will be paid by the Metropolitan District Commission. It is anticipated that the Federal Highway Administration will provide 80 percent of the remaining project construction cost, with the state providing 20 percent.

The city will be responsible for all costs associated with the design of the project.

The city has scheduled an open house March 21 at 6 p.m. as a forum to explain the project to the public and to listen to neighborhood concerns. The event will take place at the Artists Collective at 1200 Albany Ave.

People who are deaf or have impaired hearing and wish to attend this meeting may make arrangements for an interpreter by contacting the Department of Transportation's office of communications at 860-594-3062 at least five work days before the meeting.

Anyone interested in obtaining further information or providing input may do so by contacting John McGrane, city engineer, at 860-522-4888, Ext. 6525.