Picture It Better Picture It Better TogetherTogether:: Taking Transportation Goals From Taking Transportation Goals From

Policy to RealityPolicy to Reality

A Partnership Project between the:A Partnership Project between the:City of HartfordCity of Hartford

Parkville Revitalization AssociationParkville Revitalization AssociationCapitol Region Council of GovernmentsCapitol Region Council of Governments

Working with the Towns of Suffield and West Hartford

Rural Suffield

SuburbanWest

Hartford

Parkvilleneighborhood

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 Groups Video

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.

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

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

Platform

At-Grade Pedestrian Crosswalk

Sidewalk

ConnDOT’s Initial Model Station

ConnDOT’s Initial Parkville Station ProposalStation set back and farther from neighborhood center

Orange St.

Francis Ave.

Park St.

Parkville’s Alternative Busway StationLocated 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 MiniuttiLandscape 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

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/acOrange = 4 to 8 du/acYellow = other residential zones(white areas non-residentially zoned)

• 78% zoned residential

• 5% of residential land zoned for 4 - 8 du/acre

• 2% of residential land zoned for 8+ du/acre

Impact of Residential Zoningon Land Use

50.6%

21.8%

3.8%

1.3%

21.8%

<1%

Total CR Land in 4 acre zoning

Total CR Land in 1-2 acre zoning

Total CR Land between 1/4 and 1acre zoning

Total CR Land from 1/4 up to 1/8acre zoning

Total CR Land 1/8 and less acrezoning

Zoned Business, Industrial, MixedUse, Resource

Residential Zoning Density Distribution

65%

28%

5% 2%

<1%

Total Residential .25 du/ac (4 aclots)

Total Residential .5 - 1 du/ac (1to 2 ac lots)

Total Residential 1.25 - 3.9du/ac (1/4 to 1 ac lots)

Total Residential 4 - 7.9 du/ac(1/8 to 1/4 ac lots)

Total Residential 8 du/ac (<1/8ac lots)

Data Examples:Capitol Region Land Zoned Residential

Busway Route

Data Examples:Existing Zoning along the Proposed Busway

Purple = IndustrialRed = CommercialBright Green, Orange, and Yellow = ResidentialDark green, blue = resourceGray 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 ManagerCapitol Region Council of Governments, 241 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06106860 522-2217

• David Morin, PresidentKathleen McCabe, Project ManagerParkville Revitalization Association, 1429 Park Street, Hartford, CT 06106877 575-2636

• Gerry Maine, Principal PlannerCity of Hartford, Planning Division, 10 Prospect Street, Hartford, CT 06103860 543-8675