Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's decision to green-light the New Britain to Hartford busway isn't going over well with some town leaders in West Hartford.
Mayor Scott Slifka called today's announcement by Malloy "disappointing." In a letter to the governor, Slifka outlined a number of concerns, including construction issues, maintenance costs and the location of bus stops. The busway will travel through the heart of Elmwood, a densely populated commercial corridor.
"[T]he Department of Transportation must work with us to institute appropriate construction times and traffic flow/detours, replace the many mature trees slated for removal and institute an overall communications plan to keep residents and businesses apprised of project progress and changes,'' Slifka wrote in a letter to Malloy today.
Slifka is also asking the governor to transfer the responsibility of maintaining a bridge and two bus stops from the town to the state. And he is seeking a commitment that a West Hartford stop will be included in the proposed Springfield to New Haven rail line.
Like Slifka, state Rep. Joe Verrengia has concerns about the project. Verrengia, who hails from Elmwood, said he is worried about the impact of the construction on the neighborhood, which will also be experiencing a major reconstruction project on New Britain Avenue.
"This [will have] a very negative impact to that particular area of town,'' he said. "This is going to impact the local businesses, neighborhoods. I have seen no plan as far as how they're going to deal with traffic patterns, and mitigate those problems. And it's going to be a two-year project."
