Klekolo World Coffee Installs Bike Racks

The two new black 'wave' style bike racks installed in front of Klekolo World Coffee are being put to good use. Various bikes have been secured to the racks since they were installed right before Christmas by city public works employees. The racks were purchased by the landlord but installed on the public sidewalk by city workers. In addition, a layer of gravel was added to the dirt basin surrounding the four trees which provide shade and protection to those using the sidewalks on Court Street. Hopefully the new racks will reduce the use of less appropriate stationary objects, such as trees and telephone poles, for securing bikes.

Another Christmas Gift for Middletown thanks to the landlords of 181 Court Street and the Middletown Public Works employees.

submitted with photo by Paul Zakarian

Planning and Zoning Discusses Transportation

The Planning and Zoning Commission spent most of their Wednesday meeting on transportation issues relating to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Director of Planning Bill Warner, and Commissioner Catherine Johnson took turns leading the discussion, which ranged from the regional to the very local.

"How do we get connected to the rest of the world?"

That was the first question posed by Warner. He said there was a real possibility, in the long run, of developing rail connections from Middletown to connect with train service to Boston and New York. He pointed to movement in the state and federal governments to extend commuter rail from New Haven through Hartford to Springfield and urged commissioners to consider how Middletown could position itself to connect to that line, at stations in Meriden or Berlin, when there is an increase in rail service.

The other rail possibility which Warner brought up would revive the light rail from Middletown through Cromwell, Wethersfield and up to Hartford. The railway rights of way are largely intact, according to Warner, and he said of a train between Middletown and Hartford, "that's an economic development magnet."

Warner told the commissioners that including plans for rail in the POCD would be the first in a long series of steps necessary to move forward. Commissioners were receptive to developing rail, but also wanted to see less ambitious and expensive transportation alternatives considered. Commissioner Carl Bolz suggested that a dedicated bus with pre-set stops could serve as a stepping stone for the later development of trains.

Sidewalks and Bicycles

Warner told the commissioners that if the POCD includes a plan for which streets should have sidewalks, it would be a relatively trivial matter to include a very small extra sum of money in street paving bonds to add sidewalks to those streets. He gave a few examples of streets where a short stretch of new sidewalks would connect two isolated neighborhoods each with sidewalks.

Warner also presented a map with what he termed "bike sheds, with drainage into downtown." He said the addition of short bike paths in each of these areas could allow 80% of the city's residents to bicycle downtown.

Johnson also proposed new bike routes, but hers were targeted not at bringing bicyclists to the downtown, but rather at fostering bicycling to schools, parks, and grocery stores. She showed a map (reproduced at the bottom) of a route which uses smaller streets and occasional short new paths to create a loop. This loop of bicycle-friendly streets and paths would allow easy bicycle travel between Middlesex Community College, Xavier High, Mercy and Vinal High, and Middletown High, as well as Stop and Shop, Waldbaums, and Veterans, Chrystal Lake and Wadsworth Parks.

Other Business

During the public comment period, Attorney Ralph Wilson, who sometimes represents clients before the Commission, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Commissioners for their part in his effort to get compensation for damage to his house on Bow Lane. The damage was caused by blasting associated with nearby construction. Wilson indicated that three lawyers observed the commissioners during their visit to his house, and that he received a settlement shortly thereafter.

The Commissioners scheduled for October 28 a public hearing on a proposal to operate a dialysis center at 100 Main Street, the site where Pelton Drugs was.

Free bicycles in Putney

The town of Putney, Vermont has two features which make it a frequent stop for our family. First, it is almost exactly halfway between Middletown and our two most frequent vacation destinations (a lake in upstate New York, and a farm in Vermont).  Second, it has a wonderful Food Coop with great coffee and treats, just a mile or so from the interstate but an entire culture apart. In Putney last year we came across a great idea that might translate to Middletown.  

Putney's creative partial solution to issues of parking, traffic, and the environment is called the Putney Green Bicycle Project.  They have developed a city-run program that provides at least a dozen bicycles free for anybody to use.  Bicycle racks are set up at the Coop, at the City Library, and at several other locations around town. The bicycles are all bright green, they are left unlocked, they come with a helmet, and they have a rack for groceries, books, or purses.  

The policy is that all bicycles have to be ridden safely, and must be returned to one of the racks. I asked at the Coop if there were any problems with the bicycle program, and the manager looked at me as if I had asked if there were any problems with the trees, she couldn't really imagine what I might mean by problems. When I pressed, she said that very rarely somebody found a bicycle left by the side of the road instead of in a rack. She also told me that the bicycles were used very frequently, always with a helmet, and they were a big hit, especially with local teenagers in the summer. 

It seems to me that something like the Putney Green Bicycle project could work in downtown Middletown.  Imagine as a start if there were several racks along Main Street, from O'Rourke's in the north to Destinta Theaters in the south, and another rack at Russell Library.  A pilot project would cost far less than any parking or trolley study, and could have an immediate impact on traffic, parking, and the vitality of Middletown.  

Commentary "Lead us not into Temptation."

a proverb from the Lord's Prayer, left at the door when entering the chambers of the P&Z meeting on Wednesday night?

It is hard to believe that not one person at the meeting standing in favor of the Walgreens at the intersection of Main and East Main Streets dared to question the wisdom, of the developer and the city on the plan as proposed. Where was the concern for our God given Earth and her environment and a consideration of what is best for the planet? Where was the concern for all people of your local community, not just the people of the church? Surely there must be some members of the public who spoke in favor of the proposal who where questioning the wisdom of the plan as presented. Did you dare not speak-up and ask the developer to consider the health and safety of all who would be subject to the changes in traffic patterns, (drive thru, adding more driveways for in and out of traffic, lane change configurations, additional lanes, additional traffic, increased speed of traffic, changing the environment for pedestrians, wheelchair users, and bicyclists) not just the motoring public, for fear the entire plan would be denied? Where is your awareness or concern for environmental justice? (Please see Wikipedia definition at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_justice ). Where is the concern to provide an environment that is safe and secure for those who chose active transport, or those who might not have any other choice but to use active transport? Does Walgreens or any other pharmacy for that matter—our corporate "purveyors of health"—have policies that involve doing what is best to truly promote good health for ALL Americans. The research literature is clear (please take some time to visit the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation web site, http://www.rwjf.org/pr/product.jsp?id=20112 this is just one of many good sites, thought arguably one of the best sites for lots of specific and general information on the subject), (additional source of good information, from the American Public Health Association web site, titled At the Intersection of Public Health and Transportation: Promoting Healthy Transportation Policy. http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/43F10382-FB68-4112-8C75-49DCB10F8ECF/0/TransportationBrief.pdft )that the built environment and land use patterns are having profound effects on the nations health; does anyone know this, does anyone care? Does anyone care how much this is costing us as a nation in terms of health care spending dollars? Welcome to views of the movie Wall.E World.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/walle/

I am saddened, as well as disappointed that not one person standing in favor of the plan said please, perhaps we should reconsider some aspects of the plan, and acknowledge that our friends on the other side of the aisle have some reasonable points regarding health and safety/injury prevention. This nation is facing an obesity epidemic, with resulting chronic health ramifications. Much of CT, Middletown included, has heads and feet buried in quick-sand, regarding some of the documented ill effects of the built environment and land usage policy as it currently exists, on our nation's, and on our very own local health. This is why I will continue to go to planning and zoning meetings week after to week to speak to this pressing concern, and continue to ask that the city, that the P&Z, that anyone who cares, and can help to effect change, step up to the plate and get serious about getting something done, and setting precedents for what can be expected of developers and ourselves—the future of our city and all who live here—to see that we build the city in a manner that is conducive to,(trees, plantings, benches, pedestrian friendly, family friendly sidewalks, safe accessibility for those traveling by wheelchair, or cane, and bicycle friendly roads, ect.) encourages, promotes and allows for, healthy active behaviors. The other side of the health coin that plays into this plea is reducing our accident, injury and mortality rates, not just in the best interests of motorists, but for all users.

It is not to late. Please reconsider, consider the evidence, and ask the city and developer to take a closer look at what they can do, to do a better job—in building this space, and building place and all future spaces that promote health for the environment, health for the people—for you, for me—and yes, even the health and good will of the corporation.

State legislative happenings; I am forwarding this update that came my way. Contact your representatives to voice your support of these measures.
COMPLETE STREETS
Transportation Committee also has a bill, currently being drafted by a group working with Rep. Tom Kehoe and the Committee Co-Chairs, which will call for comprehensive "Complete Streets" programs. This legislation will do various things to make our transportation system more accommodating towards pedestrians and cyclists, including requiring that the state DOT accommodate users other than drivers on our roads. It's quite long so I won't get into the details here. The number is SB 735 and the initial public hearing most likely will be in a couple of weeks.

In addition to SB 735, there are a number of other proposed bills out there related to traffic calming, traffic safety reporting, speeding issues on highways, crosswalk funding for school construction programs, better pedestrian accommodations around mass transit stops, and so on and so forth. As I understand, it is likely that many of these measures can be incorporated into the Transportation Committee's SB 735 "Complete Streets" bill -- but if you have extra time, don't hesitate to look them up now and thank the people who were involved in proposing each piece of legislation.