LOWER CONNECTICUT RI V E R V A L L E Y COUNCIL OF GOVERNMEN TS 2019 - 2045 REGIONAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN LCRVCOG 145 DENNISON ROAD ESSEX, CONNECTICUT 06426 WWW.RIVERCOG.ORG A D O P T E D M A R C H 2 0 1 9 PHOTO CREDIT: Ilirjan Rrumbullaku, 2014 MPO MEMBERS as of 3/27/2019 Michael Maniscalco, Town Manager, East Hampton (Chair) Anthony J. Salvatore, Town Manager, Cromwell (Vice Chair) Lauren Gister, First Selectman, Chester (Secretary) Noel Bishop, First Selectman, Westbrook (Treasurer) Christine Goupil, First Selectman, Clinton Angus McDonald, First Selectman, Deep River Laura Francis, First Selectman, Durham Emmett Lyman, First Selectman, East Haddam Norm Needleman, First Selectman, Essex Lizz Milardo, First Selectman, Haddam Catherine Iino, First Selectman, Killingworth Steve Mattson, First Selectman, Lyme Ed Bailey, First Selectman, Middlefield Daniel T. Drew, Mayor, Middletown Bonnie Reemsnyder, First Selectman, Old Lyme Carl Fortuna, First Selectman, Old Saybrook Susan Bransfield, First Selectman, Portland Joe Comerford, Estuary Transit District Lisa Seymour, Middletown Transit District Darlene Briggs, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce RIVERCOG STAFF Samuel Gold, AICP, Executive Director J.H. Torrance Downes, Deputy Director Robert Haramut, Jr., Senior Transportation Planner Janice Ehlemeyer, Community Resource Planner Margot Burns, Environmental Planner Jon Curtis, Regional Planner Daniel Bourret, Geospatial Coordinator John McDonald, Planning Intern Paula Fernald, Financial Administrator Eliza LoPresti, Administrative & Financial Assistant Page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………………………………..… 7 The Lower Connecticut River Valley Region The Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments CHAPTER 2. DEMOGRAPHICS ………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 Demographic Characteristics Elderly & Mobility Impaired Population Socio-Economic Conditions Population Density Employment Trends CHAPTER 3. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION NETWORK ………………………………………………. 21 Introduction Transit System Highways Bridges Waterways Airports Bicycles, Pedestrians & Trails Agriculture CHAPTER 4. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ……………………………………………………………… 39 Context Development Patterns Environmental Network Transportation Network & Integration CHAPTER 5. SPECIALIZED PLANNING ……………………………………………………………………….. 63 Intelligent Transportation Systems TMA & UZA Coordination Congestion Management & Air Quality Transportation Demand Management Fast Act Compliance Incident Management Security Safety Performance Based Planning & Programming CHAPTER 6. MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES ………………………………………….. 81 CHAPTER 7. FINANCIAL PLAN & UNLIMITED CONSTRAINT ………………………………………. 89 Financial Plan Anticipated Highway & Transit Expenditures Vision Projects APPENDIX A. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ……………………………………………………………………….. 97 APPENDIX B. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ……………………………………………………………..…..103 APPENDIX C. MUNICIPAL BRIDGES ………………………………………………………………………..…109 APPENDIX D. TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ……………….…119 Page 3 LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN RESOLUTION REGARDING THE REVISION TO THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGION Page 4 RESOLUTION ON CONFORMITY WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT – OZONE LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS Page 5 LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN This page intentionally left blank. Page 6 The Old Saybrook Breakwater Lighthouse at dusk. Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION A. INTRODUCTION B. THE LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGION C. THE LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS Page 7 LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN A. INTRODUCTION tion plan. The TIP is a detailed, multimodal list of projects Functional System Servicesthat are Providedprogramed to receive federal funding over a four- year period and is essentially the short-range implementa- The MetropolitanArterial Transportation Provides Plan the(MTP) highest for the level Low- of servicetion at the plan greatest for the speed region. for the longest uninterrupted er Connecticut River Valley (LCRV) region definesdistance, the re- with some degree of access control. gion’s future transportation vision and outlines regional RiverCOG, as well as all MPOs, must prepare a MTP with transportationCollector funding priorities.Provides The a less MTP highly also establish-developed level of service at a lower speed for shorter distances by respect to the development of the metropolitan area’s es goals, policies, and steps to help achievecollecting that traffic vision. from local roads and connecting them with arterials. transportation network. This plan must identify how the The twenty-five-year scope of the plan gives the MTP a metropolitan area will manage and operate a multi-modal broad perspectiveLocal of the region’sConsists future of all transportation roads not defined as arterials or collectors; primarily provides access to transportation system including transit, highway, bicycle, needs. Although new infrastructure is an important com- land with littlepedestrian, or no through and accessiblemovement. transportation to meet the ponent of the MTP and the future regional transportation region’s economic, transportation, development and sus- system, most future funding will be focused on projects tainability goals. The MTP, or plan, includes long-range that maintain, operate, or make better use of existing and short-range strategies based on a minimum twenty transportation facilities. These, as well as other projects year planning horizon and is updated every four years in which may be selected for funding in the region’s Trans- air quality nonattainment and maintenance areas. It is portation Improvement Program (TIP), will be chosen based on the most current plans, data, and information based upon their relation to the metropolitan transporta- available at the time of endorse- MAP 1.1 LCRV Region Member Municipalities ment. RiverCOG consults with fed- eral, state, and local agencies when developing the MTP and provides the public with a reasonable oppor- tunity to comment on the plan. RiverCOG may revise the plan at any time using the procedures in 23 CFR Part 450§324. Both this plan and the prior 2015 plan can be viewed at RiverCOG’s website, http://www.rivercog.org/ An air quality conformity determination is made when the MTP is updated. B. THE LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGION The LCRV region consists of the municipalities of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Es- sex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook. These seventeen mu- nicipalities collectively occupy an area of approximately 443 square miles with a population of 175,685 according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Much of the land area is rural, with Source: RiverCOG Page 8 MAP 1.2 Connecticut Planning Regions Source: RiverCOG Middletown, Cromwell, and Portland comprising the ning groups within LCRVCOG include the Regional Plan- region’s urban core. ning Committee, Regional Agricultural Council, and Land Trust Exchange. The LCRVCOG also hosts the operations C. THE LOWER of the Connecticut River Gateway Commission and the Lower Connecticut River Valley Land Trust. CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOV- ERNMENTS It is the MPO that is responsible for development of the region’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan. The MPO The Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Govern- conducts transportation planning for the region and all ments is one of nine regional planning organizations in transportation facilities. Along with the board members Connecticut, as seen in Map 1.2. The chief elected mentioned above, the MPO engages legislators, repre- officials (CEOs) of the region’s seventeen municipalities sentatives from federal, state, regional and local entities, sit on the LCRVCOG board. The LCRVCOG board also and the public in an effort to make transportation deci- serves as the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organiza- sions based on the diverse interests found in the region. tion (MPO) policy board along with the two regional transit districts and chamber of commerce. The MPO The FAST Act, or the Fixing America’s Surface Transpor- approves the MTP, TIP, and amendments to the TIP. The tation Act, (PL 114-94) was signed into law in 2015. It board also discusses issues of common concern and re- funds surface transportation programs for $305 billion in ceives staff reports at monthly meetings. Additional plan- federal fiscal years 2016 through 2020 for highway and LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS Page 9 LOWER CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN motor vehicle safety, public transportation, motor carrier consistency between transportation improvements Functional System Services Provided safety, hazardous materials safety, rail, and research, and state and local planned growth and economic devel- technology, Arterialand statistics programs.Provides An the estimated highest level alloca- of serviceopment at the greatest patterns; speed for the longest uninterrupted tion for the State of Connecticut for fiscal years 2016 distance, with some(6) Enhance degree theof access integration control. and connectivity of the trans- through 2020 is $2,660,154, 553. portation system, across and between modes, for people Collector Provides a less highly developed leveland of freight;service at a lower speed