Meriden City Center Initiative - Transportation - Existing Conditions & Master Plan Improvements

The existing transportation network in the City of Meriden is a mature one, providing a combination of expressway, local street, rail and public transit services. The most prominent transportation features are the controlled access highways, I-691, I-91 and Route 15; and the Amtrak rail line. These provide both barriers and opportunities.

Roadways - Existing Conditions
Located near the geographic center of the state, the City of Meriden has good overall exposure to the regional highway network. Interstate Route 691 bisects the city in an east-west orientation, providing access to surface streets at four interchange areas, as well as a connection to Interstate Route 84 about three miles to the west of the city; Interstate Route 91 and Route 15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway) at East Main Street on the east side of the city; and Route 66 towards Middletown.

Although I-691 provides local access at four locations, each interchange differs in the service provided and the ramp configurations. The most westerly is Interchange #5 at Chamberlain Highway (Route 71). It provides access only to and from the west, and is somewhat removed from the downtown. It does provide service to the mall, the medical center, and other users in that area, accommodating about 7,000 daily trips.

Interchange #6 at Lewis Avenue, provides connections to and from the east, complementing the Chamberlain Highway interchange which provides access only to and from the west. This interchange also provides a second off ramp from the west. That off ramp, the "Downtown Meriden" exit from the west, indirectly serves downtown routes via Columbia Street. Although it is useful for North Colony Street traffic, it is poorly connected to the area on the east side of the railroad line via a zigzag to a deficient Camp Street. The Lewis Avenue interchange accommodates about 17,000 daily trips.

The next interchange, #7, combines access to North Colony Street, State Street and Center Street. A westbound on ramp is provided at North Colony Street, a westbound off ramp at State Street, and an eastbound on ramp at Center Street. Camp Street provides the only continuous east-west connection among North Colony Street, State Street and Center Street, although the existing structure over the railroad provides a very poor vertical alignment. This interchange, potentially the most convenient to downtown Meriden, accommodates about 8,500 daily trips.

The Broad Street (Route 5) interchange, #8, is the only one of the four providing full service in both directions at a single location. This is the busiest interchange on I-691 in Meriden, serving about 20,000 daily trips.

Interstate Route 91 and Route 15 interweave on the east side of the city and connect to the local street system at East Main Street. While somewhat removed from the downtown, the interchange area features major employment centers along Research Parkway and retail, commercial and traveler services along East Main Street. This interchange handles over 25,000 daily trips.

Connections to the central business district are primarily by routes oriented north-south. These include Chamberlain Highway, Lewis Avenue, North Colony Street, State Street, Pratt Street, Cook Avenue, Hanover Street, and Broad Street. Only East Main St./West Main Street provides a continuous east-west surface route through the city, with the section between Pratt Street and Cook Avenue being one way westbound. The reverse (eastbound) movement is made along Hanover Street. While Brooks and Cross Streets provide a means to cross the railroad in the downtown, they are limited to local circulation. The next major crossing to the north, Camp Street, is nearly a half mile north of Main Street, and seriously deficient.

Circulation in and around the central business district is somewhat indirect, inefficient and confusing. This is caused by the combination of the rail line, one-way streets, and the close proximity of signalized intersections at Pratt Street, State Street, Colony Street and Hanover Street.

In general, with the exception of the West Main Street intersection with Lewis and Lindsey Avenues, and normal disruptions caused by parking maneuvers, it appears that traffic capacity is not a problem in and around the central business district given the current level of activity in that district.

Public Transportation - Existing Conditions
Amtrak - The Railroad Station is located on the west side of State Street, north of East Main Street, and serves as the "Transit Center." Amtrak currently runs ten daily (five northbound, five southbound) trains that stop in Meriden on this route between Springfield, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. The future of Amtrak service is somewhat cloudy given Federal mandates for the railroad to attain self-sufficiency. The station is only open weekdays with limited hours.

Commuter Rail - The Connecticut Department of Transportation will shortly begin a feasibility study for commuter rail service between New Haven and Hartford/Springfield. The presumed route will be through Meriden.

Bus Service - The Meriden Transit District, with Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) funding, provides the following services:

Route A. Yale Acres - Westfield Shoppingtown. This route runs two loops on hourly headways from about 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. With the train station in the hub, the Westfield Shoppingtown loop to the west uses Colony, Camp, Center, Kensington, Lewis, Linsley and Hanover Streets. The second loop, to the east, uses State, Pratt, Camp, Broad, Atkins, Wall, Broadvale and Yale Acres Road.

Route B. Kohl's - South Meriden. This route also runs two loops on hourly headways from about 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM. With the train stations as the hub, the Kohl's loop to the south uses East Main, Broad and Curtis Streets. The South Meriden loop uses West Main, Cook, Old Colony, Hanover Road, Orange and Hanover Streets.

Route C. West Main Street - East Main Street. This route also runs two loops on approximately hourly headways from about 6:15 AM to 6:00 PM. With the train station as the hum, the West Main Street loop runs past Centennial Plaza to Castle Drive. The East Main Street loop runs down Paddock and Murdock Avenues and Research Parkway.

Hartford Commuter - Two morning and two afternoon buses run through seven Meriden stops to five stops in downtown Hartford. Starting at Centennial Plaza, the bus runs through the downtown to the commuter parking lot on Bee Street.

Interstate Bus - Four daily trips (two northbound, two southbound) between New York City, Hartford and points north via Greyhound/Peter Pan currently stop in Meriden. Buses stop near the corner of Broad Street and East Main Street.

Roadways - Master Plan Improvements
Two general areas of concern were evaluated on a preliminary basis to develop concepts for improved access and circulation.

I-691 Connections - A determination of the feasibility of major interchange modifications to an Interstate highway would require a level of detail beyond the scope of this study. However, the preliminary analysis performed as part of the study has identified some desirable improvements.

Improvements can be made to the local street network to enhance accessibility to the City Center. The Master Plan shows a new connection between the end of Columbia Street, the "Downtown Meriden" exit from the west, at Colony Street, and camp Street. This new connection will eliminate the zigzag movement between Columbia and Camp Streets, as well as the deficient vertical alignment of the Camp Street bridge over the railroad line. State Street will be relocated to the east from the vicinity of I-691 to allow Camp Street a smoother vertical profile over the railroad, and will meet Pratt Street opposite Catlin Street.

East Main Street - This general area between North Colony Street and Pratt Street is burdened by one-way operations, closely spaced signalized and unsignalized intersections, and two at-grade railroad crossings. Conversion to a two-way operation does not appear to be a viable option because of the roadway width, volume of traffic, parking and loading maneuvers along West Main Street from North Colony Street to Cook Street. However, preliminary analyses indicate that a more simple and efficient street network can-be developed to the east. As shown in the Master Plan, the primary features of this concept are as follows:

a.	Relocation of State Street to eliminate its intersection with East Main Street; meeting Pratt Street to the north opposite Catlin Street.
b.	Elimination of Perkins Street between Hanover Street and Crown Street. Driveways will service existing land uses, e.g. Record Journal building.
c.	Relocation of Pratt Street to the east.
d.	Relocation of South Colony Street to a point opposite relocated Pratt Street.
e.	Relocation of Crown Street to intersect relocated South Colony Street.
f.	Conversion of West Main Street to two-way operation between relocated Pratt Street and North Colony Street. On-street parking will have to be eliminated for several hundred feet east of the new Pratt Street intersection to allow for adequate capacity.
g.	Conversion of Hanover Street to two-way operation from the West Main Street/North Colony Street intersection to Cook Street. Further analysis is needed to confirm the feasibility at the Cook Street intersection. On street parking will have to be eliminated.

These changes will facilitate the effective flow of vehicular traffic to and through this area and thereby promote interaction with the remainder of the City of Meriden and the larger region as well. The proposed configuration is also consistent with the Master Plan program objectives of creating parcels of land that will meet the needs of contemporary users and providing pedestrian friendly environments.

Public Transportation - Master Plan Improvements
As noted above, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is undertaking feasibility study of commuter rail transportation. Commuter rail service along the New Haven-Hartford corridor can only be of benefit to Meriden. The City of Meriden and the local business community must take active roles as supporters of such service.

Although such service would result in more frequent pre-emption at the East Main Street grade crossing in the downtown, it would provide an incentive for businesses to locate downtown, as well as opportunities for Meriden residents to find accessible employment along the New Haven-Hartford corridor and beyond. This will facilitate Meriden's ability to take full advantage of its strategic location in the center of Connecticut geographically so that it can become more central economically.

For this reason, the Master Plan proposes a true Transportation Center in conjunction with the Master Plan. The historic Post Office building on Colony Street might be converted to a vibrant Transportation Center with retail and service facilities to service both inbound commuters and outbound Meriden residents. Other desirable features of such a facility are possible, including a grade-separated connection across the railroad line to structured parking and track access, a hub for Meriden transit bus service, relocation of the intercity bus pickup from Broad Street, and a transportation information kiosk.