By late 2019, there were several initiatives in the Greater Hartford Region, such as the I-84 Hartford Project, CTfastrak expansion, Amtrak/Hartford Line Rail Corridor enhancements, I-84 / I-91 interchange improvements, East Coast Greenway planning, and expanded bicycle and pedestrian networks – each at different levels of completion. Because independently advancing one of these projects could possibly interfere or conflict with others, CTDOT decided to holistically assess these initiatives and other multimodal mobility improvement opportunities with one overarching study.In early 2020, the Greater Hartford Mobility Study (GHMS) was born!

The GHMS is considering the travel needs of people using all modes including bicycle, bus, car, train, truck, and walking to develop a plan for improved mobility. This is groundbreaking because while CTDOT and others have looked at multiple needs in individual studies before, they have never pulled so many initiatives together with the aim of providing a unified path forward. This holistic outlook will be reflected in one vision and plan to serve all mobility needs across Greater Hartford.

What will come out of this study? The study may recommend that one or more improvements be advanced into environmental review, design, and construction. As these mobility challenges are considered together and in relation to one another; only projects that support the overall vision and plan will move forward. This study will also consider how to prioritize these improvements to best achieve the goals set out in the plan with the available resources.

The GHMS will be actively informed by the public and stakeholders. This is critical because so many in Hartford and beyond depend on all modes to get where they need to go. Please check the study website regularly to seek out opportunities to weigh in on the study.

The study will be done in two phases. Phase 1 involves collecting data, analyzing traffic, determining mobility needs, and identifying concepts to study in Phase 2. Phase 2 will involve developing and evaluating alternatives to meet these needs. The entire study is expected to be completed in two to three years.