Traffic, Pedestrian Safety Push Gets $2.35M From West Hartford Council

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Local leaders this week appropriated $2.35 million in federal grant dollars to finance two projects aimed at improving traffic and pedestrian safety in town.

The West Hartfort Town Council Tuesday, April 25, unanimously voted 8-0 to approve the appropriation, which comes out of the town's $25 million American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allotment (ARPA).

ARPA is a pandemic-era federal progam that helped municipalities financially navigate the pitfalls during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

This piece of the ARPA pie will go into the 2023-24 capital projects fund.

West Hartford Town Manager Rick Ledwith said the town still has $12.5 million in ARPA cash that must be appropriated by the end of fiscal year 2024 and spent by the end of fiscaly year 2026.

West Hartford Deputy Mayor Liam Sweeney emphasized ARPA funds are not being spent on town budget items that require follow-up funding, such as new positions.

Rather, he said, ARPA funds need to be spent on one-time items that qualify for ARPA use.

"All of these funds are being used on one-time funding and another add-in in this budget is we made sure that ARPA funding was not something we dug a hole in this budget on by funding positions," Sweeney said regarding the 2023-24 town/school budget approved by the council earlier Tuesday.

Most of the appropriated cash will fund the West Hartford Center Infrastructure Master Plan project, which involves a large reconstruction of LaSalle Street.

According to the resolution approved, LaSalle Street is targeted for expansion of sidewalks; replacement of street trees; installation of sidewalk furniture; drainage improvements; and other traffic-calming measures.

This part of the appropration will be funded by $2.2 million of ARPA funding.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the appropriation, $150,000, would go toward the town's "Vision Zero Task Force," which is preparing a comprehensive traffic study and plan en route to trying to eliminate as many fatalities and injuries on West Hartford streets.

Last December, five people died on West Hartford roads, either in traffic accidents or being struck by vehicles while walking.

This prompted the town to form a task force to commit to a program aiming to improve pedestrian and traffic safety.

Ledwith said the task force funds would pay for a consultant to work with the committee on the Vision Zero initative.

"So we have hired a consultant to assist the commitee develop an action plan over the next year and these funds will be used to the cost of that consultant," Ledwith said.

For the full resolution approved, click on this link, scroll to Page 13.

From Jan. 11: 'Chilling Testimony As West Hartford Council Confronts Safety Worries'

From April 26: 'Budget, Tax Hike Approved By West Hartford Council'