Kleinfelder designed 10 stations with community amenities for CTfastrak. This Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line between New Britain and Hartford features a dedicated 9.4 mile guideway constructed along active and abandoned railroad rights-of-ways. The project provides an important public transportation alternative while at the same time helping to activate and revitalize communities along the route.
While this high-profile project had many supporters, Kleinfelder had to ensure approval from multiple stakeholders. Effectively communicating the project’s purpose and its connections to local communities in both design and function was essential for success. The schedule for completing station programming, developing conceptual station designs, conducting community outreach, and preparing construction documents was extremely aggressive in order to secure New Starts funding. Project development involved detailed coordination between multiple designers of the adjacent guideway sections, Amtrak, four municipalities, regulatory agencies, and ConnDOT.
Kleinfelder’s multi-disciplinary team worked closely with ConnDOT and all stakeholders to develop stations with a common aesthetic for 10 sites across differing and unique settings. Kleinfelder conducted a series of interactive workshops to gather stakeholder input, vet design options using 3-D visualization, and keep the communities informed as the designs progressed. This first-of-its-kind project reduces passenger car trips and traffic jams, enhance mobility, creates multiple opportunities for transit oriented development, and promotes a healthy environment.
Kleinfelder’s solution resulted in a modern transit facility to help ease commuter delays and promote economic growth. The station designs utilize durable materials and have gained wide community approval. In addition, the awarded construction bids were under budget, and construction was completed for an on-time operational start.
Location:
New Britain to Hartford, Connecticut
Owner:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
