The Hartford Business Improvement District received national recognition for its free roadside assistance for cyclists.

Make the Valley and its Capital City a national leader in bicycle usage, recalling its exceptional history as a center of bike production. Promote a regional bike plan and network of protected bike lanes and intersections. Increase usage by empowering advocacy groups and vendors of bike services. Capitalize on recognition of Hartford as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community and the national press it received for developing an on-call bike repair team in the downtown area.

CRCOG is beginning a planning study to assess the optimal route and investments to close this gap.

Many sections through the region are already completed, but a key gap remains in Bloomfield, Hartford and East Hartford. Completing the Greenway highlights the Connecticut River Valley and Capital City as a prime destination along the trail, and adds key infrastructure for regional bicycle commuting.

CRCOG has developed both a Complete Streets Policy and a Network Map.

Create a regional Complete Streets Network Map to focus investment, and develop Complete Streets Policies to guide regional funding decisions, along with Implementation Guidance for municipalities. Ensure that all streets are designed to be safe and accessible for pedestrians, especially in downtowns and town centers, and along retail, recreational, and cultural corridors.

The City of Hartford has a rentable Link scooter program, including a reduced fare program.

This is critical as a last-mile option. The pilot of Lime bikes in Hartford in 2017 spurred conversation throughout the region of the value of providing a variety of mobility options. A robust mobility ecosystem provides a more equitable, greener, and more connected region. The top-tier success of the Link scooter program in Hartford ought to be grown to serve a greater portion of the region.

The Hartline is a proposal well-positioned to make a dramatic case for each of these benefits.

Walking provides a host of benefits: free and non-polluting mobility, reduced emissions, accessible and attractive neighborhoods, support for mixed-use areas and with housing density, and the creation of vibrant and active public spaces. Favorable walkability scores are now definitively linked to higher real estate values, and is now a key factor in attracting workers and companies to relocate. All of these benefits from walkability can make our towns and neighborhoods better places. Our Valley and city have ample historic settings capable of improving their walkability.

When Hartford was recognized as a silver-level Walk Friendly Community, the absence of a Safe Routes to Schools program was identified as an area of need. This is an equity issue: children in urban communities are more susceptible to auto injury on their way to school, but as the region densifies the area of risk will expand. This program ensures the ability of children to reach school without the fear of high-speed traffic and, for drivers, makes school zones an areas of extreme care and attention.