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`-- Converting Highways into Streets and Avenues <br /> Case Studies from Connecticut and Georgia <br /> NORMAN W. GARRICK <br /> JIANHONG WANG <br /> PETER MINIUTTI <br /> MATTHEW BISHOP <br /> University of Connecticut <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> Increasingly, localities around the country are beginning to realize the importance of converting urban <br /> highways into streets, avenues, and boulevards. The initial focus has been on restoring downtown main <br /> streets. States leading this trend include New Jersey, Maryland, and California. Our case studies, from <br /> Connecticut and Georgia, exemplify a second wave in this movement: the conversion of neighborhood <br /> highways into urban avenues. Details of our case studies from West Hartford, Connecticut, and <br /> Savannah, Georgia, are discussed. <br /> WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT <br /> West Hartford is a prosperous, inner-ring suburban town adjacent to Hartford, Connecticut. Over <br /> the last decade it has had great success recreating itself in the new urbanist model as a walkable, <br /> pedestrian-friendly town of neighborhoods. The work on Asylum Avenue is part of this effort to <br /> make the whole town more livable. Asylum Avenue was once a four-lane arterial with two lanes <br /> in each direction. With the median construction,Asylum Avenue was narrowed to two lanes plus <br /> on-street parking (see Figure 1). <br /> M <br /> ry <br /> #� & <br /> Ro.W. Side Rn Parkin Travr( Rohrd Tave( RUµ. <br /> 8 ane am <br /> 1,1.n .ane <br /> 70' <br /> 7' (i_r r 14' <br /> FIGURE 1 Cross section of raised median on Asylum Avenue <br /> (West Hartford, Connecticut). <br /> 33 <br />