Project Status Update from Halls Road Improvement Committee

OLD LYME—On Monday, June 17,, the Halls Road Improvement Committee (HRIC) met with the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen and presented a document summarizing the status of the project. The HRIC Chair Edie Twining asked if we would be willing to publish the document as she felt it would be of interest to our readers. We are happy to oblige and the document is published in its entirety below.

Where are we today? 

HRIC is working to implement the Halls Road Master Plan to secure the future prosperity of our main commercial district by: encouraging investment in town-facing businesses; allowing mixed use; making it more attractive, inviting, and safe for pedestrians and cyclists; and integrating it more fully with the life of the town. That implementation requires multiple, parallel efforts. The efforts all work together, but can be divided according to the main regulatory agencies and stakeholders whose approval is required for each. 

Plan Element Agency/Stakeholders

Complete Streets (sidewalks/ trails along motorway) CT DOT
Bridge & Trails: (walk/bike routes to Halls Road) DEEP, OL Harbor Management., Corps of Engineers
Halls Rd. Overlay District: (allow new zoning options) OL Planning and Zoning Commissions.

“Complete Streets” is a DOT term for their commitment to considering something beyond motorized vehicle traffic flow when authorizing proposed changes along their rights-of-way. They view favorably proposals that integrate roadways with sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, cross walks, bike lanes, bus stops, and other access to alternative transportation—as ours does. For purposes of grant applications, HRIC has adopted Complete Streets to describe that part of the project that seeks public infrastructure improvements along the roadway of Halls Road. 

Any work along a state motorway absolutely requires a DOT “encroachment permit,” regardless of how the project is funded. In practice, such permits are usually sought in connection with applications for grants administered by DOT, and we applied for DOT’s Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP) grant in 2022 accordingly. 

HRIC sought DOT’s review of our LOTCIP proposal, asking if the project is appropriate and worthy of going forward. They would not do a full, formal review until DOT was ready to allocate funds, but we received confirmation on May 24, 2024 from Grayson Wright at DOT that “DOT agrees that this project makes sense and has no major concerns.” DOT indicated that new LOTCIP funds would not be available until 2027-2028. DOT recommended we secure additional funding for the project in the interim, and suggested we consider pursuing the project in phases. 

HRIC Grants team met with CT Rep. Devin Carney (R-23rd), CT Sen. Martha Marx, (D-20th), US Rep. Joe Courtney’s office, CT DOT; and our local Council of Governments (RiverCOG) to learn what Old Lyme needs to do to move the Complete Streets Project along, including potential funding opportunities. In addition, we have talked with Old Saybrook and Essex to learn how they obtained funding and approvals for their recent sidewalk projects. 

In May, the town applied through RiverCOG for the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant for construction funding for the entire Halls Road Public Improvements project, including both Complete Streets and Bridge & Trails. The request was for $7,177,500. If our request is approved (in whole or in part), we could expect to receive funds in 3-5 years. This program is offered every 5 to 7 years. 

Bridge & Trails Project design work was initially fully-funded with 2 grants to provide concept design, surveys, permitting, and construction documents for a prefabricated pedestrian bridge crossing the Lieutenant River at the old bridge abutments on the Lieutenant River, along with trails on both ends connecting to Halls Road. 

DEEP owns a triangle of property on the east bank of the Lieutenant River between the centerline of the old Cross Road (which crossed at the old abutments) and today’s Halls Road. DEEP is prepared to donate this property to the Town, but has requested that, in return, a fishing pier and 8 parking spaces be included in the project. Old Lyme’s Harbor Management Commission has also requested that a floating dock be added to the pier. These changes to the initial project scope require additional design work and more extensive surveys and permitting. HRIC is currently working out the expected costs and investigating options to fund them. 

In April, the town applied to Joe Courtney’s office for the 2024 Community Project Funding grant, asking $2 million to help support construction costs for the Bridge & Trails Project. If approved, those funds would be available in 2025.

HROD (Halls Road Overlay District)
After being considered by the Planning and the Zoning Commissions in 2022-2023, the application was denied. Since then, HRIC has worked to address the Commissions’ concerns. There were concerns about infrastructure suitability (water & septic) in the district as well as the need for DOT’s approval of the public improvements needed on the right of way. To answer these questions a soil review was conducted by CLA Engineers, Inc. which showed that the infrastructure is suitable for additional development. As noted above, CT DOT has provided both verbal and written support for the right of way details of the Halls Road Master Plan. HRIC will reapply with the revised HROD proposal in this fall.

What are the next steps for HRIC? 

HRIC is working to create and publish an RFP to do the remaining design work for the Halls Road Complete Streets Project (CDs, etc.). We first need to determine how this project will be framed, as a phased project or single full scope. Phasing increases design costs by about 10% (duplicating some work), but may give us greater flexibility and make more grant opportunities available. 

HRIC will continue to seek funding for the design portion of the Halls Road Complete Streets Project from town and/or through grant opportunities. Many of the potential funding sources investigated thus far require the town to provide matching funds. This could be up to 20 percent of the total ask, and typically can be sourced either through town funds or other grant funding. 

We expect to finalize costs for the additional design work for Bridge & Trails fishing pier/dock this summer. HRIC will work with Harbor Management to review all fishing pier/dock concepts and approvals. HRIC will seek funding from town and/or through grant opportunities to support the design and construction of the pier/dock.

HRIC will submit the revised HROD proposal to Planning and to Zoning in November/December 2024. 

Where do we want to be?  

By 2026 we would like to see work beginning to replace the sidewalks between Lyme Street and the Lieutenant River. We would also like to see construction initiated for the Bridge & Trails project. 

By 2025 we would like to see the HROD approved. With approval, we would recommend that an HRIC Marketing Committee be formed to seek investors and developers for the district. This is a key extension of the HRIC project to ensure good developers learn about our Master Plan with the aid of a developer’s packet describing the HROD and its Design Guidelines. The town will also need to create a Design Review Committee to assist investors in designing projects that fit Old Lyme’s character, and to advise Zoning on Special Permit applications under HROD. 

What do we need to do to get there?

Post RFP for Complete Streets design project.

Continue to seek grant programs for the public improvements along Halls Road.

Finish fishing pier addition to Bridge & Trails Project and post design for bids.

Secure approval of town Planning Commission and Zoning Commissions for revised HROD proposal. 

Create the HROD Marketing Committee & Developer’s Packet

Create the HROD Design Review Committee

Develop HRIC Budget request for town to support costs for Complete Streets design work, HROD legal fees, and Bridge & Trails. 

Explore hiring a Planning Consultant to assist in managing the implementation of the Halls Rowd Master Plan, going forward. 

A Note about Design and its Place in Major Projects: 

Design is an iterative process of generating ideas, testing, and mapping them out in increasing accuracy and detail. In commercial and highway projects there are broadly recognized stages of that process, but it can be confusing when all of them are called simply “design.” This is an effort to describe the stages, from vague ideas to finished construction, and to show the terms typically used to name them. 

The Design Process 

• Predesign – Review master plan concepts, permit requirements, conduct survey including utility layout and right of way parameters. Include complete streets program requirements.
  
• Concept Development – Based on Predesign information develop concept for approval by all regulatory agencies and client.
  
• Design Development – Based on Concept Design feedback develop design to base final documentation drawings. Ensure all permitting is understood and preview final drawing set.
  
• Construction Documents – provide final permitted drawing set including all options needed for Bid Set Submittals
  
• Bidding Process – Submit requests for bids, review with client and assist in selecting best company for project.

Project administration – Oversee all project Requests for Information, Additional Clarifications and process invoices from contractor.