Stratford Greenway Committee to file Complete Streets report, seek $1,000 for marketing; Phase 1 work to continue

At a committee meeting, the Town of Stratford Greenway Committee discussed its required annual report under the town's Complete Streets policy, voted to pursue a $1,000 seed marketing line in the municipal budget and received an update on Phase 1 construction and safety design options in the Paradise Green area.

The committee chair (Speaker 2) said the annual report should document what has been added to the Greenway, persistent problems and items needed for the next planned phase, and recommended sending the report to the town manager/CAO and the mayor. "We are supposed to annually send a report to town council that is basically a report on what has occurred, what has been added, what problems still exist on the Greenway," the chair said. Members agreed the report should reflect post-striping conditions so it accurately describes on-the-ground features once DOT finishes its work.

Why it matters: a recent Department of Transportation executive order referenced by the committee directs DOT to prioritize Complete Streets considerations on DOT projects, including repaving and restriping. The committee said that instruction strengthens its case for ensuring bike lanes, signage and crosswalk painting are included in DOT-managed work.

Phase 1 update and schedule
John Casey (first identified in the transcript as the staff contact mentioned by the committee) described the Phase 1 construction sequence: curb work and sidewalks first, then a DOT permit and pavement milling followed by new pavement, and finally striping. "They're gonna start work March 11," John said, noting the town had not been given a spring schedule for completion.

Members clarified which segments were complete and which still have gaps. The committee plans to report that the town’s Elm Street section is functioning, while noting missing sidewalk segments elsewhere and that some private-fronting areas were intentionally excluded in prior phases.

Budget request and accountability
The chair said she had requested the CAO consider a $1,000 line for Greenway marketing to fund a website, banners and small outreach items. "It's only a thousand dollars," she said. Committee members emphasized the town will expect accountability for any funds: invoices, a supervising department or a staff contact and regular reporting. One member suggested routing the request through Economic Development so the commission could manage the line-item, while others favored raising it first with the CAO (Chris Timiak) for a quick decision.

Next steps and responsibilities
Committee members agreed on immediate next steps: the chair will call the CAO’s office to discuss the seed request and ask whether the funds should be routed through Economic Development, the Complete Streets consultant account, or Public Works. Jennifer (committee member) agreed to contact Public Works to explore whether the town can create an operating line for marketing materials and handle invoice processing. The committee also sought a volunteer treasurer to manage receipts if the $1,000 is approved.

Paradise Green safety options
Staff summarized two design options for the Paradise Green business area: routing bicycles via a left-turn onto Huntington Road and a turnaround at Paradise Green Place (which consultants and MetroCOG staff said might require signals and could face DOT resistance), or removing a green buffer and reusing that space as an on-street bike lane adjacent to parking. MetroCOG will consult DOT and report back on which design is acceptable and safer.

What happens next
The chair will contact CAO Chris Timiak about the budget request and distribute a previously drafted letter (by a committee member not present) to the committee once it is located. The committee agreed to finalize the annual report after DOT completes the striping and signage so the submission reflects actual conditions. The meeting adjourned on a motion from Speaker 6 that was seconded by Speaker 1.

The committee did not take formal votes on policy changes or funding beyond the adjournment motion; all other steps were designated as next actions for staff or committee members to carry out.