Project Description

Begun in 2005, the Route 6 Regional Economic Development Council (Route 6 EDC) received funding in 2008 to begin the Route 6 Planning Project. The Route 6 Planning Project was defined as a project to explore, define, and consider what was the economic development potential of Route 6 was. The Study Area was defined as from the intersection of Route 44 in Bolton, CT and continuing through Coventry and Andover. The project also included Route 6 in Columbia, CT but continued to the Windham Town Line along Route 66.

A Request for Qualifications was published in the fall of 2008. After an extensive screening and interview process, a consultant was brought onboard and the project began in earnest. The consultant team consists of LADA, P.C. Land Planners (Project Managers / Landscape Architects / Planners); Garnet Consulting Services (Economic Development); Frederick P. Clark Associates (Traffic); and Nathan L. Jacobson & Associates, Inc. (Engineering).

The project goals were defined in October 2009 as:

• Project Goals Re-vision the future of Route 6 through the use of public input and consensus building.
• Create a Master Plan of Route 6 that provides targeted areas of development for each Town in the Corridor.
• Preserve the historic, scenic, and environmental resources of the corridor in a manner that identifies those resources as potential revenue positive elements.
• Balance the investment potential and costs among the four towns.
• Identify “kick-off” projects that should be done first and which will provide the best foundation for future projects.

In keeping with Goal #1, the Route 6 EDC focused on trying to re-vision Route 6. As part of this process, a new name and logo were created for this project. The name, as shown on this website has been defined as:

The Route 6 Hop River Corridor

This new name identifies the two significant documents of the Study Area – the road (Route 6) and its context (Hop River Valley). To further define a new vision of the corridor for the future, a logo was chosen from nearly 40 alternatives considered. This logo is part of the top banner of this website.

The Route 6 Hop River Corridor is expected to extend to spring 2010 with a series of public workshops in December 2009.

Please check in to the website over the next several months to see where we are in the process.