Student project by Ben Covino ’17 and Caitie Dwyer-Huppert ’17
Lower Front Street is an important corridor in the City of Chicopee, connecting nearby areas planned for revitalization and existing and proposed regional bike and pedestrian paths. The City anticipates an increase in vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic through Lower Front Street as a result of future revitalization efforts and requested a plan to create an attractive, safe, and navigable streetscape for
pedestrian, bike, and vehicular traffic; physically and visually connect the street to the mills, canal, and downtown business district; connect Chicopee to regional bike path networks; and upgrade and increase the scale of the corridor’s green infrastructure to better manage stormwater.
Graduate students Ben Covino and Caitie Dwyer-Huppert moderated two public meetings in Chicopee, where community members shared input. The students also conducted outreach to businesses in nearby commercial areas, and had informal conversations with residents and passersby on the surrounding streets.
The proposed design was broken into two phases: the first design phase proposed reconfiguring Lower Front Street to accommodate two-way vehicular traffic and safer pedestrian access, providing opportunities to implement green infrastructure. The second design phase focused on making destinations along Lower Front Street to provide space for different activities, as well as expanding the pedestrian and bicyclist path system and stormwater green infrastructure.