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Showing posts from October, 2022

Enfield eyeing $40 million road improvement plan for 2026 vote

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Charts show the draft list of streets being considered by Enfield for improvement. [See detailed street list below story.] The plan is not final. Town Council approval and voter authorization is needed. Enfield may ask voters to approve about $40 million to rebuild roughly 17 miles of town roads. The proposal continues the town’s long-running effort to modernize its street network as aging pavement and rising costs put pressure on the system. Since 2000, voters have approved about $163 million in road bonding. That work has covered more than 150 miles, or about 83% of Enfield’s roads. Major road programs have typically gone before voters every five years. The Town Council has not approved anything. At a recent council meeting, town officials outlined the status of road improvements and the next phase. The council will have to decide how much to spend on roads, and then ask voters to approve it in November 2026. The town's presentation can be viewed here . [The PDF begins with the t...

Enfield's economic decline and how to fix it

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  Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission, September meeting to discuss town's overall plan. Enfield is facing several significant problems. Our population is declining, our commercial shopping area is in trouble, and we don't have enough multifamily housing, the type that appeals to young people and empty nesters. I graduated from EHS in 1972 and have lived most of my adult life in other cities. But I've been back here for some years and worry about the town's future. Here's a fast breakdown of this history, the problems, and potential fixes. The once happening town From 1950 to 1970, Enfield's population increased from 15,500 to 46,000, its high point. The completion of I-91 and houses priced low enough for a factory worker's wage encouraged this growth. The town needed to build schools faster to keep up with demand. My class was on double sessions at EHS while the town raced to finish Fermi. As it built schools, Enfield was also planning for the future. Fo...