Urban Dispatch

Urban Dispatch

@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Safe streets & Transit. People need somewhere to sleep and the sidewalk isn’t it. Believer that better more livable cities are possible. Let's stop letting perfection get in the way of progress. Anon here but happy to chat/meet up IRL Hartford, CT

2.3K followers839 following4.9K posts

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Interesting development cost comp, one of the higher ones I've seen in Hartford but don't get much new build so not a lot to go off of 20 home rental building at $400k per unit - no retail, excluding land cost hartfordbusiness.com/article/deve...

hartfordbusiness.comDeveloper proposes $8M, 20-unit Hartford apartment projectVASE Management proposes an $8 million Hartford apartment project with 20 affordable rentals on city-owned land, pending city approvals and a lease.
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

The state of election related civics here is pretty abysmal. Other than a solitary mailer from Ned to my partner (and my voracious news reading appetite) it is almost like there isn't an election in Hartford -No voter guides or voting reminders -No rallies, no events -The local Dem party is anemic

Ned Lamont for Connecticut@nedlamont.com

🗳️ Early voting begins Monday, October 19! Take advantage of the opportunity to cast your ballot early and make your voice heard! 📅 October 19 – November 1: 10 AM – 6 PM daily ⏰ Extended Hours: October 27 & 29, 8 AM – 8 PM

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

No wonder turnout is so abysmal. Like I know the outcome in Hartford is pretty much pre-determined but this is beyond anything I've ever experienced anywhere else I've ever been As a non-highway driver and someone without linear TV, if it weren't for Bsky, I would have no idea voting started 2morro

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Update to this, I received an AI made basic letter from the city this week telling me there was an election but: 1. It lacked any polling information, had to scan a QR code 2. It lacks any candidate information, had to scan a QR code 3. It was postmarked on October 20th! Voting started the 19th! 🙃

Urban Dispatch reposted

David Roberts
@volts.wtf

Not just the fastest, or the cheapest, or the best, but the *only* possible solution to climate change is a rapid global buildout of clean energy infrastructure. If you're standing in the way of that, you're not working on climate change & should be honest with yourself about your priorities.

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Good things are happening y'all Uber dangerous Main Street in East Hartford is getting overhauled, these plans look like a massive improvement Love a roundabout, the removal of a deadly slip lane, and the multi-use path through the commercial downtown 😍 www.courant.com/2026/10/22/3...

courant.com$38 million Complete Street, roundabouts, ‘road diet’ in planning for CT town. ‘Change is necessary.’The town is looking to modernize its downtown with traffic roundabouts, a road diet and new pedestrian amenities.
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

New Haven!!!! The last gap on the ECG route has been completed in the city of New Haven. You can now ride a full 27 mile stretch from the Sound to Southington without a single greenway gap with work well advanced on eliminating the rest of the FCT gaps as well Good things are happening

ctinsider.comA key gap in Connecticut’s 3,000-mile greenway is finally completeNew Haven’s new State Street Cycle Track closes a key gap in Connecticut’s East Coast Greenway and connects cyclists to a 27-mile route.
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

For anyone curious, the 13 minute video can be summarized as follows: 1. Damnnnnnn - Greenwich got money 2. *waves handsssssssssssss* - Maybe moderation? No more extremes! Save yourself the trouble

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

So many communities are clamoring for greenways, I'll give Ned some credit for leaning in and allowing this funding to grow without becoming a blocker We should double the annual amount available

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Had the pleasure of being served a no lid coffee cup this morning at Upstate Cafe on Farmington Ave for the first time, all in one piece, just folds in on itself and it was down right great Looks like they've solved for the plastic coffee cup lid finally

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

LMAO. Eat shit Ryan (We could have had a better governor in a year the CT Dems are playing on "easy mode", generational miss imo)

Ken Dixon@kendixonct.bsky.social

Lamont widens lead over Fazio to 20 points in new Connecticut governor poll www.ctpost.com/politics/art...

ctpost.comLamont widens lead over Fazio to 20 points in new Connecticut governor pollThe latest Quinnipiac poll shows Gov. Ned Lamont picked up some of the undecided vote in the race with Republican Ryan Fazio.
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

@blumenthal.senate.gov. Dick, I love ya, my guy. You keep a packed schedule and constantly vote well. But, quick real talk. Enjoy your life, have a great retirement. 88 is too old to be a sitting senator. Who is going to "Bronin" him? Please, no more 82 year olds getting elected

ctinsider.comSen. Richard Blumenthal, CT's tireless political wonder, likely to seek a 4th Senate term: Dan Haar"Voters want the most energetic, passionate and effective person ... regardless of age. I am that person," Blumenthal said.
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

I'm personally quite opposed to the idea of term limits, there is a lot of benefit to experience gained over a career and repetition But for the love of all things good, there should be age limits. If you'll be over, idk, 75 by the end of your term, we should bar people from running for that office

Urban Dispatch reposted

Micah
@rincewind.run

I think this is a really important thing what finally got me to complete delete my twitter account and remove it from my phone was when enough of the people I enjoyed following had left the platform as long as people still get enough value out of who they can find there, they’ll stay

Ian Coldwater 🧊🚫@lookitup.baby

I left X *because* I had a large following. People told me I was the reason they were staying on there, and I didn’t want to be responsible for 100k+ people sticking around for abuse, CSAM, and Nazis. Simple as that

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Wait! Not opening just this year, the new station is opening THIS WEEK! Great project: 1. Moves station back to community walkable downtown from highway offramp adjacent park and ride 2. Does a bunch of urbanization/walkability work 3. Builds in easy transfer to BDL airport We do love it

hartfordbusiness.comWindsor Locks train station featuring bus service to Bradley Airport ready to debutNew $121.2M Windsor Locks train station opens Oct. 18, expanding rail service and bus connections to Bradley Airport.
Urban Dispatch@urbandispatch.bsky.social

Hell yea! New train station opening this year in Windsor Locks, hot on its heels is a new TOD project bringing housing and walkable shops replacing a mid-century strip mall We love pedestrian promenades 😍 www.courant.com/2026/10/13/m...

Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

We as a society cannot do anything because of cars: In today's edition, a cell phone tower is being NIMBY'd (allegedly) because vehicles travel 61.9 MPH in a 35 MPH zone therefore building a cell tower would create a dangerous driveway intersection

Hartford Courant@hartfordcourant.bsky.social

While the Connecticut Siting Council has approved the application, the fight isn’t over.

courant.comOpinion: Why this CT cell tower would put our community in the crosshairs
Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

I merely pine for the day that Hartford operates its street sweepers outside of regional parade preparation duties That would be nice, really nice

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Urban Dispatch
@urbandispatch.bsky.social

This story is WILD and is straight out of a @volts.wtf rant. Here, in black and white, clear as day! The Eversource Utility CEO texted the CT Gov an offer to hire his former staffer (who resigned after misusing state vehicles) to rubber stamp the approval of $800M in cost recovery (didn't happen)

Jacqueline Rabe Thomas@jrabethomas.bsky.social

Texts show Eversource's CEO urged Gov. Lamont to let the utility hire his just-ousted top aide to negotiate an $807M storm-cost settlement — an arrangement ethics rules restrict & would have sidestepped the consumer counsel who protects ratepayers. www.ctinsider.com/projects/202...

ctinsider.comEversource CEO urged Lamont to accelerate storm cost settlement, texts showIn texts obtained by CT Insider, Eversource CEO Joseph Nolan Jr. suggested hiring a former Lamont aide to ease negotiations with the governor's office.

Urban Dispatch reposted

David Roberts
@volts.wtf

Christ. "Conservatism" now means overruling local government, imposing regulations, and restricting property rights. What a f'ing joke.

Yonah Freemark@yonahfreemark.com

Conservative government of Alberta is preempting Edmonton, requiring the city to: —Reverse the city's 2024 change allowing small-scale apartment buildings to be built citywide. Change resulted in a building boom: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... —Restore parking requirements, which city eliminated in 2020

Urban Dispatch reposted

Sam
@samd.bsky.social

Replying to @samd.bsky.social

average socialist mayor: parking mandates are an unfair burden on homebuilders that prevents private market housing construction average urban conservative: I want as much red tape blocking housing as possible because tall buildings hurt my feelings

Urban Dispatch reposted

Steve Fainer
@stevefainer.bsky.social

The new Amtrak train station in Windsor Locks, CT is finally opening on Sunday, October 18! Also adding daily shuttle bus service from/to the airport!