The commercial area around Exit 90 from I-95, known as the “Golden Triangle” (defined by Route 27, Coogan Boulevard and Jerry Browne Road and zoned to permit dense commercial development), is emblematic of 20th century automobile-oriented development.  Wide speed-inducing streets, large parking lots, and drive-thru restaurants is not at all representative of the qualities of the region that people flock to see and experience.  Furthermore, area attractions are not visibly connected to the village of Mystic or towns of Stonington/Groton.  This study addressed the question: “Can the commercial area around Exit 90 be remade as a walkable district with transit and water transport that will not only serve as a welcome center but also as a sustainable place centered on tourism and mobility?”

The Town of Stonington, in cooperation with the Town of Groton, Mystic Seaport Museum, and other federal, state, regional, and local stakeholders, conducted the Mystic Mobility Study for the Mystic area.  The Town of Stonington engaged URS Corporation to assist with the study process. The original funding for this study was provided through the successful efforts of the Mystic Seaport Museum to obtain a Congressional appropriation.

Utilizing a federal grant, URS Corporation and its study team were charged with preparing a multi-modal transportation study that considered options to aid vehicular and pedestrian movement, ease traffic congestion, investigate off-street parking options, capitalize on regional intermodal transportation opportunities, and enhance the experience of visitors to southeastern Connecticut’s nationally renowned Mystic tourist destination.

When looking at “intermodal opportunities”, the study team envisioned how to make Mystic a “walking destination”. Visitors arriving by car would ideally park and then consider other options for getting around the area by walking, bicycle, transit shuttle, or water taxi.

The key objective was to develop transportation choices that enabled tourists to enjoy a seamless and satisfying experience when visiting Mystic.  Over 4,000,000 tourists visit Mystic every year, mostly from Memorial Day through Labor Day, adding to roadway congestion and parking demands for the 58,000 residents of Groton and Stonington who rely on Mystic for shopping, services and employment.  Proximity of major attractions to one another creates seasonal demand for parking that at certain locations exceeds available facilities, particularly in downtown Mystic.  Another important objective was to retain Mystic’s 19th Century New England charm and aesthetics while enhancing visitor access.

Mystic Seaport Museum is one of the area’s major attractions, which in 2007 saw 300,000 visitors with summertime daily attendance peaking at 6,000.  These visitors add to traffic congestion along Route 27 due to vehicles entering and exiting the Mystic Seaport Museum’s parking lots. Virtually all these visitors must walk across Route 27 to access the Mystic Seaport Museum since its entrance is on the west side of the highway, whereas parking lots are on the east side.  Vehicle/pedestrian conflicts will be exacerbated in the future as Mystic Seaport Museum attendance grows.

Recommended transportation improvement options identified in an earlier broad brush transportation study completed for the Towns of Stonington and Groton in 2008 (Mystic Multi-modal Transportation Study) were the focus of this study, including:

• Creation of a Transportation Center.
• Reinstitution of a Mystic Trolley Bus Service.
• Expansion of Mystic Seaport Water Shuttle Service.
• Improve directional wayfinding signage throughout Mystic.
• Enhance pedestrian and non-vehicular transit linkages (bike lanes, sidewalk improvements, etc.).
• Make intersection improvements to enhance traffic flow and promote pedestrian safety.
• Improve sidewalk maintenance and accessibility.

Prior to implementation, it was important to thoroughly evaluate each of these recommendations and determine what could reasonably be accomplished given factors such as financial feasibility, cost effectiveness and operational constraints.