A SCOTTISH company aiming to tackle the major problem of charging electric vehicles for people without off-street parking options has raised 4.1 million to support development and growth of its flat and flush points.

Aberdeen-based Trojan Energy estimates 10 million people in the UK and 100 million in Europe park their vehicles on the street. It declared that switching to electric vehicles could potentially reduce European carbon dioxide emissions by more than 120 million tonnes annually.

READ MORE:Ian McConnell: Conservatives will be judged on unemployment misery from coronavirus crisis so they had better listen

The firm flagged its belief that, to date, councils have been reluctant to install on-street charging points because of their cumbersome size and space requirements on pavements. Trojan Energy notes its charging points are flat and flush to the pavement, removing the need to sacrifice pedestrian space.

It said: Users simply carry a charging lance in their vehicles and plug the lance into the connector point to start charging.

Trojan Energy has received 1 million of investment from business angel syndicate Equity Gap, Social Investment Scotlands SIS Ventures, Aberdeen-based Alba Equity and Scottish Enterprises Scottish Investment Bank arm. The equity funding unlocks a further 3.1m from state-backed agency Innovate UK.

READ MORE:Ian McConnell: Will anything make Johnson and Co. stop Brexit folly in its tracks?

The funding will enable Trojan Energy to advance testing and certification of its product, with the aim of installing the first 200 units for Brent and Camden councils in London by early next year. Trojan Energy plans to follow the roll-out of its on-street product with a similar driveway offering for homeowners, which it says will eliminate the need for posts or wall-boxes.

The company, while noting the UK remained its immediate focus, highlighted longer-term plans to export to other European countries, India and China, and its aim of capturing a large part of the emerging global on-street charging market.

Ian Mackenzie, chief executive of Trojan Energy and one of four founders who between them retain a majority stake in the firm, said: This is such an important milestone. Ever since we started this business, we have wanted to ensure that the benefits of the low-carbon transition can be realised by everyone and not just those with a driveway.

He added that the firm had "engaged in positive discussions with several councils throughout Scotland, all of whom are keen to see the results of the London roll-out".

Equity Gap director Fraser Lusty said: Trojan Energy and its strong Scottish team...have brought their expertise from the oil and gas sector to partner with industry, energy suppliers and councils to help accelerate the adoption of EV-usage in dense urban areas where the technology is needed most.

See the original post:
'Milestone' in drive to bring electric vehicle charging to people without driveways as 'flat and flush' innovation wins funding - HeraldScotland

At the exact moment I wheeled the 2020 Telluride into my in-laws Eastern Washington driveway, the trip odometer read 2858.4 miles. The four-day drive spanned the continent, from Brooklyn, New York to Washington states far-flung farm country, with more than 45 hours of wheels-on-pavement drive time. The trip was a real white-knuckler, tinged with the urgency and paranoia only a pandemic could bring.

You can read all about that trip and its myriad foibles in the June, 2020 issue of Road & Track (which should have arrived in your mailbox by now). More specifically, I want to talk about the machine that conveyed me, my wife, and our cat and across the country safely: the 2020 Kia Telluride.

The Telluride is a three-row, unibody SUV that will cause Lexus shoppers fits. Its interior quality matches the midsize luxury SUVs from Japan (and most of the Germans), and betters them all when price is factored. Our top-of-the-line tester begs $46,860 from your wallet. Every penny felt defensible from the Tellurides cockpit. The drivers seat is supple, trimmed in soft leather, infinitely adjustable. A crisp ten-inch touchscreen anchors a simple, logical infotainment suite. Physical buttons flourish along the compact console. Materials lining the cabin feel upscale. Theres wireless phone charging, heated and ventilated front seats, acoustic glass to cut road noise, and probably a dozen USB ports. If the Stinger was a shot over the bow of Japanese luxury, the Telluride is something far greater: a direct hit.

On the first morning of our trip, I wheeled the Telluride out of Brooklyn and picked up Interstate 80 at the Pennsylvania border. The Telluride settled into an easy gallop, having conquered New York's cracked pavement in sublime comfort. The SUVs 3.8-liter, naturally aspirated V-6 hummed along the interstate, nearly silent, aided by a seamless 8-speed automatic. While the engine produces just 291 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 262 lb-ft at 5200 rpm (not huge grunt for a 4300-lb ute by 2020 standards), its a reminder of the playful joys of natural aspiration.

The Telluride shined on Americas interstates, with easy road manners and that smooth, quiet, efficient V-6 mill. By the end of our trip, I calculated 23.8 mpg. For a crossover with a curb weight cresting two tons, equipped with a luxurious and isolated cabin, thats impressive.

Other high points: The captains chairs in our top-of-the-line Telluride SX were brilliant. I cant think of another time Ive written about a second or third row in a review, unless the seats filling those rows were rigid as The Iron Throne. Im a tall-ish human, but the Kias second row is a happy place to be. Headroom, legroom, knee roomthe Tellurides first two rows have clearance and comfort in spades.

And we did more than drive the thing cross-country; my wife and cat and I slept in the Tellurides cargo area on the trip (avoiding contact, social distancing, long story). The third row seats fold flat. The second row chairs do, too, but youll need some luggage to fill out the gaps between the seats and create a seamless surface. Arranged thusly, theres room for a queen-sized memory-foam mattress pad, some food, and luggage. That allows comfort and isolation from the elements. If your version of camping leans toward #vanlife, this is a great option. (Consider a roof rack though, so the front seats dont double as food storage).

But my favorite of the Tellurides myriad features was Glenda. Let me explain. Some cocktail of relief and fatigue gripped our minds on the interstate just outside NYC. I set the Kias cruise control to cut the edge off the journey and noticed the steering wheel constantly nudging our Telluride back to the lanes center.

This cruise control wizardry is described by Kia in alphabet soup acronyms, but their net effect is miraculous: autonomous driving you actually want to use. My wife and I named Kias invisible hand Glenda. Its catchier than Highway Collision Assistant or Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance, and the name rolled off our tongues like a song when spoken with phony Oklahoma drawls. (I blame the accent on repeated viewings of The Tiger King.)

Glenda is damned good at her job. But not perfect. Especially approaching off-ramps, which shell dive toward if left unattended. This caused clenching incidents of a severity. We rebuked Glendas indiscretions loudly, full drawl: Gall dar-nit Glenda! Stay off the edge of the lane! When she straddled the center line for a quarter mile: Was that whiskey in your coffee this morning, Glenda? Or when she dove toward yet another off-ramp: WELL SHOOT GLENDA ARE YOU TRYINTA GET US KILLED?!

But ultimately, Glenda Take the Wheel became the journeys giddy refrain. For all the joking, Glenda freed up valuable mental bandwidth. My eyes searched the horizon for deer more often and scanned through corners for stalled cars, freed from the need to constantly consult the asphalt under my nose. We felt relaxed under Glendas watchful eye. Id say 90 percent or more of our 3000-mile trip was driven by Glenda. Of the autonomous driving suites Ive triedand I've tried them allI trust this one the most. Bless your silicon heart, Glenda.

In Car and Drivers review of the Telluride, they cite just one complaint: the Kias so good, theres almost nothing to complain about. Thats mostly true. For most Americans use casescommuting, family hauling, grocery-gettingthe Telluride will fit the bill perfectly and do it better than any other midsize SUV. But if youre looking beyond nine-to-five duties, I have just a couple caveats to the praise.

The first is power. On Idahos Fourth of July pass, the final physical hurdle to our Washington safe haven, the Tellurides drivetrain strained against incline and altitude. The transmission seemed unwilling to hang in a lower gear up the mountain pass unless you stomped the fast pedal waaaaaay down. Then the engine alternated between high-rev shout and relaxed burble, but never settled on either. It was one of the few times on our trip the powertrain felt out of sorts. The compromise here is longevity versus powerwe expect Kias V-6 to be very reliable in the long haul. But when the transmission is hesitant to downshift when you need a lower gear, or hold that gears when it finally does, you start to question that tradeoff, and often pine for a wallop of turbocharged torque.

Swapping the Telluride into Sport mode seemed to help the transmission hold gears longer, but ultimately didnt cure the drivetrains indecision or effort. Power lives high up along the Telluride's tachometer, where the engine sounds and feels least refined. If youre hauling kiddos up to a ski slope regularly, or commuting in a mountainous city, this might be enough of an annoyance to aim your dollars elsewhere. That lack of grunt also had me questioning the Tellurides claimed towing capacity. Kia says its SUV is good to tow 5000 lbs. I wouldnt push the limits of that figure if you're heading into the mountains.

Which brings me to my second niggle with the Telluride. This crossover is heavily marketed as an SUV. At auto shows, the Telluride pranced around on off-road sets to show off its theoretical prowess. That label comes with expectations of capability. Now I wont go into huge detail (again, read the June 2020 magazine piece), but I got the Telluride stuck in silt in North Dakota during some light off-roading. It was my fault. I didnt steer around some ruts when I should have, plain and simple.

But the experience opened my eyes. As versatile as mid- and full-size CUVs have become, they still lack the robust functionality of a true body-on-frame SUV. Firstly, any body-on-frame SUV would have had an easy spot to hook a tow rope. The Telluride has none.

When I got the Telluride buried up to its rockers in mud, I had to crawl on my belly and dig out a path for the tow strap to loop around the lower control arm once help arrived. I was covered in wet silt for the next hour as the sun went down. Im still digging the dried clay out of the pockets of my jacket nearly two months later. Really. A single removable panel on the Telluride's front or rear bumper, and a threaded hole to attach a tow eyelet, would have done the trick.

Would any other midsize CUV have done better to dig out of the silt? Maybe not. I suppose the lesson was cautionary: If you head off-road in one of these things, either bring better tires, a better driver, or a tow company on speed dial. Maybe all three, if you can. Because the Tellurides locking center differential did nothing to help free me from the mud. It simply allowed one-tire fire from both ends of the vehicle. Neither did the Kia's tires help. They tiptoed through a couple inches of wet snow in Livingston, Montana, but otherwise seem aimed at a life lived entirely on pavement. I'll always remember those tires whizzing against the North Dakota mud: the sound of disappointment.

The whole point of the SUV moniker is Utility. Many Americans actually utilize their SUVs. What does a Telluride owner do if they slide into a snow bank? Theres no locking front or rear differentials to save you. Unfortunately, an expensive tow may be your only option. Do you have cell service on the mountain? This lack of ultimate capability would be fine if Kia didnt bank on off-road imagery to garner credibility. (Remember this Super Bowl commercial where the Telluride, fitted with an aftermarket snorkel, fords water up to the waist?)

Still, these are less major complaints and more warnings. Buy the right tires for your Telluride. Assess trail risks better than I did. Go with God. The Telluride is still a versatile, comfortable, value-packed CUV. And an honest triumph for Kia.

Its handsome, too. After four days of nonstop use covering 2858 miles, wreathed in a layer of cracked mud like a crown, the Telluride had never looked better. I thought about why, even after being stuck in that North Dakota hellscape, I still liked the Telluride so damned much. No component on the thing is revolutionary. The engine is conventional and effective. The cars packaging, proportions, and design dont speak to the cutting edge. But this CUV is exceptional. Because theres a confidence about the Telluride. Its the first Kia product that, to me, stands solely on its own identity. Theres no wide Audi-chasing grille. No Tesla-esque tablet dominating the center console. Instead, the Telluride wraps a plush, intelligent, feature-dense cabin in confident, masculine sheet metal. Its not just the best midsize SUV on sale todayit has us wondering why the German and Japanese luxury equivalents cost so damned much. Whenever this pandemic mess ends, Kia should sell a million of the things.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

Read the original here:
The 2020 Kia Telluride Is a Nearly Flawless Three-Row SUV - RoadandTrack.com

Driveways and patios are everyone's favorite hangout spots during beautiful days but only if it's designed and paved the right way. AG Paving is in the business of outdoor paving, from driveways to patios. They are praised as the industry expert in and around Northampton.

Paving is a great way to give people's gardens a separate border using different styles. It can make any outdoor living space more cohesive and complete. If anyone is looking for a professional and reliable paving contractor in Northampton, they can turn to AG Paving. They have been operating as a successful paving company for many years and have enough experience to give customers the best results. The company works closely with its clients to give them the perfect and most fitting results. They believe that attention to detail and stellar craftsmanship is the key to achieving excellent customer satisfaction and is what separates them from the rest. From block paving to landscaping, AG Paving can transform any exterior space into works of art.

AG Paving believes that driveways are a gateway to any home. Guests and visitors always form the first impression about a house and the people that live in it based on what they see from the driveway which is why it is so important to ensure homeowners have the best driveway to show for. AG Paving is the go-to expert when it comes to driveways and patio paving. Their patios and driveways can last more than 20 years even with minimal maintenance or upkeep. They offer many different types of driveway, from gravel to concrete and asphalt. From installing new driveways and patios to redesigning and restructuring existing ones, AG Paving can handle everything. With their help, they can quickly transform any driveway from a bland area of the property into one that is welcoming and complements the rest of the house.

Another very popular driveway paving material in Northampton that AG Paving offers is Resin Bonded gravel surfacing. This type of material is ideal for driveways, outdoor patios, conservatories, swimming pool surrounds, and even handicap gain access and ramps. This type of surface is totally permeable SUDS certified system and makes use of an environmentally friendly manufacturing process. It uses a mix of aggregates and resin together with a hardener to form a tough and resilient surface perfect for car or pedestrian use. AG Paving has had years of experience installing resin bonded gravel surface which is done by skilled technicians using modern equipment.

Media ContactCompany Name: AG PavingContact Person: Andrei MereacreEmail: Send EmailPhone: 07478664953Address:6 Spanslade Road City: NorthamtonState: Northamptonshire, NN 9DLCountry: United KingdomWebsite: http://www.agpaving.co.uk

Originally posted here:
AG Paving Offers Expert Paving Services to Transform Outdoor Space and Boost Curb Appeal - Press Release - Digital Journal

A 3-year-old girl who suffered life-threatening injuries Wednesday night after falling from the second story of a Worcester home was pushing an air conditioner out the window, police said Thursday.

Officers responded around 9:53 p.m. to a report of a child that fell from a window at a home on Illinois Street, the Worcester Police Department said in a statement.

Upon arrival, police were told that the childs mother drove her to the hospital, the statement said. The child was identified as a 3-year-old female. Her injuries are considered life threatening.

Police learned the child was pushing out the air conditioner from the second-floor window when she fell and landed on the pavement of the driveway, according to the statement.

The investigation is ongoing, the statement.

Read more:
3-year-old girl who fell from second story of Worcester home was pushing air conditioner out of window; Polic - MassLive.com

COUNTY NEWS

Motorists are reminded thatwestboundTrinityDrivecontinues tobe reduced to a singlelanefrom DP Rd to the Knecht Street intersection. Thisclosureis necessary for the removal and installation of new curb & gutter, sidewalks anddriveway pads through this area, as part of the State DOTs NM502 reconstruction and roundabout installation.

Star Paving has placed new, additional signage (ROAD CLOSED TO THROUGH TRAFFIC) today. The additional signage was requested in response to safety concerns received by the County that motorists are using the Mari Mac Village entrance to travel across the parking lot to exit onto Centralwithout using proper parking lot driving lanes. This activity of cutting across parking spaces in the lot has increased over the past three weeks and created a potentially dangerous situation with other motorists and pedestrians in the lot.

Like Loading...

Related

Read this article:
Motorists Asked Not To Use Mari Mac Village Parking Lot As Shortcut Between Trinity And Central Due To Safety Concerns - Los Alamos Reporter

Time to get your hardscape in shape for outdoor living! Paver installationis not just a great way to make your yard look amazing, its also long-lasting, flexible and simple to maintain.

I recently spoke with Joe Raboine, director ofBelgardResidential Hardscapes. The result of our conversation? The following guide to paver installationpros, cons, prices, maintenance and more.

What types ofpaversare available?Materials: Four core types of paving materials are used for residential hardscapes. The oldest is stone pavers, then clay and most recently interlocking concrete pavers. There are also porcelain pavers, new within the last five years.

Shapes: The most common shape is a rectangle, which runs the gamut ofsizes. The small rectangular pavers resemble handmade cobblestones like youd see in European cities. Those get progressively larger, up to whats called a slab size, typically 12 inches by 12 inches or even larger. The biggest are 2 feet by 3 feet. In addition, there are hexagons and trapezoids for a slightly more contemporary look.

Colors: An almost endless variety of colors is available, both solid and blended. Solid colors really have caught on over the last few years, but the blends are still the most popular choices. I think those blended colors always will be popular because they mimic local natural stone, varying across the country.

Where are pavers used?Use pavers for your patio, walkway, pool decking or outdoor living room. Paver installation is great fordrivewaysand other vehicular applications, too. In some marketsTexas, for examplepaver driveways have almost become the norm.

What are the major advantages of pavers?1. Beauty. Pavers look awesome and add a lot oflandscape designappeal to your yard or driveway area. Blended colors will harmonize with their surroundings because they reflect the shades of indigenous local stone.

2. Flexibility. Because a slab of concrete will move, shift and ultimately break, you have to add expansion and control joints. By contrast, pavers are a flexible system, which acts like a blanket thats placed on the earth.

3. Longevity. Pavers have been around since theRomans used them to build roads and some of those are still in existence today. Theyre considered a flexible pavement. Due to their flexibility, paver installation lasts 50-plus years if done as recommended. Thats true in any climateeven one with harsh winters or very hot, dry weather. In fact, because theyre strong and manufactured in a controlled environment, concrete pavers often carry a lifetime transferable warranty. You would never get a warranty like that on poured-in-place products!

4. Ease of repair. Another great thing about pavers is that theyre easy to repair. If you drop something extremely heavy on a paver and crack it, or you spill oil on it, you can take out the damaged paver and put in a new piece. The simplest way to remove a paver is to crush it with a hammer and break it out of there. Once you replace it with a new one, you can just sprinkle in some polysand, brush it off and youre good to go.

And the disadvantages?1. Potential problems from faulty installation. Just like any other building material, you ideally need to have someone who has been professionallytrained and certifiedto install large-scale paver projects. Substandard installations will cause issues.

2. Cost.Because theres more prep time, pavers will cost more than concrete (or asphalt, for a driveway), but since theyre so durable, they end up costing you less in the long run.

Whats the cost to install concrete pavers?Essentially the cost to install concrete pavers is between $5 and $25 a square foot, which is kind of a crazy range. But theres a reason.

In Southern markets such as Florida, you may get pavers installed for $5 to $10 a square foot because of the sand subsoil and because you dont get hardfreeze-thaw cycles. In the North where you need a thicker substrate to lay them on, cost starts at $10 and can go up to $20 or $25 per square foot.

Consider the cost of the paver material itself as well. Between the less expensive and the higher-end pavers, there may be a $3 to $5 per square foot difference.

Laura Firszt | More Content Now

More:
Pros and cons of using pavers to spruce up your yard - Aboutstark.com

This is a press release from the City of Arcata:

The City of Arcata announced [recently] that the 2020 Bayside Paving Project will begin making infrastructure improvements on Monday, June 1.

The City of Arcata has contracted with Kernen Construction for this project, and work will consist of asphalt paving and the installation of accessible concrete driveways and ramps. The project also includes, but is not limited to, minor roadway excavation, roadway striping, water service upgrades, sewer improvements and drainage improvements.

Construction work will begin on Monday, June 1 on Bayside Road between Union Street and Buttermilk Lane, and additional work on Chester Avenue will begin in late June or July.

Work will take place Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on some days the contractor may extend work hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. On days of scheduled work, community members are encouraged to follow all safety directions and traffic control devices within the project area.

If challenges are encountered with this project, please contact Kernen Construction at (707) 826-8686 or the City of Arcata at (707) 825-2176.

This project is scheduled to be completed by August 28, 2020, and more information will be provided as it becomes available. Updates on construction progress and project plans can be viewed at cityofarcata.org.

Continued here:
Bayside Paving Project Begins on Monday Redheaded Blackbelt - Redheaded Blackbelt

The contractor will continue to keep the northbound lane of traffic open on Martin Luther King Jr. Way from S. 11th St. to S. 9th St. this week, and will close MLK Jr. Way in both directions between S. 11th St. and S. 9th St. as soon as Monday, June 8.

In other areas, crews will start working on a water line on Pacific Avenue north of S. 7th St. The contractor will continue to install a sewer line on MLK Jr. Way from 6th Avenue to S. 8th St. On N. 1st St., crews will continue track installation, driveway and sidewalk work. On Division Ave., crews are installing track and foundations for Link power poles from Yakima Ave. to I St.

Looking ahead, the contractor plans to install track on the west side of Stadium Way near I-705, closing the I-705 onramp, as soon as June 8.

COVID-19. The health and safety of all workers on Sound Transits construction sites are of utmost importance to us. Our contractors have primary responsibility for their wellbeing while working on our projects. Sound Transit is actively working with the contractors and construction management teams on all our projects to assure that public health guidelines are being followed.

WhatConstruction and traffic restrictions on Pacific Avenue, Stadium Way, N. 1st Street, Yakima Avenue, Division Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, S. 7th Street, S. 10th Street, S. 11th Street, and S. 17th Street

Week of June 1

Later this week, the contractor will complete the track work on MLK Jr. Way from Earnest Brazill to S. 11th St., and will open that block on MLK Jr. Way as well as S. 11th St. Then, the contractor will close MLK Jr. Way in both directions from S. 11th St. to S. 9th St. for track installation. Crews will install track on the west side of MLK Jr. Way as far as S. 9th St. and then will turn around and install track on the east side of MLK Jr. Way from S. 9th St. going south. During the full street closure, S. 10th St. will be closed on either side of MLK Jr. Way for a half-block to the alleys. This street closure may start as soon as the afternoon of June 3 and take about 3-4 weeks.

Read more:
Martin Luther King Jr. Way closes in both directions from S. 11th Street to S. 9th Street for track installation next week (updated information) -...

Three local paving contractors begin their work with the City of Asheville this month, resurfacing streets. Together they add up to $8 million of investment in upkeep on a combined 8.6 miles of City streets.

Two of these are bond projects, the other two were awarded as Fiscal Year 2019 and Fiscal Year 2020 resurfacing contracts.

Weather permitting, the resurfacing projects will begin this month and run into July, finishing up sometime in early fall.

Were happy to deliver these much-needed improvements to the community during these trying times, said Public Works Director Greg Shuler. The positive impacts to the quality of life will improve mobility for all modes of transportation.

Bond projects

Kenilworth Road The Kenilworth Road repaving project is part of the Citys Phase 3 Bond package. The entire 1 mile length of Kenilworth Road will be resurfaced. Existing speed humps will be reinstalled. The budget for this project is $800,000. Now that sidewalk improvements are wrapping up, milling and paving operations are expected to begin in mid-June in coordination with remaining stormwater replacement work.

State Street The State Street project is also part of the Citys Phase 3 Bond package. The entire .8 mile length of State Street will be resurfaced. The budget for this project is $1.28 million. State Street sidewalk, curb and driveway concrete work started in April. The contractor expects to begin the milling and paving the week of July 6.

Bryant Land and Development Services of Burnsville was awarded the contract for these two bond projects.

The Citys bond transportation projects are on schedule and on budget. Keep up with progress by visiting Capital Projects Bond Project Dashboard at this link:

Fiscal Year 2020 resurfacing

At their April 14 meeting, City Council adopted a resolution authorizing a $2.28 million contract to Harrison Construction Company Division of APAC Atlantic Inc. of Asheville for the resurfacing of 3 miles, including these streets:

Black Street

Brownwood Avenue (Haywood Road to Waynesville Road)

Camby Street

Cedar Street

Chapel Park Road

Chatham Road (Merrimon to Laurel)

Eagle Street

Elkin Street

Graham Lane

Grandview Drive

Greeley Street

Madeline Avenue

Marcellus Street

Reynolds Street

Salem Avenue

Shadowlawn Drive (Appalachian to Appalachian)

Water Street

White Pine Drive (Tunnel to White Pine Court north intersection)

Fiscal Year 2019 paving wrapping up

At the same time these paving projects are going on French Broad Paving of Marshall will be wrapping up resurfacing projects awarded last year. This contract was in the amount of $2.1 million. Here is that list, along with notes about which streets have already been completed:

Allen Street: Completed

Arbutus Road: Completed

Baker Drive

Erskine Circle

Erskine Street: Completed

Farrwood Avenue: Completed

Garden Terrace: Completed

Hibernia Street: Completed

Hudson Street

Lenoir Street: To be resurfaced beginning June 3

Oakview Road

Sterling Street

The $8 million investment represents the commitment by City Council, City management and all taxpayers to invest in infrastructure that impacts all users daily lives, whether by motor vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian, said Streets Division Manager Chad Bandy.

As always, if there is resurfacing in your area, please reroute if you can. Cars parked on the street will need to be moved. Traffic will be maintained with flaggers or signals but there may be delays. So thank you for your patience! And you will have nice smooth streets to ride on when these projects are finished.

Excerpt from:
City of Asheville streets to be resurfaced this season - Mountain Xpress

Photo: Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

Indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters, small weddings and events to reopen June 17, three days early

HARTFORD Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday moved up his Phase 2 reopening plans by three days to June 17, paving the way for indoor dining and the opening of gyms, movie theaters, hotels and other businesses.

Lamont indicated the move to a Wednesday reopening was to avoid coinciding with the Fathers Day weekend.

To avoid having Phase 2 of Connecticut's reopening efforts take effect during a busy Father's Day weekend, we're going to move it up a few days earlier to June 17.

We'll release additional safety guidance for businesses that fall under Phase 2 in the next couple of days.

Well release additional safety guidance for businesses that fall under Phase 2 in the next couple of days, he wrote on Twitter.

Restaurants opened for outdoor dining on May 20, but many remain closed. They will now have a soft opening for indoors ahead of the weekend. Hair salons were allowed to reopen on Monday.

Phase 2 also includes other personal services such as nail salons and tattoo shops; formal events such as weddings; hotels and motels, outdoor amusement parks; libraries; pools and social clubs; and museums and aquariums. Connecticuts Beardsley Zoo, which reopened outdoors only, will be allowed to reopen its indoor pavilions.

All businesses and activities, however, will continue to have strict guidelines for social distancing including limits on the numbers of people allowed.

Lamont announced Friday that another 31 people died from COVID-19-related ailments, bringing the total to 4,038. But a net reduction of 23 patients brought the number of people hospitalized down to 350 on Friday. The peak hospitalization was 1,972 on April 22.

Its unclear what additional rules Lamont will set, but he told reporters after an anti-gun violence event at St. Francis Hospital here that the guidelines will be released in upcoming days.

Its a really big weekend, Lamont said of the June 21 Fathers Day. They said a few extra days lets us prepare. Weve giving them notice today, certainly the metrics on Monday. It gives them time to prepare for a really big weekend. Our positivity rate has been very low over the last week and that has been heartening. A lot of athe restaurants said give us a little more time to prepare for that coming weekend.

Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said that during the devastating 80-plus day closure of restaurants for indoor dining, Lamont has remained responsive and that the industry appreciates the open door to a new normal of social distancing and protecting the dining public as it makes its soft reopening.

Its been a devastating and unprecedented experience for our industry and the 160,000 people we employ across the state, Dolch said in a statement. When COVID began, the restaurant industry did not ask or demand to remain open indoors. Rather, our owners understood the gravity of this problem, and they knew they had to step up and be part of the solution, even though it meant putting their businesses and their livelihoods at risk.

While the industry asked for earlier dates to reopen indoors, Dolch noticed that Lamonts June 17 date puts Connecticut slightly ahead of reopening protocols in neighboring Massachusetts and New York.

Given that Connecticut restaurants make up 10 percent of our state economy, its critical that we not fall behind regionally, and every day counts, Dolch said. Connecticut restaurants are ready for this next step.

Rich Ndini, co-owner of Ralph & Richs restaurant, a downtown Bridgeport fixture for 30 years, said it was good news, so the staff can planned for a reconfigured indoor dining to supplement the 14 outdoor tables. Were just going to go by their rules, said Ndini during a mid-afternoon phone call on Friday.

We clean the tables with a special disinfectant and when people enter the patio they have to wear masks, said Ndini, who made special family style trays. The key is to give customers confidence.

Not everyone is going to come out, Ndini said, who had not heard about the earlier reopening until contacted by a reporter. Whatever the guidelines are, of course well follow them. He said that the restaurants smaller staff has also been specializing in takeout platters.

On the reopening of hotels, Lamont said that the infection and hospitalization rates as well as the fatality statistics, will have an important role in determining the percentages of rooms that will be allowed to be reserved.

Going back to the early of the days of the pandemic, we had said hotels are only for first responders, and no short-term rentals, Lamont said in the hospitals driveway. We wanted to do everything we could to discourage a lot of New York-to-Connecticut back-and-forth. But were in a different place today and here we are in June, summers coming. Its time to get our holiday season going and well be able to open up our hotels as well.

The reopening of the state remains on track as coronavirus infection, hopsptalization and death totals continue to decline. The number of people being treated in hospitals, for example, has fallen to 373, a decline of 75 percent since the peak of 1,972 on April 22.

Connecticut reached 4,000 deaths from coronavirus on Wednesday, but the number of new weekly deaths has also declined sharply in late May and June.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT

See the original post here:
Indoor dining, gyms, movie theaters, small weddings and events to reopen June 17, three days early - CTPost