The reimagining of High Street as the heart of the new Hanover Village Center (HVC) offers a transformative opportunity for the Village to shape its long-term identity while honoring its past and preparing for future growth. This corridor will become the centerpiece of community life—a place where residents and visitors can safely walk, bike, shop, and gather, surrounded by a thoughtfully designed public realm that supports both mobility and placemaking.

Building upon the insights gathered through previous surveys and community engagement efforts, the project will develop and evaluate a range of design alternatives that reflect community values and priorities. These alternatives will explore the full spectrum of roadway and streetscape elements, including lane configurations, medians, multi-use paths, bike facilities, sidewalks, on-street parking, and green and landscaped areas. Each element will be carefully considered to achieve a cohesive “typical section” that balances the needs of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Safety will be a central focus of the design process. As traffic volumes increase along High Street, it will be essential to maintain low vehicle speeds and ensure high pedestrian and bicycle visibility. Traffic-calming strategies—such as lane narrowing, curb bump-outs, raised and enhanced crosswalks, medians, and access management practices—will be incorporated to create a safer, more comfortable experience for all users. The potential integration of roundabouts at key intersections will also be examined, as these have proven benefits for reducing crashes and improving pedestrian safety while supporting steady traffic flow.

In addition to mobility and safety, the project will address critical environmental considerations. As the corridor evolves, the increase in impervious surfaces will lead to greater stormwater runoff. The planning team will explore multiple approaches for managing this runoff, including capturing the “first flush” to reduce pollutants and using both natural and mechanical systems to maintain water quality and the health of local waterways.

A robust traffic modeling effort will support the project’s technical foundation. The model will allow the Village to test various development and traffic growth scenarios, ensuring the corridor opens at an optimal capacity that avoids excessive speeds while preventing the need for premature widening. Through “sensitivity checks,” the model will help determine at what growth thresholds additional improvements may become necessary during the corridor’s projected 20-year design life.

Ultimately, this project will position High Street as a safe, vibrant, and enduring corridor that anchors the Hanover Village Center—fostering connectivity, enhancing quality of life, and setting the stage for sustainable growth for generations to come.