The What: Roundabout Revolution in Southwest Connecticut, Vision Zero Updates, and more
The What is your look around southwest Connecticut for the week of October 28.
Monday, Oct. 28
Happy Monday! I wanted to start by sharing this amazing voting guide that Connecticut Mirror put together for residents of southwest Connecticut. With early voting already underway, this guide can help you on your voting journey. Check out CT Mirror’s 2024 voting guide.
Highlights
This section will give a brief overview of the key items in the newsletter.
- Communities across southwest Connecticut are adding roundabouts to help make their streets safer and their neighborhoods more connected.
- Bridgeport’s Planning and Zoning Commission will start to review a petition of Swanston Family Ventures, LLC and Connecticut Sports Group, LLC who are looking to construct a soccer stadium; brewery and restaurants. Learn more about their plans to bring an MLS team to the region from CT Mirror.
Spotlight
This section will feature our main reporting each week.
For Stamford Representative Virgil de La Cruz, cutting the ribbon on the Greenwich Avenue–Pulaski Street roundabout project—the first roundabout in the city—was a long time coming.
“I cannot tell you how grateful I am for being here and finally seeing this project done. It’s been over 25 years advocating for this,” he said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the roundabout on October 21. “I no longer have to worry about first responders having to climb the sidewalk to get around the traffic to get to their calls.”
“This roundabout is all about enhancing the connectivity, about improving pedestrian safety, about protecting residents whether you’re on a bike, walk or drive around our city—this provides all of the different options,” Mayor Caroline Simmons said. “This eases congestion for Waterside residents, and it looks absolutely beautiful.”
But Stamford isn’t the only community adding roundabouts around southwest Connecticut. This week, Fairfield also broke ground on a new roundabout at the intersection of Redding and Dunham Roads, and Norwalk is designing a roundabout to go in front of the new South Norwalk School.
Read why communities around southwest Connecticut are adding roundabouts to address concerns on their roads, or watch our video showcasing how roundabouts work.
This Week at a Glance
This section aims to highlight the most important meetings and news taking place each week.
- In Bridgeport, the Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on Monday, October 28 at 6:15 p.m. to start to review a petition of Swanston Family Ventures, LLC and Connecticut Sports Group, LLC who are looking to construct a soccer stadium; brewery and restaurants. Learn more about their plans to bring an MLS team to the region from CT Mirror.
- In Stamford, there will be two presentations on recommendations from the Vision Zero plan—one at the Planning Board on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m. and one to the Transportation Committee on Wednesday, October 30 at 7 p.m. Check out our previous reporting on Stamford’s Vision Zero efforts.
- Also in Stamford, the Public Safety and Health Committee of the Board of Representatives will meet on Wednesday, October 30 at 6:30 p.m. to review a few items around air quality. See our previous coverage of air quality issues in Fairfield County.
- In Norwalk, there will be a public information session on the South Norwalk Equitable TOD Infrastructure Design Project on Monday, October 28 at 6 p.m. featuring an update on the infrastructure and streetscape improvements near the South Norwalk train station and sharing design ideas for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive. Go in and around the South Norwalk Train Station to learn more about this project.
- In Fairfield, the Representative Town Meeting will meet on Monday, October 28 at 8 p.m. to vote on establishing a Flood Prevention, Climate Resilience and Erosion Control Board.
- In Greenwich, the Board of Estimate and Taxation will meet on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m. to review and potentially vote on budget guidelines for the upcoming year.
Plan Your Week
This section will include a list of meetings, events, and programming happening around southwest Connecticut each week.
Bridgeport
- Monday, October 28: Miscellaneous Matters Committee at 6 p.m. | Planning and Zoning Commission at 6:15 p.m. | Board of Education at 6:30 p.m.
Stamford
- Monday, October 28: Fiscal Committee at 7 p.m. | Mayor’s Multicultural Council at 6:15 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 29: Legislative and Rules Committee at 7 p.m. | Planning Board at 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 30: Public Safety and Health Committee at 6:30 p.m. | Transportation Committee at 7 p.m.
Norwalk
- Monday, October 28: South Norwalk Equitable TOD Infrastructure Design Project at 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 29: Charter Revision Commission Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m.
Fairfield
- Monday, October 28: Representative Town Meeting at 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 29: Board of Education Policy Committee at 5 p.m.
- Friday, November 1: Sustainable Fairfield Food and Waste Subcommittee at 8 a.m.
Greenwich
- Monday, October 28: Board of Health at 6:30 p.m. | Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency at 7 p.m. | Nathaniel Witherell Board of Directors at 5:30 p.m. | Representative Town Meeting at 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 29: Board of Estimate and Taxation at 6:30 p.m. | Fair Rent Commission at 8 p.m. | Planning & Zoning Commission at 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 30: FS Antisemitism and Anti-Hate Task Force at 12 p.m.
Darien
- Tuesday, October 29: Planning & Zoning Commission at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, October 31: Police Commission at 12 p.m.
Westport
- Monday, October 28: Planning & Zoning Commission at 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 29: Zoning Board of Appeals at 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 30: RTM Environment Committee at 6 p.m.
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Please note: All of these agendas and information here are current as of Sunday night. Meeting times and agendas may get adjusted throughout the week.
Have a great week,
Kelly Prinz
Founder, Reporter at Coastal Connecticut Times