In-depth news for Southwest Connecticut
Subscribe
The What

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut

The What is your look around southwest Connecticut for the week of May 6.

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut
Happy first full week of May! (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Monday, May 6

Happy Monday! We have the latest on the aftermath of a Thursday, May 2 crash that caused a fuel truck to catch fire, shut down I-95, and damage an overpass in Norwalk.

The roadway was shut down Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The northbound lanes were reopened on Saturday evening, while the southbound lanes reopened on Sunday morning.

“It is truly amazing that in less than 80 hours from that fiery crash Thursday that shut down traffic in both directions, the highway again is fully open,” Governor Ned Lamont said in a statement. 

But the crash did cause significant damage to the Fairfield Avenue overpass, and officials said that the structure needed to be demolished.

“The bridge was damaged, the heat from the burning fuel compromised some of the bridge, so that bridge is going to have to come down,” Lamont said.

We took a look at some of the pressing questions about this crash, its impact, and next steps. You can also check out our video highlighting the work to reopen the highway. 

On a related note, we’re kicking off a three-part series on traffic and pedestrian safety in southwest Connecticut.

As our local communities are reimagining their streets and redesigning some of the most troublesome intersections and areas in the region, we decided to dive into pedestrian and roadway safety issues and highlight some of the solutions local officials are working on.

We’re starting this week with Part 1: Unsafe Roads in Southwest Connecticut. Walking across the street to pick up mail from a mailbox. Going for a walk on the side of the road. Crossing the street in a marked crosswalk.

These are just three ways that residents of southwest Connecticut lost their lives over the past two years as the region and the state as a whole grapple with a growing number of pedestrian and traffic-related deaths.

Across the state, at least 689 people lost their lives in traffic deaths in 2022 and 2023, according to data from the UCONN Connecticut Crash Data Repository. Through April 20, 2024, an additional 92 people have lost their lives in traffic deaths. 

“It’s no secret that our roadways have become more deadly, and we are laser-focused on doing everything we can to ensure travelers in Connecticut are safe,” Garrett Eucalitto, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said in a statement. 

Learn more about some of the challenges on our roads or check out our video highlighting some of the issues with road safety. 

Keep your eyes out for Part 2: Reimagining the Streets coming next week.

Let’s see what else is happening this week. 

Stamford

On Tuesday, May 7, the city is hosting a Vision Zero Action Plan Kick Off event at 6 p.m. at the Whittingham Discovery Center in Mill River Park. Attendees will learn how the City plans to work to reach zero annual traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2032. They’ll also participate in an interactive workshop where residents can speak directly with the project team about their preferences for improving road safety in Stamford. Learn more about some of the city’s initial Vision Zero work.

The Board of Representatives will meet on Monday, May 6 at 8 p.m. and vote on numerous items, including approving the locations for automated traffic enforcement safety devices.

Other meetings this week include:

Norwalk

The Board of Estimate and Taxation will meet on Monday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. to officially set the tax rates for the city for the upcoming fiscal year which starts on July 1. Learn more about the city’s budget process this year from NancyonNorwalk. 

Also on May 6, the Bike/Walk Commission will meet at 6 p.m. and receive updates on many initiatives in the city, including the work on Complete Streets policy (look for our piece on that next week!), plans and the start of construction on Wall Street, and the Hospital Hill safety improvement project. 

Other meetings this week include: 

Fairfield

The Representative Town Meeting will meet on Monday, May 6 at 8 p.m. for its annual budget meeting, where it will vote on the recommended budget of $369.7 million. 

On Wednesday, May 8, the Affordable Housing Committee will consider new zoning regulations that would “facilitate the creation of middle housing” in the town at its meeting at  7 p.m. 

Other meetings this week include:

Greenwich

Meetings this week include: 

  • Monday, May 6: RTM Committees:  Education Committee at 7 p.m. | Finance Committee at 7 p.m. | Public Works Committee at 7 p.m. | Legislative & Rules Committee at 7:30 p.m. | Land Use Committee at 7:45 p.m. 
  • Tuesday, May 7: Old Greenwich School Building Committee at 7 a.m. | RTM Committees: Town Services Committee at 7 p.m. | Transportation Committee at 7 p.m. | Health & Human Services Committee at 7:30 p.m. | Parks & Recreation Committee at 7:30 p.m. 
  • Wednesday, May 8: Greenwich High School Vestibule Committee at 8 a.m. | Operations Planning Committee at 11 a.m. | Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals at 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 9: Board of Selectmen at 10 a.m. | Board of Selectmen Special Meeting at 12 p.m. 

Darien

The Board of Selectmen will meet on Monday, May 6 at 7 p.m. to review and vote on funding a master plan for Great Island, as well as a proposal for a Pear Tree Beach flooding remediation project.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 p.m. and review a proposal to permit Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on certain residentially zoned properties.

Other meetings this week include: 

Westport

The Representative Town Meeting will hold three meetings this week—Monday, May 6, Tuesday, May 7, and Wednesday, May 8, all starting at 7:30 p.m.—to review, discuss, and vote on the recommended budget for the town. It will also review and vote on a request to spend $630,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fund for design and permitting of the redevelopment of Jesup Green and the Imperial Lot.

Other meetings this week include: 

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.

Thank you for reading! As a reminder, we will be off next week!

If you are interested in being a part of our reporting or just want to share your thoughts, please reach out at coastalconnecticuttimes@gmail.com. 

Have a great week,

Kelly Prinz

Founder, Reporter at Coastal Connecticut Times

Read next