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The What

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut

The What is your look around southwest Connecticut for the week of May 20.

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut
Hope you all have a great week! (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Monday, May 20

Happy Monday! This week we’re launching Part 2 of our Getting Around series: Reimagining the Streets of Southwest Connecticut. What would our streets and roads look like if they were designed to accommodate a variety of users, including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transportation? Communities across southwest Connecticut are looking to answer this very question.

Let’s take a look at how some municipalities are reimagining their streets to make them safer and more accessible for all users.

In Norwalk, the city is currently in the midst of developing a set of Complete Streets design guidelines and implementing a Complete Streets ordinance, which would require the guidelines to be put into action.

“In the simplest terms, it’s really streets for everyone and streets about the people,” said Garrett Bolella, Norwalk’s assistant director of Transportation, Mobility, and Parking at the February 2024 meeting of the Common Council’s Economic and Community Development Committee.

In Stamford, the city is working on a Vision Zero action plan that aims to help the city eliminate traffic-related deaths by 2032. Vision Zero is a strategy which works to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries and improve mobility for all. 

“Vision Zero, is our citywide roadway safety effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2032,” said Luke Buttenwieser, a transportation planner in Stamford’s Transportation, Traffic, and Parking Department. “It's really a whole city wide effort. It's integrating roadway safety into every single aspect of the city.”

And in Fairfield, the town is working to implement a “Safe and Livable Streets Ordinance,” which current First Selectman Bill Gerber spearheaded last year when he was a member of the town’s legislative body, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).

“The Safe and Liveable Streets Ordinance stems from years of living in Fairfield—nearly years as a member of the RTM—participating in the town’s processes to try to get traffic calming measures in place, talking to residents, working with bikers and walkers and hearing their frustration with the process,” Gerber told the RTM at its September 2023 meeting. 

Learn more about the work taking place in these communities or see our video to get an overview of each of these plans.

Let’s see what else is happening this week.

Stamford

The Board of Representatives will meet on Thursday, May 23 at 8 p.m. to vote on approving an additional tax rate to support a reserve fund that will help pay for the city’s capital projects.

Speaking of Vision Zero, the Planning Board will receive an overview presentation on the city’s effort at its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. 

Other meetings this week include: 

Norwalk

On Monday, May 20, the city is hosting a Route 1 Corridor Event at Jefferson Elementary School at 5:30 p.m. Residents are invited to share their thoughts and feedback on how they would like to see Route 1 improved, and there will also be a chance for the city to share the vision and goals of the Route 1 Study, which is funded through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT).

The Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday, May 22 at 6 p.m. to continue the public hearing on 10 Norden Place, where the MTA is proposing to use part of the property for a transportation maintenance terminal.

Other meetings this week include: 

Fairfield

On Tuesday, May 21, the Board of Finance will hold its quarterly review meeting at 7:30 p.m., which is an opportunity for the board to receive financial updates from the city and Board of Education, as well as review capital projects. 

Other meetings this week include: 

Greenwich

On Monday, May 20, the Board of Estimate and Taxation will meet at 6:30 p.m. and vote on a $500,000 grant for a transportation safety action plan, as well as $6.5 million for the Grass Island Wastewater Treatment Plant. The board will also vote to officially set the mill—or tax—rate for the town. 

Other meetings this week include: 

Darien

The Board of Finance will meet on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. to vote on reducing the amount of money allocated to purchase Great Island by about $11.7 million. The town initially appropriated $103.5 million to purchase the island, and so far has issued bonds to cover $91.7 million. In a resolution, it states “the Town does not anticipate further spending on the Project or further issuance of bonds and notes to fund the Project.”

Other meetings this week include: 

Westport

The Board of Finance will meet on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m. and vote on appropriating $990,000 for Phase I of improvements for the Cross Highway School Zone Corridor project. The Board will also set the tax rate for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

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.

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

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