Elm Street safety upgrades underway
GREENWICH — Plans to add pedestrian improvements, tree plantings and other safety enhancements at a prominent location on Greenwich Avenue are moving ahead on schedule.
The improvement project at Elm Street began March 22 with work on the northwest corner, and workers will gradually move to all four points of the intersection through the spring, according to senior civil engineer Jason Kaufman in the town Department of Public Works.
“The entire project is anticipated to be completed around the end of May or beginning of June,” Kaufman said.
The contractor, FGB Construction of Norwalk, will be working between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays on the project.
The street is posted with no parking signs in the construction area. Vehicles could be towed. Daily lane closures will occur and temporary traffic control devices will protect motorists and pedestrians.
The proposal calls for “bump-outs,” or curb ex
tensions that widen the sidewalk into the paved roadway, as a traffic calming measure. The concept is to slow down motorists in the busy retail area and make them more aware of their surroundings through a range of design features.
The pavement in the roadway will also be raised by several inches, heightening the visibility of pedestrians and slowing cars as they proceed through the busy intersection. New lighting will also be added, improving visibility at night.
The bump-outs will also make it easier for the pedestrians to cross the Avenue, in 40 percent less time, which is another safety feature of the project.
In addition, the upgrades will
include new trees, new bike racks, new sidewalks, new benches, better lighting and better drainage.
The project is expected to cost around $250,000, and the design elements are likely to be introduced to other intersections
along the Avenue.
The town Planning and Zoning Commission gave unanimous approval to the streetscape modifications in November.
Jason Kaufman, project manager for the application and a senior civil engineer in the town’s public works department, said the work will result in a more appealing design scheme.
“It’s a significant improvement to this intersection, really creating a sense of place, making it look a lot nicer with landscaping and decorative features,” Kaufman told the planning commissioners last year.
A timetable of about 12 weeks was scheduled for the work.
The project is slated to include the removal of a pin oak tree in front of the TD Bank at 235 Greenwich Ave. After a hearing, town Superintendent of
Parks and Trees Gregory Kramer ruled the tree could be chopped down to make way for a handicap parking space.
But that decision has been appealed, with a hearing set for April 6 in Superior Court in Stamford.
The town administration has been working to modernize the Greenwich Avenue corridor, while maintaining its unique character. The goal is to make it greener, more walkable and community-oriented. First Selectman Fred Camillo said his administration had “a vision for the future” that will unfold in coming months.
For more information on the project, visit www.greenwichct.gov/1822/Greenwich-AveElm-St-Intersection-Improv.