MYSTIC RIVER DRAWBRIDGE WALKWAYS NOW ONE-WAY

Mystic — There are now two one-way traffic patterns for pedestrians and drivers in downtown Mystic.

The walkways on the Mystic River drawbridge have now been made oneway to promote social distancing. Signs have been placed on the entrances to the walkways letting people know they are walking in the wrong direction. Red arrows also have been placed on the walkways themselves.

Meanwhile, work to make Cottrell Street a one-way street has been completed, with the street repaved and lined for parking and signs erected.

The street, which is off East Main Street (Route 1), is located just before the drawbridge and runs along Mystic River Park. It is now one-way in the southbound direction, which means cars enter from Route 1.

In addition, a section of Washington Street from Cottrell Street to Willow Street also was made one-way on Monday.

The plan has created 13 additional parking spots on Cottrell and Washington streets and was designed to improve traffic safety at the intersection of East Main and Cottrell streets.

Despite some neighborhood opposition, the Stonington Board of Police Commissioners made the change to partially address a longstanding parking shortage in the downtown, especially in the summer.

Opponents had urged the commissioners to wait to make any change until it could undertake a comprehensive parking and traffic study of Mystic in cooperation with the Town of Groton.