Government

Town To Redo East Avenue Sidewalks; Seeking State Grant on Estimated $1 Million Project

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Town officials on Tuesday approved funds to kickstart improvements to the deteriorating East Avenue sidewalk that runs from downtown New Canaan to Route 123. The Board of Selectmen during its regular meeting voted unanimously in favor of a $16,500 contract with a Hartford-based engineering firm to prepare design documents for a state grant in what is expected to be an overall $1 million project that “entails the proposed enhancements to the existing sidewalk to address improved width, surface material and safety for the pedestrian,” Town Engineer Maria Coplit told the Board. 

“The current asphalt sidewalks are deteriorating and in need of replacement,” she said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. If the town is able to secure a Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program or “LOTCIP” grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, the all-in cost to the municipality for the work is expected to be about $100,000, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The figure includes the contract with Fuss & O’Neill as well as survey and engineering work on East Avenue, he said. The selectmen agreed that the work is needed.

Government

Town To Designate New ‘School Zone’; Changes To Speed Limits During Drop-Off and Pickup Hours

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Town officials are seeking state approval to designate parts of four roads in New Canaan as part of a new “School Zone” and to reduce the speed limit on three of those roads. Specifically, the proposed School Zone will encompass parts of South Avenue, Farm Road, Gower Road and Putnam Road, covering South School, Saxe Middle School, the New Canaan YMCA and New Canaan High School, according to Gina Musinksi of Fuss & O’Neill, a Hartford-based engineering firm that is working with the town. Gower and Farm Roads would see a reduction from 30 to 25 mph during two blocks of time on school days—7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.—while South Avenue (roughly between Surrey Road and Crystal Street) would see a reduction from 35 to 30 mph during the same time, Musinski said. “And then on Putnam Road, the speed limit would be maintained, but it would be published as a school zone,” she said during the appointed body’s meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference. The changes would involve new flashing signage to alert motorists to the speed limits when the School Zone is active, and also would allow police to double the fines for exceeding speed limits within the newly designated area, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann.

Government

Selectmen Raise Standalone Contract Approval Minimum from $10,000 to $15,000

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With little discussion, the Board of Selectmen this week decided to raise the minimum amount of contracts that require approval as standalone items at public meetings by half again as much. In recent years, the selectmen during bimonthly meetings have dedicated an agenda item and discussion to all contracts of more than $10,000 that require approval from their elected body, while contracts valued at $10,000 or less are approved in a block vote, nearly always with no public discussion. On Tuesday, First Selectman Dionna Carlson suggested upping that minimum to $15,000. “I know that in prior meetings there’s been a request to increase the threshold for contracts to come to us above the $10,000 dollar level,” Carlson said at the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference. “So we thought in an incremental stage to move it to $15,000 and so wanted to get your approval to do that.”

Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll readily agreed and the trio voted 3-0 in favor of the change after about 74 seconds of discussion.

Board of Selectmen

‘This Is Outrageous’: Selectmen Blast State’s Contractor as Water Main Project Faces More Delays; Repaving of South Avenue Up in the Air

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Town officials on Tuesday loudly criticized a years-long Aquarion water company project overseen by the state that’s already caused major inconvenience to New Canaan residents, saying that now South Avenue may not be repaved until next year. Made public in 2019 and launched in 2022 with a planned three-year schedule, Aquarion’s water main installation started on the eastern edge of New Canaan—along Route 106 at the Wilton line—and then wound its way past Lakeview Cemetery and up Harrison Avenue to South Avenue, where it’s running to Farm Road. Public Works officials said this summer that the project was entering its final phase, yet the repaving of South Avenue, which doubles as state Route 124, had to be pushed into the school year due to a six-week delay in Wilton from the contractor, Bridgeport-based Waters Construction Co. The town then worked out a compromise where Waters was to work for four straight Saturdays, doing trench restoration work and then milling and paving South Avenue from Harrison to Farm Road. Yet the contractor ignored the set schedule of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting instead at 6:50 a.m. on a recent Saturday and making the state “furious” enough to halt that road work altogether, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann.

Government

‘I Have Lived in NC Since 1973’: Parking Ticket Appeals

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The following appeals were recently filed with the Parking Department. Appeals are adjudicated by the Parking Commission. ***

“I honestly had no knowledge that we now have to pay to park on Elm Street. I never received mail on the new changes and rarely go on the computer. I never noticed the new signs you say are posted.