Government

New Canaan Seeks State Approval for Main Street Crosswalk

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New Canaan is seeking state approval for a crosswalk that would run across Main Street from beside the driveway to the Town Hall parking lot. Designed to ease foot traffic and improve safety near a hairy downtown intersection, officials are hoping the proposed crosswalk gets a nod from the Connecticut Department of Transportation prior to the newly renovated Town Hall’s reopening next Spring. Michael Pastore, director of the New Canaan Department of Public Works, said most people cross Main just at that section anyway. “Most people going to the restaurants and shops cross there, and that [proposed crosswalk] is up in the air, the DOT is having a hard time with it,” he said. The state likely requires a fuller traffic plan for the entire area to green light the proposed crosswalk—which would run cross Main from the south side of the Town Hall driveway, Pastore said.

Around Town

New Canaan DPW: ‘Salt Is at a Premium Right Now’

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By Michael Dinan

New Canaan public works officials are focused on securing salt for clearing roads as Winter Storm Pax bears down on the region. The National Weather Service is calling for accumulations of up to a foot or more in New Canaan, with heavy snow and sleet falling throughout Thursday. Tiger Mann, assistant director and senior engineer in the New Canaan Department of Public Works, said the entire region is seeing salt shortages. “We’re working on it,” Mann said. “Salt is at a premium right now.”

The weather service says snow will develop “late tonight and continue during the day Thursday before tapering off Thursday night.” Dangers include not just treacherous roads but also the dangers of flat rooftops and trees—many still carrying snow from last week’s storm—collapsing beneath the weight of sleet and snow.