Government

Selectmen Approve Traffic-Calming Work at Conrad and Whiffle Tree

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The Board of Selectmen last week approved an approximately $87,000 contract with a New Canaan-based company to further improve a closely watched and historically problematic intersection in the “South of the Y” neighborhood. The town had several stops and starts since it began focusing on relieving high-volume traffic and speeding at the intersection of Conrad Road and Whiffle Tree Lane, including a proposal to install a “mini-roundabout” and a short-lived experiment involving a barricade that drew criticism from residents. Last year, town officials striped the intersection into a three-way stop, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. “That was after multiple discussions with the residents and the Police Commission,” Mann told members of the Board of Selectmen during their April 15 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. 

He continued: “We turned it into a three-way stop with temporary striping to show everyone the delineation of where these—I’ll call it a ‘bumpout’—but it’s basically bringing the intersection in, honing it down to make it a true three-way intersection and not allow you to cut the corners on the tangents. So in order to do so, we’ve got to install some drainage on each corner of each bumpout.”

First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Selectmen Steve Karl and Amy Murphy Carroll voted 3-0 in favor of the $86,767.50 contract with Peter Lanni Inc. to complete the work.

Government

Town Ups Contract with Provider After Rise in Bench Donations

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Town officials say that New Canaan is seeing an unusually high number of requests from residents who purchase honorific or memorial benches dedicated to loved ones. Typically, the Department of Public Works receives donations from locals who purchase benches and then the town itself assembles and places them in a location that makes sense—for example, in a park. This year, “we’ve actually had more than we normally have,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The benches in public places—which are consistent throughout New Canaan, following a Parks & Recreation Commission initiative in 2018—cost about $1,700 each and are purchased through a Gaithersburg, Md.-based company called Country Casual Teak, Mann told members of the Board of Selectmen at their April 15 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. Normally, the town’s highest elected official, First Selectman Dionna Carlson, approves the purchases herself because the total comes to less than $10,000.

Amy Murphy Carroll

Pedestrian Railing Coming to Front of Playhouse To Help with Tripping Issue

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Because visitors to The Playhouse have had problems tripping off of the small concrete platform right out front, the town is planning to install a railing at the platform’s edge. The hope is that the railing will serve as a visual demarcation between the concrete and brick sidewalk below, according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. The railing itself also will be required by code with a new pedestrian ramp that’s going in on the right-hand side of the building, Mann said. “We’re still having issues with some residents not navigating from the platform down to the brick sidewalk,” Mann told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held Tuesday at Town Hall and via videoconference. “They’re not able to understand from the concrete to the brick.

Government

Selectmen OK Funds for Work at Transfer Station Incinerator Building

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The Board of Selectmen at its most recent meeting approved about $28,000 to work on a former incinerator building at the Transfer Station, including removal of one stack. The selectmen at their March 25 meeting also approved funds to patch the roof of the building and relocate a radio antenna used by Department of Public Works vehicle operators. “We have two incinerator buildings,” Public Works Director Tiger Mann said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “This is the one that houses the salt area and the Swap Shop. It was decommissioned in the ‘90s.

Government

Waveny’s ‘South Avenue Trail’ To Be Reconstructed

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A heavily used trail in New Canaan’s most popular park is set to see major improvements. 

The Board of Selectmen last week approved an $87,880 contract with Norwalk-based company to reconstruct the pedestrian trail that runs parallel to South Avenue from the main entrance to Waveny to Farm Road. The new trail will be made of a “mixture of pea stone and a three-eighths-inch stone which gives us that nice look and that nice feel on every other trail that we’ve done with the [Waveny Park] Conservancy,” according to Public Works Director Tiger Mann. He referred to a nonprofit organization that works to keep up and improve the park. “So now this is our [the town’s] stretch,” Mann told the selectmen during their March 25 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “So we’re looking to do this as well in the same material.