Town officials on Tuesday approved an approximately $65,000 contract extension with a Norwalk-based company to repair two small sections of roads in residential neighborhoods.
One bumpy stretch of Sleepy Hollow Road in New Canaan. Credit: Michael Dinan
The $66,820 contract with FGB Construction includes the milling and paving of parts of Garibaldi Lane and Sleepy Hollow Road as well as about $5,000 for police protection during the work.
“We normally do not do small sections but these two sections warrant repair,” New Canaan Public Works Director Tiger Mann said during a regular meeting fo the Board of Selectmen, held at Town Hall.
The portion on Garibaldi essentially will finish off the road, which had been started from the Route 123 side but stopped at a narrow section toward Brushy Ridge Road “and since the rest of the road is in good shape, that is the last piece to have done,” Mann said.
“There is a large development going in there right, basically right at the terminus of this stretch, and all the prospective buyers that keep coming in are driving down a poor road to get a prospective half-million-dollar home to purchase, so we feel it would be in our best interests to take care of this section.”
The portion of Sleepy Hollow lies along the first 1,000 feet or so as that road comes off of Laurel, Mann said.
The $61,820 price from FGB is “favorable,” he said.
First Selectman Rob Mallozzi asked whether the two jobs represented the last work of this year (yes) and what kind of shape the road repair budget is in.
Mann said the town is in “very good shape in terms of the budget.”
“We always leave a certain amount of money as a set-aside in case there is a problem over the winter, we can attack it and not go back for additional funding.”
Mallozzi turned to Selectman Nick Williams and first selectman candidate Kit Devereaux, a guest at the meeting, and said: “You hear that Kit and Nick? You are going to be in good shape.”
Selectman Beth Jones noted that Garibaldi and Sleepy Hollow “both seem like pretty low-traffic roads” and asked, “Why do we need two policemen at those spots?”
Mann said he typically defers to the New Canaan Police Department in terms of traffic control, “but I do like to have badge and gun, to be honest, and the radio specifically—god forbid there is a problem.”
He said that cell service in the area of Sleepy Hollow can be lacking.
“I would suggest that one officer is enough for each,” Jones said.
Mallozzi said the board would take the matter up with New Canaan Police.
The board approved the contract 3-0.