This post could be written by nearly any Westporter.
It’s not unique, or even unusual. It’s simply another day in our town.
But misery loves company. So, a reader writes:
Early this evening I sat in standstill, gridlocked rush hour traffic getting off I-95 Exit 17.
I am astounded by the number of choke points, and truly concerned about the state of things to come. With 2 large housing developments green-lighted, I can’t imagine what awaits us.
A familiar traffic map (4:15 p.m. Thursday).
Waiting to reach Saugatuck Avenue, I watched cars go straight from the left turn only lane, a truck use the left turn only lane to make a right turn, and painstakingly crawled along waiting to reach the light at Saugatuck Avenue.
This delay was not caused by construction on the I-95 bridge. Nor was it holiday weekend or summer traffic. It’s not even beach weather yet.
This is just an ordinary Wednesday.
Perhaps the situation could be improved with a “right turn only” lane constructed where the current grassy border exists. A traffic officer would be helpful, or some sort of physical barrier to prevent opportunistic lane hopping. Something, however, must be done.
The promised land? Not quite.
Reaching the light at Saugatuck Avenue was gratifying, yet only the first completed challenge in my quest to reach the Cribari Bridge.
Next I drove along Charles Street, by railroad parking and Luciano Park. It felt like I was maneuvering in a video game, as cars on either side sought to merge into the lane of traffic.
At the next green light, I had to wait. And wait. Metro-North must have deposited commuters wanting badly to come home. They obstructed the intersection as they inched themselves in position onto Charles Street. Several cycles of waiting at green lights ensued.
A driver makes a right turn on red from Railroad Place onto Charles Street, despite traffic inching forward.
Eventually, I made it through the light. Second challenge completed.
Continuing on Charles Street, I inched toward the light at the intersection of Riverside Avenue. Cars coming from the train station were backed up and inserted themselves into the intersection despite their red light.
Finally I was through.
Next, I drove on Riverside Avenue, needing to manage the cars that had availed themselves of Ketchum Street as a way to avoid the Charles Street shenanigans.
Good for them, yes. But once they entered the fray at Riverside, they backed up people waiting behind them and blocked traffic in both directions. Ah, courtesy.
Merging onto Riverside Avenue, from the Ketchum Street “shortcut.”
At last, the traffic officer by Cribari Bridge. As she waved me to turn right and cross the bridge, I felt like she had given me a Get Out of Jail Free card.
It had only taken 25 minutes to reach this point after getting off at Exit 17. Success!
Until I reached the backup at the intersection of Bridge Street and Imperial Avenue….