After nearly 5 years, there’s finally some action on the William F. Cribari Bridge.
The state Department of Transportation is preparing a long-overdue environmental document. It will examine many issues pertaining to the 133-year-old swing span over the Saugatuck River.
It will include a “preferred alternative” — probably, a replacement.
When the document is published, there will be public hearings and comments. DOT will then forge ahead.
Yesterday, the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization moved ahead with an endorsement for a $4.1 million addition to the DOT’s Transportation Improvement Plan for the design phase for the bridge.
William F. Cribari Bridge (Photo/Sam Levenson)
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Hot off the mic!
Rabbi Jeremy Wiederhorn of TCS recently returned from a trip to Israel, with Rabbi Michael Friedman of Temple Israel, and congregants from the 2 synagogues.
Soon after he returned, Rabbi Wiederhorn sat with 1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker, for the Y’s Men’s “Westport … What’s Happening” podcast.
Click below to listen to their informative, emotional conversation.
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Spring and summer Westport Parks & Recreation Department program offerings are now viewable online.
There will be 2 online registration dates.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 for Camp Compo and RECing Crew only.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 6 for all other spring and summer programs.
Officials urge residents to login in to their online account to verify family information.
In the profile, choose “Manage Family Member” on the bottom right. Then, on the “My Family Members” page, click on the first name in the column. Verify date of birth, and the correct grade (as of December 31, 2024). Then hit “save.”
Unable to log in? Email recreation@westportct.gov or call 203-341-5152. Office hours are weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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The Westport Fire Department responded with 4 fire engines, 1 ladder truck and the shift commander to a fire last night on Burr Farms Road.
First arriving companies found heavy smoke coming from the garage. Entry was made, and firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
All occupants safely evacuated the house. There were no injuries.
The WFD reminds everyone to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in their homes. Homeowners were alerted to this fire by a smoke detector.
Westport EMS and Police assisted on scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Aftermath of the Burr Farms Road fire.
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Dave Brubeck — a longtime area resident who earned a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, before his death in 2012 a day before his 92nd birthday — lives on.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is set for a special fundraising event March 9, (Westport Library). Proceeds support the Library’s vast array of free programs and offerings.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet is led by Chris (bass and trombone) and Dan Brubeck (drums), sons of the jazz legend. They recorded their first record in 1966. Rounding out the group is guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb.
They have performed across North America and Europe, including Newport, Detroit, Montreal, The Hollywood Bowl, and Monterey Jazz festivals.
General admission tickets are $75. VIP tickets ($125) include a pre-event reception with the Brubeck family and gifts, including a vinyl LP exclusive pressing of “Time OutTakes,” featuring previously unreleased takes from the original Brubeck masterpiece “Time Out” — the first jazz album to sell 1 million copies.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
Brubeck Brothers Quartet
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Next up in the Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand series: “The Trip To Bountiful” (March 11, 7 p.m.).
Carrie Watts dreams to escape the city, and return to simpler times in her beloved Bountiful, Texas. On her risky journey she encounters kindness and compassion — and makes a remarkable discovery about the true meaning of home.
Click here for tickets ($30), and more information.
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Also at the Playhouse: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musical “Cinderella” — originally seen on Broadway in 2013 — is set for a limited run this weekend and next. Dates are February 17-25.
Click here for more information, including the all-star cast and tickets.
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MoCA Westport’s current “60s Mod” exhibition showcases iconic works by established artists, and submissions from high school artists who interpret the era.
One influential featured artist — and quite appropriate for Black History Month — is the late Richard Hunt. He pioneered using industrial machine imagery as a staple of modern art.
Inspired by modernism and abstract expressionism, the sculptor took to junkyard metals to recreate organic figures. His monuments to civil rights heroes include Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells.
At 35, he was the first African American to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, and the first to serve on the National Endowment for the Arts governing body. The MoMA has presented 12 exhibitions of his work.
MoCA Westport’s exhibition features a Hunt lithograph and serigraph. The Westport Arts Collection curated this exhibition, and has 21 other prints related to his 3-dimensional sculptures.
Click here for more information on the exhibit.
Richard Hunt, in his studio.
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In the 1940s, whist parties were all the rage in Weston. James and Cleora Coley — the last owners of the history Coley house — won many tournaments.
They return March 27 (6:30 p.m.), when the Weston History & Culture Center hosts its own event. That’s the site of the same Coley house where James and Cleora lived (and played).
The evening includes its card playing, and retro-inspired snacks and cocktails. Experienced players will be at each table of 4 to teach whist, and assist.
Tickets are $15 each; click here to purchase.
Whist!
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Snowmen linger all over Westport, after Tuesday’s storm.
This one — a bit the worse for wear (and warmer weather) entertains beachgoers at Old Mill:
(Photo/Jill McGrath)
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Meanwhile, today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature stars Anne Bernier’s tunnels and perches, made by her son and daughter (ages 15 and 10) for Toby (the dog). They stood yesterday, despite the melting snow.
Today will be mostly sunny, with a high of about 42. Saturday may bring snow showers.
(Photo/Anne Bernier)
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And finally … today is the 101st anniversary of Howard Carter’s unsealing of the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, as well as the birthdays of Sonny Bono (he would have been 89 years old) and Ice-T (66).
I’m pretty sure this is the first time in history that King Tut, Sonny Bono and Ice-T have appeared in the same sentence.
(“06880” is indeed “Where Westport Meets the World.” But we can’t do it without your support. Please click here, to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
Fix it and leave it. Do you tear down historical homes and other buildings?
Regretably yes we do
The Cribari bridge is iconic and historic, it should be refurbished and preserved!
That First Selectperson Tooker allowed the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization to move ahead with an endorsement for a $4.1 million addition to the DOT’s Transportation Improvement Plan for the design phase for the National Historic Landmark William Cribari Bridge without a clear CTDOT commitment to historical restoration and for limiting truck traffic is a hugh mistake.
Huge… as in really big… because it ignores the five decades long effort Westport’s residents exerted to save a cherished landmark and keep our residential neighborhoods safe.
I vote: keep the bridge (so long as it is safe for foot travel and current traffic load). It is a beautiful and picturesque bridge, and has the added benefit of keeping major traffic to a minimum. That road has become I-95 Part II due to waze, so precluding 18-wheelers, major construction vehicles, etc., from driving over it (and racing through the small residential neighborhood to get there) is a blessing.
One suggestion – make it so the crosswalk button actually does something. That can help the poor traffic cops who stand out there and freeze in the winter and get soaked in the summer, and risk there lives getting run down by impatient drivers who ignore them. Maybe they still stand there (hey if they like the job, keep it up) but with the help of a crossing light that actually does something, I’ll feel safer with my kids there when they officers are not on duty.
Rsy Broady
As some may know I am trying to reach Westporters about the serious traffic issues that Westport faces today! I read the great attention some of the news about the future of the Cribari bridge that Dan inserts into the 06880 blog and we should be greatful.
The shortcomings on the information that has been distribributed on the true state of this great OLD landmark and at the same time the length of time it’s final solution is underway has thanks to that damn COVID and change in Westport administration has put a t becomes obvious how little and correct information and needed solution to far back. This delay, lack of prioritization and lack of enough information and actual disemmination to Westporters has in my humble opinion put this neccessary project in at risk of not really addressing all the issues that will be massively affected if the DOT and Westport officials and residents don’t make the ultimate outcome of this project planning and Cribari Bridge replacement a top priority and a success for all!
When I just read the comments on the Ctibari Bridge limited news one can see and read what a void there is in what any large group of Westport residents know about facts of the true condition and structural risk of bridge failure that could appear and how and what needs to be done to properly replace. No not just do repairs, to this great piece of Westport history and current and future key transportation infrastructure. Yes, it has already been majorly inspected and deemed structurally deficient!!
DOT wants snd needs to get this bridge designed and replaced and off their list of open and needed infrastructure projects.
This needed replacement is not project funding at risk . The new Bipartisan Infrastrucure Law already enacted and funded allow the State DOT to apply for and recieve whatever reasonable monies neede to make a new historical themed bridge replacement and associated street and highway replacements and repairs that this bridge replacement dictates.
I hope our DOT is using the funding vehicle to complete a great outcome.
Those who have commented already and are concermed about how and what happens to the Cribari Bridge if you need more proof of the precarious condition of this bridge please go online to the DOT active project source and read, study some of the inspection pictures and data and teports that truly show and define the delapedated condition of tje Cribari Bridge!
As for what kind of issues that are facing Westport with traffic problems especially in Saugatuck with already approved development this Cribari Bridge replacement becomes a major, major, major priority for keeping 18 wheeler semis off of Bridge street/Greens Farm road (yep a potential WAZE I95 REDIRECT in control, traffic moving across the only other Saugatuck River crossing in Westport, a safe pedestrian and bikeway for crossings this needs smart foresighted long term effective and minimumly disruptive progression and outcome!! Whew! To much to realize EH!
Westport needs to get involved, proactive and an operative participant in this DOT project. “Let’s Just Do It! ” Do it for Westport”!
DOT should build a new bridge and keep the old one for pedestrians and bikers. The bridge doesn’t need to open anymore.
Who owns The Weston History & Culture Center?
Dan,
You missed the second piece of funding First Selectperson Tooker signed Westport up for in the SWRPA meeting: it appears that our municipality has backed a request for a $12,000,000 “brownfield” cleanup grant for 3 “vacant” toxic laden properties owned by ROAN ventures/The Hamlet at Saugatuck… who are currently soliciting private equity investors.
Curious about the term “brownfield,” and why our town would apply for these clean up grants, I researched information about federal and state grants to clean up toxic sites.
For-profit entities such as ROAN are not eligible for brownfield clean up grants. See
https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/entities-eligible-receive-brownfield-grants
Only municipalities and municipal entities are eligible for state brownfield cleanup grants. See
https://portal.ct.gov/DECD/Content/Community-Development/03_Funding_Opportunities/Brownfields-Remediation/Brownfield-Municipal-Grant-Program
I understand the Hamlet project does not enjoy non-profit status, so perhaps government officials (in the interests of transparency) or other commenters can explain how Westport residents and taxpayers, our municipality, legitimately qualifies as a candidate for $12,000,000 in federal or state grants to subsidize ROAN ventures, and The Hamlet at Saugatuck?
Regarding the torrent of pork unleashed at WESTCOG this week, one could be forgiven for wondering why Westport, after all these years, would vote to transfer ANYTHING of value to DOT absent an agreement in principle to conserve the beloved Cribari Bridge – together with its important traffic metering qualities.
It’s not as if any adult with reasonable knowledge of the situation is in the dark about the DOT’s preferred outcome here. Like the main character in Green Eggs and Ham, we’ve been stalked and pestered and lectured (and vaguely threatened) ad nauseum by DOT about the wonders of the gianormous concrete span that it has wanted since the middle of the previous century.
So what has suddenly changed at the elected local leadership level? As our local government is a bit of a black box these days, we’re left to speculate. My sense is that the Hamlet investors – who appear to have just landed an astounding 12 million dollar handout courtesy of our First Selectwoman – are lobbying hard for a huge, new bridge.
It’s merely conjecture, but the dots are there. They may well be connected.
I second that Werner. And awesome fact checking links.
What is going on here ? This is the kind of skullduggery we all need to be aware of.
Transparency as always nowhere to be seen. This is OUTRAGEOUS. Same folks hoping nobody would notice this pillage.
What is this all about.. fyi, unanimously endorsed ?!
By what justification.
They ROAN bought them ( the buildings in full knowledge they needed remediation. ) no matter how much garbage is in that ground to remediate, it is on the buyers, ROAN, to do so at their expense. And not a single cent of tax payers money.
Last I checked the town of Westports democratic majority by a landslide opposes this monstrous build called the hamlet.
This is a disgrace.
Does nobody remember the hamlet zoom calls.? I do ! Only fans were the developers, investors and their buddies.
The rest of us were aghast.
I believe the meetings were recorded.
This gift for the chosen few and screw everybody else MUST STOP.
We are the ones who would foot that money ! In its entirety.
So lesson here . ENOUGH ! And STOP THIS.
Get around the rules to build something 5x bigger than allowed by using 8-24g as the stick to beat us with. Then cleverly recruit town residents to invest in it, in the sneakiest way possible. Literally unbelievable. The final insult looking to achieve the affordable housing portion off site, god forbid they might have to use their better located apartment’s on site as intentioned. , 25% for low income.
Still only have a few of the names of investors there, but more will come.
And needless to say there will be no surprises !