The Western Connecticut Council of Government and South Western Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization have endorsed a state Department of Transportation request for $4.1 million for the right of way and design phase of rehabilitation or renovation of the William F. Cribari Bridge. (Click here to read the draft report.)
Public input is invited in several ways:
- A Zoom meeting this Thursday (March 14, noon). The meeting ID is 835 3614 6030.
- A meeting this Tuesday (March 12, 7 p.m., Ferguson Library, Stamford).
People wishing to speak at either meeting should email plan@westcog.org. Include your name and the subject you will speak on.
Comments on the bridge project can also be emailed to plan@westcog.org, sent to Western Connecticut Council of Governments, 1 Riverside Road, Sandy Hook, CT 06482, or phoned in to 475-323-2071. The deadline is noon on April 1.
William F. Cribari Bridge (Photo/Fred Cantor)
=================================================
MoCA Westport is gearing up for spring and summer.
Among the offerings:
- Recess Art Camps (April 15-19, ages 4-7)
- Artisan Workshop Series
- Paint Nights for Teens (Fridays, 6:30 to 8 p.m.)
- Paint Nights for Adults (Thursdays, 5:45 to 7:15 p.m.)
- Summer Art Workshops for Kids (ages 8-12)
- Camp MoCA
For information on these programs and other MoCA events, click here.
MoCA Westport
==================================================
Four Westport artists — all anti-gun violence advocates, and part of the current “In Our Hands: Gun Culture in America” exhibit at Bridgeport’s Metro Studios — will discuss their work this Sunday (March 10, 2 p.m.).
Miggs Burroughs, Darcy Hicks, Daniel Recinos and Tammy Winser share their thoughts, influences and processes.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted to benefit Sandy Hook Promise and Street Safe Bridgeport.
The exhibit runs through March 16.
==================================================
The Westport Weston Family YMCA’s 8th annual golf tournament is May 20, at Aspetuck Valley Country Club.
Funds raised will benefit their financial assistance program, which last year provided support to over 400 families.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
==================================================
One of the most popular “06880” features is photos of Westporters who think they can park anywhere they want.
But they’re not our only entitled neighbors (or, perhaps, ourselves). Consider this person, who was considerate enough to pick up his pooch’s poop (odds are, someone was watching), yet could not be bothered to dispose of it properly.
(Photo/Molly Alger)
And we wonder why kids don’t clean their rooms …
==================================================
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will require 12,000 signatures to get on the Connecticut presidential primary ballot, as an independent candidate.
Alert “06880” reader Jan Carpenter knows he is a controversial figure.
But, as volunteers fan out with petitions, she says: “This is democracy in action.”
When volunteers in Westport ask for signatures, she hopes residents will be kind.
“If you don’t approve, they will simply thank you and allow you to get on with your day,” she says. “If you sign, they will thank you as well. If you sign, you are not committing to vote for anyone in particular this fall. You are simply signing to endorse democracy and choice.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
==================================================
The weather hasn’t been great for humans these past few days.
But some creatures don’t mind at all. Michael Fortuna spotted today’s “Westport … Naturally” models on Saugatuck Shores.
(Photo/Matt Fortuna)
==================================================
And finally … Steve Lawrence died Thursday in Los Angeles. He was 88, and suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.
In a long career, including with his wife Eydie Gorme, he “kept pop standards in vogue long past their prime and took America on musical walks down memory lane,” the New York Times says. Click here for a full obituary.
(More meh weekend weather — and another chance to contribute to “06880.” Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
In Our Hands….What these…artists… who bemoan gun rights don’t seem to understand is that a gun is an inanimate object. The gun is a tool that can be used for good or evil. Just like a knife, a rock, or even an airplane. Plus, all of these infringements on the Second Amendment don’t stop any evil being done with guns. Notice how many shootings you hear about (in areas like Bridgeport) are being done by gang bangers (who usually live off the books with Auntie or Grandma in low-income housing) charged with “illegal possession of a firearm”. Now, how does that keep happening? How do criminals who don’t have the right to carry keep getting those darn guns?! This may come as a shock, but criminals (by definition) do not obey laws.
See, everyone? There certainly is no racism in Westport!!
Frank, that’s an interesting comment because I didn’t mention race, you did.
Your first amendment rights are not unlimited. Is that an “infringement”? Are you suggesting that there should be no laws in this country determining how firearms are sold and that those laws are also “infringements”? You have to have a driver’s license to drive a car, is that an “infringement”?
Russell, the proscriptions against certain types of speech are limited to those which put people in physical danger, such as screaming “fire!” in a crowded theatre. Unfortunately, a certain amount of common sense is necessary to interpret the Constitution and other laws. As I have noticed, there seems to be a dearth of common sense these days, particularly from The Left. Your highly sensitive feelings should not be taken into account in abridging someone else’s speech. ❄️
No, proscriptions against certain types of speech are not limited to those that put people in physical danger. Just ask Trump. His big mouth just cost him $92M.
With 400 million firearms in circulation, you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone that your 2A rights are are being infringed. But go ahead, make my day.
With any luck, you will be banned from 06880.
Would you rather be faced with a gun or knife? Which kills more in a short period of time and from a longer range?
Would more or less kids at Sandy Hook been killed by a gun or knife?
Personally, I would rather be faced with a knife and a knife wound than an AR-15 wound. Ask any ER doctor!
I would rather there be some tough, armed Veteran guards (with those big, bad, AR-15s) to protect these kids from psychopaths. Psychopaths like that transgender who shot up that Christian school in Nashville… lest we forget. Notice how these psychos always “aim” for the gun-free zones, just ask James Holmes on how he picked the movie theatre to shoot up, Stephanie.
I think what you’re saying is that a good guy with a gun will stop a bad guy with a gun. And yet a team of heavily armed law enforcement in Uvalde dawdled for almost an hour while children were shot to bits. Heavily armed secret service surrounded Ronald Reagan. How’d that work out? And oh yes, let’s not forget the heavily armed secret service forces protecting JFK. Oops. Many schools have on campus police force and almost none have prevented mayhem from occurring. And what exactly does one’s sexual identity have to do with it? Got anymore good ideas?
Those cowardly cops were not good guys. They protected themselves while those kids died. Yeah, on that note did you get tickets yet to see your boy Hinckley? I think he’s doing a little music show right up the road- maybe Tom will be your date.
I wonder who let Hinckley out of prison? If we’re trying to prevent gun violence, perhaps the people shooting other people all the time should be left in prison. But Democrats just keep on letting them out…
I bring up her “transgender” identity because being transgender is a mental illness. I’d also be curious to see how many of these school shooters had prescription drugs and/or marijuana in their systems. If you get your hands on that information, Russell, you let me know.
You know why they were cowardly? Because they didn’t want to confront a madman heavily armed with an AR15 the NRA, the GOP and people like you made damn sure he could get his hands on.
Your slurs that transgender is a mental illness and accounts for this tragedy are just plain ugly. Be sure and tell your friends and neighbors that are trans that they’re mentally I’ll. What’s your diagnosis?
Would the armed guards’ arms bulge in their tight-fitting T-shirts? Would they have Glocks in their cargo pants, too, or are they just happy to see Victoria Wylie? Who doesn’t enjoy the erotic fantasies of a MAGA moll?
Tom’s little blue pill is kicking in.
Not familiar. Tell me more.
I hope so Tom! It sounds like we’re fantasizing about those manly men! 😉😜😍
*we’re both
What does a person’s sexuality have to do with a mass shooting? Are you saying all transexuals will become violent mass shooters? With that Trumpian logiv, all white males are a danger to us all!
Wow! The fact that we would NEED AR-15’s at every school in Murica! Such PRIDE! Make Murica Grrrrrrreeeeat again!
Frank: well said. The same for bullying. It’s all around us. Sometime it’s not as obvious as Victoria’s comment, but it always there. And it’s not just with young people or in schools, it also towards adults, by adults , in business around town, and in the community at large. Very sad.
When Trump makes fun of stuttering and people laugh and cheer, and they are the ones who want to control public schools and get rid of the board of Education!
Anyone voting for Trump has NO say in school bullies!
Well I guess either I am not paying attention, but it seems strange that local online news and blogs for Westport are just now getting the date, time and place for the public information meeting on March 12 @ 7:00 -8:00 pm in Stamford at the Stamford main library out to Westport residents on the Cribari bridge replacement project were Westport residents and others can request permission to make a comment on this project.
I just requested that I be given time to make a comment on this project. At this late date and only a 1 hour time for the entire meeting covering multiple projects and issues does not seem as though I may be allowed time for a comment.
Sometimes situations like this give me and I am sure others the thought that these officials and agencies do not want any public comments to derail their implementation of projects like this?
The Cribari Bridge replacement project is a major project for the town and residents of Westport and that project will affect Westport now and over the years to come. Seems like this meeting should have been held in Westport and better public notice given to Westporters well in advance of 4-5 days! UGH!
One question/comment I will ask DOT and the State officials is why this project is not being undertaken and fully 100% funded by the new federal BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTUR LAW that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden.
This multi-trillion dollar funding has a direct multi billion dollar allocation for States, Towns and cities to replace bridges in need of replacement with a one project, one funding for multi-million dollar projects such as the Cribari Bridge with 100% of the funding supplied under this new law and no costs to the state DOT except for that agency to plan, design, and administrate the building of such a bridge project. Why should Connecticut taxpayers and State funds be used when our state budgets are seriously constrained now and the funding for other needed state funded infrastructure require additional debt and bonds to finance?
This is exactly what this federal funds source was created for and it will cover the majority of all costs for a replacement of the Cribari Bridge where bridge replacement is an expedited funding is critical to proceeding.
Why is the STATE of Connecticut DOT and state officials and WESTCOG not taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity! Seems like they want to create more management, administration and cost to the beleaguered taxpayers of Connecticut instead!
Trust me folks most all other states and transportation agencies are jumping on this cash faster than you can spell cash!
Makes you wonder, EH!
I agree with Roy…
I don’t know if I have ever read a more Byzantine notice of an opportunity for public input on an extraordinarily important project… what’s going to happen to our National Landmark swing bridge.
We’re invited to go to a public hearing in Stamford at the Ferguson Library to comment on a long list of arcanely numbered projects (none of which is identified as the William F. Cribari Bridge). Or attend by zoom, or write a letter… yada, yada, yada.
I also agree that this project is so important to Westport’s history and future that the RTM ought to hold a meaningful public in-person forum with a theme of honesty and transparency and all elected officials in attendance.
A point that Roy missed is that this item is to fund CTDOT’s Right of Way study, Ie. Determining which commercial properties on the west side of the Saugatuck they will seize by eminent domain or right of way and which residential properties on the east side of the river (there are more than two dozen plus the 36 households in the Saugatuck) will be seized or encroached upon… whether for wider traffic lanes, bike lanes, or sidewalks.
N.B. This project, because it will use federal funds, CT DOT will design it to accommodate anything that is allowed on our federal highway, I-95. There will be no structural limit to truck traffic in a replacement bridge.
Well said, Werner. And thanks for clarifying that this is essentially about how much private property on Bridge Street, etc. will be seized by DOT in order to allow for a crossing that is accessible to “all lawful loads” – including, of course, tractor trailers. By the way, I believe you reached out to our RTM District 1 and 9 representatives about this. May I ask who had the courtesy to respond to your request for assistance?
I hope with your and others’ encouragement our intelligent and thoughtful representatives will do just that… represent their many long time constituents and introduce our many new families into the participatory nature of Westport politics.
There is cause for hope in this regard: one of the primary charges of the SWRPA is public health. The spill over traffic from I-95 is certainly a factor in the dangerously unhealthy air conditions many of our RTM have tried to mitigate. Presumably they are as concerned about the potential diesel pollution a truck carrying replacement bridge will generate as they are about gas powered leaf blowers
It is fascinating though not remotely surprising how when the purpose of these requests for funds is explained in lay man’s language by Werner, and by Ray we can all see precisely what is at stake.
I should think at a very minimum that Peter’s square, home to popular rainbow Thai and kawa ni, will be casualties, as well as the entire Parker mansion site.
Possible that might not be enough to build 2 lanes for tractor trailers and bike paths, walking paths.
I’m not sure if it can be stopped, but pretty galling to think about our tax dollars being spent on this study.
It makes you really wonder what is going on here.
Here’s another interesting comment I heard recently.
It pertained to jesup green parking by the river. It was talked about at a DPIC public meeting.
“Where were the taxis going to park at jesup green ? The ones that will transport the folks who arrive by boat to jesup green from the hamlet “.
Pretty clear the general idea here is to still have ferries moving from the hamlet in saugatuck to the downtown area, but boats can rarely fit under the cribari bridge and are tide dependent.
Soooooo one can conclude that supporters of the hamlet and its investors will be supporters of a new bridge which will offer boat access to the downtown.
In fact that might well be why this is coincidentally coming up at the same time as the hamlets hands out looking for 12m from wcog.
Makes you wonder eh…..
My thought for the Cribari Bridge replacement and its subsequent construction is as follows:
1. The last time the bridge was restructured a temporary bridge was built from the location of the Parker Steak house location on a gentler curve over to where the existing bridge ends at the north exit of the bridge on Bridge street.
2 When the old bridge was ready for repair and rework the new temporary bridge was connected on the North Bridge street end and that became the detour bridge which allowed traffic to continue without a long closure of the old bridge for it’s repairs and replacements.
3.
My idea here is to make the new Cribari Bridge replacement purchase the Parker Steak property and construct wider approaches and actual turn lane sections off of Saugatuck Ave to speed left and right turns onto the bridge. This new bridge street approach would cross and have the new historic look swing bridge and the associated in river constructs made without and interruptions to the Old Cribari Bridge and allow traffic crossings to continue uninterrupted.
3. When the new Cribari Bridge was constructed (as a 3 piece lift into place design ) with its look and feel to match the historic look of the original Cribari bridge. was completed the Old Cribari Bridge would be closed for a short time while the north end on the new bridge exit at it’s existing location and the roadway would blend into the same location as the existing old north exit of the bridge runs now. Then remove the old Cribari bridge and associated structures.
4. This would mean no problem with the final roadway impacting the homes and set backs or landscape areas at the north end approach.
5. One of the most important features of the new bridge and its historic preservation look would be that the clearance height of the overhead cross trusses across the new slightly wider bridge would be at a 12 foot height and restrict the bridge roadway to 2 lanes, with weight restrictions of 3 axles & 25 tons! This would preclude I95 reroutes of 18 wheelers that are 13″8″ tall and can weigh up to 40 tons.
(WAZE won’t like it but we don’t like what Waze has done to this area and the Bridge Street & Greens Farm Road!)
6. The new swing bridge will have new modern reinforced concrete shoresides , rotator base and in river structures with the new slightly taller clearance for in river closed position crossing of 8 feet at mean low water. The new road lanes would be 11 foot wide and a bicycle path on the east side outside the roadway edge of the deck and separated with a guardrail/railing. On the west side of the bridge separated by a guardrail/railing would be a pedestrian pathway.
7. This sample new look bridge design was actually already drawn up by DOT back in 2019 and includes this look, features and size.
8. This new metal truss bridge structure can be constructed with strong steel support beams with a concrete deck and an aluminum above deck truss structure to match and give the look of the original bridge and provide much longer life and lighter weight.
9. Lastly a final thought. this new bridge with three sections could be constructed offsite and barged into the Saugatuck river mouth and up the river through the railroad bridge lift section and up the river to be lifted and erected quickly onto the new Bridge and rotation base and shore structures.
10. There is a good solid start for how to keep the Historic look of the Cribari Bridge. Improve the inadequacies of the existing bridge approaches. Shorten and improve the new bridge construction. Eliminate a year or two closure of this river crossing while the take it out build it back and build a whole new temporary bridge bypass detour. Make sure that the homes and properties adjacent can be protected during construction, involve no moving or requiring any eminent domain actions.
This is solid plan town officials and local residents should ask and push the DOT to use as the best ways and methods to replace a wonderful historic landmark, help improve traffic safety and congestion on route 136 and end up with a wonderful replacement that will last another 150 years!
William Cribari would be proud!
Again I agree with Roy… mostly…
As a participating member of the Project Action Committee for the William F Cribari Bridge I learned because CTDOT must use federal funds, CTDOT must build a bridge that can handle any vehicle traveling on I-95.
Federal funds = tractor trailer trucks.
I have heard many people including RTM Mandell and Rep Steinberg suggest various methods of limiting truck traffic and always the response from CTDOT is the same.
If only…
Werner & others who think Westport or the DOT has no choice in the DOT being mandated to allow 5 axle 18 wheel 65 foot + trucks on a new replacement Cribari Bridge. The Federal bridge requirements and statutes require SAFETY! as the primary determiner. Putting these large semis on the Cribari Bridge is now restricted and not allowed as it can be so restricted on answer replacement bridge for safety entering and exiting this small bridge as well as putting these large lengthy trucks on Bridge Street and Greens Farms Road is a very unsafe and unnecessary requirement. The only reasons these trucks would be using a bypass for traffic congestion on I95 north is due to WAZE rerouting them for a short useless detour from exit 17 to exit 19. This Waze detour for a big semi truck would add no time or a safe route around I95 weekday backups. The DOT needs to address and correct with the new Federal Infrastructure funds and make instead changes at the I95 & Highway 8 (crazy slow loop transition to 8). This needed change on I95 will help eliminate a great deal of the I95 north evening backups between I95 exits 17 & 19. Maintaining required traffic roadway safety on a state highway like 136 at Bridge Street is the solution to what should be restricted on the Cribari Bridge, new or old!
NEVER SAY NEVER!
Roy, While you wander into the CTDOT weeds and suggest what CTDOT can and should do, you might find CTDOT’s Cribari Bridge project page useful.
CTDOT’s history of successes and failures on other projects mandates that our local politicians do lots of due diligence and that all dealings be public, honest, and transparent. That First Selectwoman Tooker failed to give participants in the CTDOT Project Action Committee a heads up that she was going to release the SWRPA funds for studying CTDOT’s needs and design proposals brought an abrupt end to a period of hibernation.
This 2018 Project Action Committee mandated that CTDOT explore three options:
1 Replace
2. Restore
3. Maintain
What Westport needs to do is ensure that SWRPA studies how CTDOT follows the mandate that grew out their consensus reaching meetings with nine representatives of local organizations over several months. (A history of the projects and the names and contact information of all those involved is here https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/Bridges/Project-Pages/Project-No-158214)
Specifically we need to know
CTDOT’s right of way needs
Whether the options CTDOT designs improve a bad traffic situation
Whether the options CTDOT designs affects our already bad air quality
SWRPA’s role, according to their charge, is to address public health, transportation needs, etc. and to make sure we don’t make a really terrible, expensive mistake.
A correction to the above:
I am reminded that I over-simplified the Project Action Committee’s agreed upon alternatives subject to study.
There are five, not three.
No Build
conservation
rehabilitation
on-alignment replacement alternative
off-alignment replacement alternative