There’s a selectperson’s race in the fall. One issue: a state Department of Transportation plan to replace the bridge over the Saugatuck River.
That’s this year’s scenario. But history repeats itself. The same events played out 40 years ago, in 1985.
This summer, Longtime Westporter (and Bridge Street resident) Werner Liepolt discovered a 4-decade-old t-shirt during a closet cleanout. He writes:
In the summer of 1985, crowds of Westporters wearing “Preserve the Bridge/Save a Neighborhood” t-shirts attended DOT meetings, protested on the bridge, and called for Westport’s candidates for first selectperson to protect a neighborhood and its residents from the irreparable harm threatened by a plan to replace the bridge and allow tractor trailer traffic an unobstructed route through residential Saugatuck.
Vintage 1985 t-shirt, designed by Bill Bell.
Republican candidate Bill Seiden and his Democratic opponent Marty Hauhuth both weighed in.
On August 9, 1985, the Norwalk Hour reported: “First Selectman Bill Seiden asked [CTDOT] to restore and repair the bridge rather than enlarge it which would allow tractor trailers to traverse the state route. He said that the public in general have justifiable fears that a bridge built for such a loading [10 tons & up] will encourage the use of 18-wheelers through our residential streets.
“Preserve The Bridge/Save A Neighborhood” supporters: Top row (left to right): Former 1st Selectwoman Jacqueline Heneage, Andy Ackemann, Marty Hauhuth, Sylvia Kamerow. Front: Bobbi Liepolt, Jordan Liepolt, Lorna Christopherson. (Westport News photo, courtesy of Woody Klein’s “Westport, Connecticut: The Story of a New England Town’s Rise to Prominence”)
His opponent, Hauhuth, acknowledging the neighborhood’s history. said: “The Saugatuck community has already almost been destroyed by one monstrous highway [I-95] and we cannot accept any bridge that would again create such monstrous approaches and desecration of homes.”
Hauhuth was dedicated, and more convincing. The “Preserve The Bridge/Save a Neighborhood” group endorsed her, and helped her defeat the incumbent, Seiden.
In the ensuing decades:
- CTDOT restored the bridge.
- Westporters ensured its National Register status, as the oldest operable pin-connected swing bridge in America.
- Our state representatives blessed it with the name of beloved local traffic policeman, William F. Cribari.
- Route 136, from the bridge up Compo Road South, is now a designated State Scenic Highway, thanks to John Suggs, Helen Garten, Wendy Crowther and Morley Boyd.
- The Westport Historic Commission worked successfully with the State Historic Preservation Commission to designate the Bridge Street neighborhood — including the Cribari Bridge — as a National Register District.
Forty years later 35 more home owners reside in The Saugatuck (formerly Saugatuck Elementary School), Westport’s first cooperative affordable housing project. It opened in 1988.
And now there are 8 more families in newly built homes on the street leading to the bridge. More kids wait for school buses, bike, walking dogs, and wave to boats passing through the open bridge.
The open Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Whitmal Cooper)
In “Westport, Connecticut: The Story of a New England Town’s Rise to Prominence,” author Woody Klein reported Hauhuth’s sense of satisfaction with her service as first selectperson, stopped in traffic, waiting for the bridge to close:
A group of people gathered and it was delightful. There were people waving from a sailboat in the water. It was a wonderful, marvelous, small town summer scene. As Bob and I were watching somebody behind us said, “The town did the right thing in keeping this bridge. It’s wonderful.” That made me feel as good as anything I did as first selectman.
The Westporters wearing the t-shirts felt pretty wonderful too. We look back on the work that just needed a shirt to get started, and it makes us feel as good as anything we did.
However, not only did we find the preserved shirt, we found the silk screen used to print it.
Will a 2025 edition be needed for the coming election and CTDOT hearings?
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I love Westport. It is such a great community. On top of the list is high rating of schools along with the best police, firefighters and EMS in the state of CT. Appreciate them, because it’s not the status quo in other cities and towns.
all that needs to be added to that shirt is….
Preserve the Bridge/ Save a neighborhood
“2nd and Final Act”….Unfortunately, once you take state an/or Federal dollars…you are subjected to DOT standards which are much different then they were in 1985. Very slippery slope.
Here in the Greens Farms section of Westport, we can always tell when there’s a delay on I-95 near Exit 18 because the tractor-trailers are out, detouring onto the Post Road. It’s bad enough as it is now. It would be horrible if that traffic was on Greens Farms Road instead.
Joyce, Before 1958, before the Connecticut Turnpike, ALL traffic passed through Westport on the Post Road.When Yale had a sporting event, you couldn’t walk across the Post Road it was so crowded with traffic.
yes!!
Love that bridge but it’s days are numbered. Between the eventual Hamlet development, the continued congestion and development on the Post Road, and everyone following directions from a computer in their phone, it’s just a matter of time before there are trucks on Greens Farms Road.
Dan, I think you had a column on this in the Westport News back in ’85 or perhaps a bit thereafter, where you praised the virtues of the temporary bridge that had been set up to accommodate traffic while the bridge was being rehabilitated.
Great memory, Aaron. I think the temporary bridge (which was near where the Bridge at Saugatuck restaurant parking lot is now) was a few years later — early 1990s?
Yes. Early 1990s. That makes more sense actually.
The temporary bridge did indeed follow the 1985 election. The restoration Hauhuth negotiated removed the superstructure to Exit 17 where it was stripped and restored. A temporary bridge served traffic fairly well and set people on the way after crossing the parking lot where the evergreens now stand.
The plan that First Selectperson has given CTDot the green light on doesn’t appear to have a temporary bridge. There will be three years of construction with detours for the 16000 vehicles that use the bridge daily. The detours are (1) I-95 exits 17 and 18. (2) Riverside Ave-Post Road-South Compo. CTDOT indicates the detour will add 11 minutes to your drive.
A temporary bridge would eliminate The Bridge at Saugatuck’s parking lot, and this is a developer friendly plan (granted at the same Western Connecticut Council of Governments meeting as Roan was given a shot at $12,000,000 in grants).
This is not a resident friendly plan as it puts school kids at the 16 bus stops per day in danger from I-95 tractor trailer particulate exhaust and reckless driving, increases health risks for the elderly residents of the one affordable housing opportunity Westport offers, and will draw not decrease more traffic off I -95
Check out the CtDot Cribari Bridge Project web page and draw your own conclusions.
Save the bridge!!!!
Save Cribari Bridge.
It is the oldest surviving movable swing truss bridge in Connecticut (1884). It received national historical designation in 1987. It is a traffic calming device, it is not obsolete and serves a limited purpose (by height and weight).
However, while CTDOT is eager to replace with a design similar to Olde Mystic, with the huge concrete weights elevated in the air, CTDOT has restored bridges in Connecticut, keeping with the aesthetics and iconic cultural fabric, but charm.
Bulls Bridge, Lovers Leap Bridge, Cornwall Bridge, and Falls Village Bridge have all been replaced or restored with the same visual aesthetics. The Historic Boardman Bridge in New Milford was closed, and another bridge was built next to it.
Even if a bridge of the magnitude CTDOT is imagining would be built, the narrow roads, dual sidewalks, and protruding corners could not handle the standard tractor trailer size. Low bridge heights by the train would restrict, making the turn from Charles onto Saugatuck, or Riverside onto Saugatuck or Treadwell would be arduous next to impossible.
It is also a scenic roadway, correct me if I am wrong.
Restore the bridge, or replace with exact same design with current 13’1 height, and wider to accommodate cyclists, walkers (ADA five foot) and more mirror room (IFKYK).
Correct on the scenic highway designation… and your list of bridges CTDOT has restored is an eye-opener.
Personally, I love calm traffic. But anyone that loves calm traffic has to accept what periodically comes along with traffic calming efforts namely, horrendous traffic when there are problems on regular roadways. Doesn’t help that Westport is one big traffic calming bottleneck crossing the Saugatuck.
A few weeks ago, Connecticut DOT tried to sell the residents of Stonington a huge frankenbridge as a replacement for their existing, vintage span. It didn’t go well. At all. Essentially, the agency was run out of town after enduring withering criticism from an auditorium packed with angry residents.
Westport has a long and proud history of standing up for its Cribari Bridge – and defending residents from the corrosive nature of all that would come with a bridge that accommodates tractor trailers.
In the coming weeks, I will be paying very close attention to the statements made by the candidates for Selectman about this important issue. No wilted word salad responses, please.
I was a co-owner of the Mansion Clam House (now The Bridge) when the temporary span was put up. It only impacted the extreme southern end of the lot. Basically to the right of the entrance driveway. That temporary bridge actually worked really well. Dan an aerial photo of the bridge exists. Pretty interesting.
I loved the Mansion Clam House as well as the Clam Box.
I’m with you Jack. The Mansion Clam House was at various times owned by our next door neighbor on south Compo as well as a SHS ‘71 classmate, Dave Eason. I miss it as much as anyone. The Clam Box was where I would go with my teammates at Staples to the annual SHS sports banquet. I wrestled for Coach Saul Pollack. One year and I switched to choral music and Orphenians because the practices were less stressful. I did, however, find the wrestling experience useful on Saturday night at the submarine races at Compo beach.
I have an idea: Why don’t you suggest that Dan organize a “Welcome to Westport!!!” newcomers guide that can feature all these great restaurants and businesses that we remember so well. Just be sure NOT to reveal that they’re no longer in business. This will puzzle the developers such as ROAN and they will leave for a location that makes more sense. If you want to discuss the details I’m having a sauna party at Compo on Sunday. The nice ladies from “Don’t Sweat It” will be demonstrating their new portable sauna business and I’ll be showing off my youthful physique (GLP-1). I’ll be there to “meet and greet” and we can catch up on old times.
We can eat our cake and have it too. Raise the Cribari bridge with a flight of stairs at each end and make it a pedestrian and gathering place bridge with space for a few vendors (maybe) and have a new bridge along side it (like that terrific temporary bridge we had that was higher and smoother and a lot of us could not believe it was taken down). Save the bridge. .it’s a landmark… just make it for pedestrians.
This bridge is the oldest, still operable bridge of its type IN THE NATION. One hundred and forty years worth of Westporters have crossed its length on horses, in wagons, on trolleys, then in vehicles powered by gas and now batteries. Our beloved great-grandma is still functioning well, and she is still telling us her wonderful stories about the past. No look-alike, supersized version can replace her diminutive grace, gentle voice and sweet demeanor. She’s got lots more life in her, especially if helped with routine, restorative maintenance. Don’t let CTDOT dig her grave and push her in alive.
I’m a relative new comer to the Saugatuck area. I live on Bridge St and the traffic has increased significantly in 4 years. During the congested traffic times it is dangerous and often difficult to get out of your driveway. Thank you for this wonderful informative article. I love the history and character of the bridge and area. Restore and maintain the beautiful Caribari bridge.
Do we know which candidates for First Selectman, support restoring the bridge as opposed to replacing it?
I’m with you, John. Who is going to be the first candidate to step up and state their position? To the three campaigns: I know you guys are all monitoring this. How about it? Now is as good a time as any.
If the Cribari Bridge is replaced with one that can accommodate even more spillover traffic from I-95–it will be a disaster for Westport. And it just boggles my mind that the current administration hasn’t recognized this and hasn’t stepped up to help stop this travesty. I echo those who are calling upon the candidates to state exactly what they will do about the bridge.
Agreed…
Residents need a clear picture of the decision making that our First Selectperson has to undertake with the state. I, for one, would like a better understanding of how the vital concerns of Westporters living near the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) garage—whose houses are now exposed due to a clear cutting of trees —were completely overlooked by the current administration, what went wrong, and how the next Selectperson won’t let that happen.
A similar analysis is warranted in the abrupt way a CTDOT Planning Advisory Committee was blindsided by the sudden release of $4,000,000 to study the replacement of the Cribari Bridge by the First Selectwoman in March 2024 and then confronted with a panel of CTDOT personnel completely ignorant of previous discussions, whose decision to replace the Bridge ignored all of the Committee’s recommendations at a “by invitation” meeting this past May.
Those who were in the room for these and other controversial decisions need to explain what went on and how things will be different.
Those who desire office in the next election, who want to be in the room, need to provide convincing evidence that voters’, taxpayers’ and residents’ concerns will not be ignored when the doors are closed.
Republican Jim Marpe and Democrat Marty Hauhuth both listened to the people of Westport and protected and preserved the bridge in their day and time. Who amongst the three BOS candidates will pick up this bipartisanship leadership torch and save our bridge and our neighborhoods from the 18 wheelers?
i will definitely buy and…wear a t Shirt!!!