Andrew Colabella is a Representative Town Meeting member. I-95 and Greens Farms Road run through his District 4. He has followed the Cribari Bridge renovation project closely. Andrew writes:
On December 18, Connecticut’s Department of Transportation held a “Section 106” meeting.
Engineers, and others involved in cultural resources, discussed the timeline of the Cribari Bridge design.
“Section 106” refers to public consultations held with respect to the National Historic Preservation Act. This federal law — which is utilized in the preservation, restoration and design of a new bridge — requires agencies to consider effects on historic properties for federally funded projects. The goal is to balance development, while preserving cultural heritage.
The Cribari Bridge is 144 years old … (Photo/Dan Woog)
The meeting was not entirely and correctly publicly noticed, as Valerie Seiling Jacobs and Werner Liepolt have done a phenomenal job publicizing.
Even people on the email list of those who originally sat on the Cribari PAC Bridge Committee, like myself, did not receive an email.
Many valid concerns were raised by residents from all over town about the height of the bridge off water, and height of the bridge for vehicles. There were concerns regarding traffic, navigability, signage, historic preservation and impact, the New England aesthetic, and accessibility for bicyclists and pedestrians.
… and is adjacent to the Bridge Street Historic District.
Third Selectman Don O’Day and I found a very interesting ban: “No Thru Trucks on Route 136.”
On August 21, 2007, the Connecticut State Traffic Commission ruled in favor of Rowayton, and implemented a “No Thru Truck” designation on Route 136. This finally happened 23 years after a Consent Decree was issued in Federal Court. The 1984 ruling required the state DOT and the city of Norwalk to “alleviate present levels of truck traffic through Rowayton along 136.”
Commissioner Mike Barbis and resident Andy Glazer began to seriously fight, starting in 2005. They were helped by Norwalk general counsel Peter Nolin, Norwalk Mayor Dick Moccia, Darien First Selectwoman Evonne Klein and Darien Police Chief Duane Lovello. The battle with the State Traffic Commission – an arm of the Connecticut Department of Transportation — went on for over 2 years.
The topic was eventually put on the agenda at the STC for a hearing on November 21, 2006. Engineering studies were subsequently conducted by CT DOT. On December 31, 2006, 2 of the 3 STC Commissioners retired.
On June 19, 2007 the STC was to rule on Rowayton’s application for a “No Thru Trucks” designation. Staff recommended against approval. The commission rejected staff’s recommendation, and instead tabled the request.
On August 21, 2007, after Rowayton hired their own counsel, Philip Walker, the State Traffic Commission finally ruled in Rowayton’s favor. They designated the Darien and Norwalk sections of Route 136 as a “No Thru Truck” zone.
Unfortunately, if trucks start or end their journey in Norwalk, the ban does not apply to them. The Norwalk Police Department cannot stop or ticket them, as they are not “thru” trucks under state law.
The key to the issue is Darien. Trucks use Exit 12 to get to and from Norwalk and I-95. To do so, they must go “thru” Darien on Tokeneke Road. The answer is to get Darien to enforce the “No Thru Truck” regulation.
If you know anyone who lives on or near Tokeneke Road, ask them to complain to the town of Darien and their Police Department.
Cribari Bridge connects Route 136 from the west and east banks of the Saugatuck River. To uphold the “no thru truck” traffic ban, an appropriate height would need to be applied.
In this case, the 14.3-foot height being proposed would not be acceptable —especially given that the majority of tractor-trailers have a standard 53-foot box and cab with length totaling roughly 80-85 feet. In addition, there is tight roadway space in Saugatuck, and limited heights of existing bridges such as the Metro North Bridges that are even shorter in height.
Along with height, aesthetics was agreed upon by those who participated in the meeting. Westporters and visitors love the design with the trusses, functioning or not. A redesign or replacement could incorporate permanent lighting on the bridge like many throughout the Northeast, such as the Kosciuszko in New York, and the Pearl Harbor Bridge in New Haven.
The Cribari Bridge connects Saugatuck (top) and Greens Farms.
The committee stated that they are currently 15% underway with design. That means that Westporters have an opportunity to voice your opinion and convey your thoughts, before the February meeting. (A specific date not yet been scheduled.
Click here to see all the documents presented in 2018. These officials oversee the project:
- Mandy.Ranslow@ct.gov
- Ashley.Heredia@ct.gov
- James.barrows@ct.gov
- Kevin.fleming@ct.gov
- Heather.Carpini-Prescott@ct.gov
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On February 12, 2024, Westport’s First Selectwoman released an announcement of the release of $4,100,000 in the State Transit Improvement Program to allow CTDOT to complete studies required for th restoration or replacement of the William F Cribari Bridge…
In part, the announcement promised, “The public meetings associated with the next phase of the Project, presenting of the draft EA/EIE [Environmental Assessment] , and finalizing the draft, will be shared widely via press releases.”
Almost two years have gone by and at the December 18, 2025 “invitational” meeting CTDOT personnel announced that the Bridge will be demolished and/or given away and a bridge allowing any vehicle that uses I-95 will replace it. CTDOT has provided zero announcements, minimal press releases and no public hearings.
That is why I started a petition asking for the Federal Highway Administration, our Congressial Representative, and our Senators to provide oversight and scrutiny for CTDOT’s Cribari Bridge Project. Over 700 signatories support this. Here is a link to the still-active petition:
https://c.org/rqSQyTQyhW
In addition to the haphazard and careless approach to ensuring Westporters’ rights to be heard, CTDOT has failed to assess or account for:
•The traffic and pedestrian safety issues their project will bring, In a jury trial last year CTDOT has been found guilty of causing a serious injury to a Westport child who was hit in a Bridge St. crosswalk CTDOT failed to maintain. On Bridge St, alone there are sixteen school bus stops per day. Children have had to cross the road between the bumpers of cars using Bridge St as an I-95 detour.
•The immediate and long term effects on the two dozen historic properties and the CT scenic highway in the immediate vicinity,
•The virtually guaranteed use of Greens Farms Rd and South Compo by 18 wheelers,
While I appreciate Dan and Andrew’s dig into the No Thru Truck zone on Rt 136 (Tokeneke Rd) in Darien and Norwalk… that controversy dragged out for two decades before the tenuous resolution it now enjoys.
The money released by Westport and WestCOG had been withheld by former First Selectman Jim Marpe. Why his successor didn’t hold CTDOT to his standard—show me the plans, show Westporters your plans, get their support—and withhold the money until there was an acceptable way to move forward is a mystery to me.
The “no thru trucks” on segments of 136 is interesting (given that it’s a state road – very unusual), as well as having a negative affect on surrounding roads and communities. For example, there is a “no thru trucks” ban on 136 going from Westport to Easton, and two things end up happening: about half of the trucks are routed around to Lyons Plain Rd. (and up some other tight back roads in order to get to 58) instead. This has destroyed the road completely, and it was repaved last year after having been repaved about 10 years before that, and also adds significant noise and dust along a residential road with many houses right on the street itself. Additionally, the other half of the trucks don’t care – they drive on 136 anyway, and there’s really no enforcement (kind of hard to prove that they’re not starting or finishing their journey somewhere along 136!). A group of us on Lyons Plain had met a year or so ago to try and “do something” about the noise, traffic, and speeding which has only increased. Among other potential solutions, one of the topics mentioned was the “no thru trucks” ban, but we were told it had to be handled at the state level.
I am guessing Ms. Tooker released the funds as she has political aspirations on the state level?
At the same time —2/14/24–she released $4,100,000 in State Transit Improvement Program money to CTDOT effectively removing Westporters’ voice ifrom the decision making process of the fate of the Cribari Bridge she incorrectly classified The Hamlet as a TOD, and signed off on a $12-million grant application for taxpayer funds to remediate contaminated sites Roan Ventures was considering for the luxury hotel development called The Hamlet ($4 million for each of three sites there) without any comprehensive traffic and environmental studies in a historically significant area where CTDOT has allowed severely dangerous pedestrian safety conditions and, for example, had to settle a $9,000,000 injury claim in a juried trial which for CTDOT criminally liable for negligence.
As Tooker has never explained her reasoning it remains a mystery.
A number of new petitioners have signed up, and I encourage new signatories who want all Westporters to have their say in the public hearings CTDOT has been avoiding but federal regulations insist on:
Please sign if you haven’t
https://c.org/xM7ZPdyV82