It’s not the Cribari Bridge, or the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.
In fact, most Westporters never even realized there was a bridge on Jesup Road at all.
But when 7 inches of rain rendered the bridge — really just a tiny bit of road a few yards from Imperial Avenue — too dangerous to use last month, Westporters suddenly realized how important that little shortcut is. (Click here for yesterday’s story about the replacement process.)
It’s a quick way to avoid the Post Road, on the way to the Library and Levitt Pavilion.
More importantly, it’s the quickest way for police and Emergency Medical Services — whose headquarters are just up the hill — to head to just about any location in town east of the Saugatuck River.
The Jesup Road bridge is at the foot of the street, where it intersects with Imperial Avenue.
Even a fast-track replacement could take 12 to 18 months, considering the permitting, planning, review, budgeting and construction process.
So what — besides praying we don’t have a dire medical emergency — can we do?
Not much, beyond holding town (and state) officials’ feet to the fire.
But we can try to create workarounds.
One idea is to create alternate routes.
Several Westporters independently came up with the same ideas.
One is to make Bay Street — the short 1-way road that runs from Post Road East past Design Within Reach and the Cake Box to Jesup Road — 2-way. Parking along the road would be eliminated.
That’s a great plan — and not just because it provides important access to the Post Road.
Right now, cars park on both sides of Bay Street. It’s narrow to begin with. When you consider the size of today’s vehicles — and the less-than-stellar parallel parkin job some drivers do — it would also alleviate some of that mess.
Currently, cars park on both sides of Bay Street. (Photo/Google Maps)
Similarly, Taylor Place — the even shorter road that connects the lower library parking lot at the foot of Jesup Green (and Jesup Road) with the Post Road, from Tonic & Green to Tiffany — could also be converted to 2-way traffic. Or perhaps there could be 2 lanes of traffic, one for turning left or going straight, the other turning right.
A few 15-minute parking spots would be eliminated there, along with a delivery zone. But they seem like trade-offs that would help overall.
Taylor Place
Those are a couple of alternatives. “06880” readers probably have others thoughts. Click “Comments” below.
Meanwhile, there’s one other quick fix to make traffic flow a bit smoother: Take down the Imperial Avenue stop signs, in both directions, at Jesup Road.
For the next 12 to 18 months, there will be no need to stop there.
(“06880” keeps an eye on Westport — everywhere, in every way. If you enjoy our 24/7/365 coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
While “06880” readers were debating the (un)safety of the Post Road crosswalk by Design Within Reach yesterday, this happened a few yards away, on Bay Street:
(Photo via Facebook/Claudia Besen)
Incredibly, no one was hurt.
But inquiring minds want to know:
How on earth did that car get there?
What was the driver doing, besides paying attention to the road?
Will anyone ever use that crosswalk — or the sidewalk on Bay Street — again?
Every Friday, a local realtor emails me a list of homes for sale.
Yesterday’s included several eye-popping asking prices: $8,795,000 (2 Owenoke Park), $6,985,000 (6 Clifford Lane), $5,500,000 (3 Kensington Place) and $4,995,000 (4 Ferry Lane East).
But what really grabbed my attention were these:
$3,999,999 (37 Bermuda Road)
$3,999,000 (13 Caccamo Lane)
$3,999,000 (4 Authors Way)
$3,999,000 (121 Imperial Avenue)
I understand why McDonald’s sells its spicy deluxe crispy chicken sandwich for $6.96: You think you’re paying $6, not $7.
But if you’re smart enough to be able to afford a home like those above, are you really stupid enough to think you’re paying $3 million, not $4 million?
Anyway: Hurry! At these prices, they won’t be on the market long.
This house at 37 Bermuda Road can be yours for just $3,999,999. (Photo courtesy of Zillow)
Since graduating from Staples High School in 1991 Lynsey Addario has earned international renown as a photojournalist. She documents war zones, countries in crises, refugees, and — a special focus — the plight of women and girls.
On September 8 (6 to 8 p.m., SVA Chelsea Gallery), New York’s School of Visual Arts will honor Addario with its 32nd annual Masters Series Award. The next day, she’ll give an artist talk, with Times director of photography Kathy Ryan.
A retrospective (September 2 through October 29, SVA Chelsea Gallery) looks at her career — including her long work with the New York Times, and her 2 best-selling books. Click here and also click here for details. (Hat tip: Kathie Motes Bennewitz)
Lynsey Addario was pregnant while photographing a child dying from malnutrition in Mogadishu, in August 2011. (Photo/New York Times)
Rock-harpist Erin Hill‘s “The Music of Kate Bush: Night Scented Harp” is a full band show, with cool video projections.
Hill’s Celtic album reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart. She has performed with Moby, Sinéad O’Connor, Enya, a-ha, Randy Newman, Jewel, Josh Groban …
… and Cyndi Lauper. Who, of course, will also come to the Levitt, on September 30.
(Erin Hill performs at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 28. Click here for more information.)
After winning 2 state championships as a Staples High School soccer player, he helped propel Duke University to its 1st-ever national title — in any sport — in 1986.
The founder of FocalSport, an international sports and entertainment agency, Noonan has worked in high positions with US Soccer, MLS, the New York Mets, Gatorade, the Professional Bull Riders tour, and the World Surf League. He recently served as CEO of Hearts of Oaks, Ghana’s biggest soccer club.
His new gig: commissioner of the Canadian Premier Soccer League.
With its women’s team as reigning Olympic champs, its men’s team set to begin play in the World Cup this November, and Canada joining the US and Mexico as World Cup hosts in 2026, soccer in Canada is now on the world stage.
Noonan’s new position also makes him CEO of Canada Soccer Business. He will be based in Toronto. (Click here for the full Toronto Sun story.)
Mark Noonan: commissioner of the Canadian Premier League.
Chip Young — a 3-sport athlete in Staples High School’s Class of 1968, and a soccer All-American at Brown University — died Thursday in Rhode Island. He was 72.
The former soccer, basketball and baseball Wrecker legend was known for many things: journalism, environmental activism, rabble-rousing, and a larger-than-life personality.
A lifelong Ocean Stater after Brown, he served as head of public relations for Save the (Narragansett) Bay, and as a senior fellow for communications at the University of Rhode Island Coastal Institute.
He spent over 40 years as a columnist — one-half of the “Phillipe & Jorge’s Cool, Cool World” duo — for the Providence Phoenix and Motif Magazine. Motif said: “Chip’s commentary, often incendiary, generally wry and barbed, helped shape RI’s cultural and political landscape….he was a wise source of advice and support, a greatly valued contributor and a friend.”
Chip played semi-pro soccer in New England after graduation, and served as public relations director of the American Soccer League. He had also been sports editor of the Providence Eagle, controller of Bear Wear Company of Providence, a member of the Professional Soccer Reporters Association, and New England correspondent for Soccer America magazine.
Chip’s stellar athletic career may never have happened, though. Born with a hole the size of a half-dollar in his heart, he had open heart surgery in 1959. He was 9 years old — one of the first children to undergo the procedure.
“Without the operation,” he said, “I would not have been able to even participate in gym class by my teens, and probably wouldn’t have lived past my 20s.”
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