Tag Archives: Cribari Bridge

Roundup: Honoring Innovation, Impact, Preservation …

Posted on May 6, 2026 | 4 comments

A nationally known financier and philanthropist, and a community non-profit serving adults with disabilities, will be honored by StartUp Westport next month.

Longtime Westporter Marc Lasry is the entrepreneurial group’s Innovator of the Year. Club203 will receive the Impact of the Year Award.

The ceremony is set for June 1, 6 p.m.,, Westport Library).

Lasry is chair, CEO and co-founder of Avenue Capital Group. He is also a former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. He has supported university initiatives; served as a director of the 92nd Street Y and the Big Apple Circus, and was a trustee of the Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

Lasry and fellow Westporter/”Today” co-anchor Craig Melvin will discuss how  leaders navigate high-stakes moments when information is incomplete, pressure is high, and the path forward is not clear.

Club203 will be cited for their work fostering inclusion and connection through innovative, community-driven programming.

Click here to register for a seat.

=================================================

Speaking of Club203 : They celebrated Cinco de Mayo a day early — Monday night — at an appropriate venue: Mexica restaurant.

Members of Westport’s social organization for adults with disabilities enjoyed great food, art with MoCA\CT, and dancing a conga line with music by Marca.

Gracias to all!

Club203 at Mexica.

==================================================

 

Sure, Westport homes are disappearing steadily. “06880” has already posted 44 of them, in our “Then & Now” series — and we’ve just scratched the surface.

But plenty of Westporters are preserving old homes too.

Tomorrow (Thursday, 7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) the Historic District Commission presents their 2026 Preservation Awards.

Honorees include:

  • 4 Old Hill Road, Emil Dennert House: Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance Preservation Award
  • 6 Oak Street: Excellence in Ongoing Care and Maintenance Preservation Award
    14 Treadwell Avenue: Restoration Preservation Award
  • 24 Morningside Drive South, Charles B. Sherwood House: Restoration Preservation Award
  • 26 Treadwell Avenue, Henry Patchen: Rehabilitation Preservation Award
  • 35 Wright Street, Zalman Sanford House: Helen Muller Preservation Award
  • 44 Compo Mill Cove, Gallagher Cottage: Rehabilitation Preservation Award
  • 64 Wright Street, Frederick Morehouse: Restoration Preservation Award
  • 70 Turkey Hill Road South, John F. Dingee House: Restoration Preservation Award
  • 107 Wilton Road, Hurlbutt-Haslam House: Rehabilitation Preservation Award.

The public is invited to the ceremony,

44 Compo Mill Cove

==================================================

The Westport Rotary Club delivered checks to 47 local nonprofits yesterday, at their annual Community Giving Day lunch at Green’s Farms Church.

The grants marked a record: $309,000. Much of the funds came from September’s hugely successful LobsterFest.

The Rotary Club’s goal is to make this year’s event even bigger — and the grants bigger too.

Westport Rotary Club members and grant recipients yesterday, at Green’s Farms Church. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)

=================================================

More Rotary news: Clubs across Fairfield County are planning an “Epic Day of Service” on Saturday, May 16.

And they urge non-members to join in too.

Service projects in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Norwalk, Westport and Wilton will address urgent community needs and support vulnerable populations. Residents have a hands-on opportunity to give back, while connecting with neighbors and partnering with local non-profit organizations.

Projects last 2-3 hours, and focus on issues like food insecurity, homelessness, public space improvements, and support for military veterans and individuals with special needs.

The first 25 volunteers will receive an “Epic Day of Service” T-shirt.

Residents interested in participating or learning more can click here, or email

==================================================

Last month, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie announced the formation of a Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee.

“06880” asked for an update. Christie said, “I’ve received interest from the community, which reflects how much Westport cares about this project.

“I’m finalizing the committee and will share an announcement when it’s ready. Once established, we’ll schedule initial meetings.”

Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee is in the works. (Photo/Dan Woog)

==================================================

The Compo Men’s Summer Basketball League is back!

After a wildly successful 2025, with 10 teams competing under the lights at the beach, the Parks & Recreation Department program returns next month.

Games will be played Tuesday nights, from June 23 to August 18.

Teams can sign up here.  The league will be capped at 12 teams. Each captain must submit an $800 fee at signup. The fee covers jerseys, referees and scorekeepers.  Rosters are due May 28.

Questions? Email jordan.schur@gmail.com.

Compo Beach adult basketball action, 2025.

================================================

Last month, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet sold out MoCA\CT for a special “speakeasy” performance, tied to the current “Art, Jazz + the Blues” exhibit.

On May 19 (7 p.m.), Chris Brubeck returns. And he’ll bring his eclectic, virtuosic Triple Play trio along.

The musicians have spent decades refining a unique blend of blues, folk and jazz.

Brubeck is a multi-instrumentalist (piano, electric fretless bass, trombone and vocals). Peter “Madcat” Ruth is a Grammy-winning harmonica virtuoso and protégé of Chicago blues legends, and master of of 40 different harps, ukulele, and percussion. Joel Brown is a noted acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter, specializing in soaring melodies.

Brubeck says, “I felt tremendously motivated to return to the performance gallery because the artwork — specifically by (Westporter) Eric von Schmidt — so beautifully evokes the American ‘roots’ and blues traditions that are Triple Play’s specialty. The music will totally integrate with the exhibit. It’s going to be an incredible sensory experience.”

Click here for tickets, and more information. 

Triple Play (Photo/C. Samuels)

=================================================

The Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand play reading — a long-running, very popular and inexpensive ($30!) series — continued Monday night with “One Slight Hitch.” The playwright is noted comedian Lewis Black.

Three performers are Juilliard graduates. Nearly all have Broadway experience.

The next Script in Hand is June 8. The title will be announced soon.

“One Slight Hitch” cast and crew (front row, from left: Maggie Scrantom, Gabe Gaston, Cassidy Stoner,  Taylor Dunbar, Hannah Bakke (stage directions). Rear: Jater Webb, Kevin O’Rourke (director),  Kathleen McNenny, and Daniel Jenkins. (Photo/Kelsey McFarland)

==================================================

The Whitney Street sidewalk/street widening/repaving project is going well.

And there’s a lot to do.

Check out these boulders:

(Photo/Molly Alger)

Thankfully, the machine on the left can help the guys in the middle.

=================================================

Longtime Westport and Weston resident Regina Kendig died Mnday. She was 79.

A Brooklyn native, she graduated from Newton College of the Sacred Heart. She distinguished herself both academically and as a star of the school’s first all-girls touch football club, a great point of pride.

In New York she launched a career in advertising, which she loved deeply. She passed her passion on to her son Ty, who has spent 25 years in the industry.

Moonlighting as a hostess at the executive dining room atop the Pan Am Building, she met Pan Am executive Hal Kendig. They were married at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.

Adventurous years followed. The couple traveled widely before settling in Miami for Hal’s work. When his career brought the family north again, they planted roots in Westport. For more than 40 years, that town and Weston were home.

As her children got older, Regi leveraged her love of beautiful homes into a 40- year career in real estate. She touched hundreds of lives, guided by an unwavering commitment to finding the perfect home for the families she served.

Regi was a devoted book club member, a cherished friend, and a lover of Compo Beach. She was often found, window down, McDonald’s Diet Coke in hand, soaking in the view.

At home as a hostess, her tablescapes were works of art, and her holiday meals legendary.

After Hal died in 2014, Regi found constant companionship in Nikki, her Shih Tzu, and a “coven” of friends. All were by her side in her final days.

Regi is survived by her son Ty (Elizabeth), daughter Paige (Bryan), and brothers Paul (Joelle), Greg (Alden) and Joe (Lori).

She will be laid to rest beside Hal at Christ & Holy Trinity Cemetery. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Earthplace, where Hal served on the board and which she was devoted to as well.

==================================================

There are egrets. There are great egrets.

And then there is this great great egret.

Dana Kuyper snapped this photo at the great Haskins Preserve, for today’s great “Westport … Naturally” feature.

(Photo/Dana Kuyper)

==================================================

And finally … in honor of the Historic Preservations honors, here’s this.

Local angle: The animation was done by Westport’s own Jeff Scher.

(From historic homes to innovators, and jazz to basketball, “06880” covers it all. If you enjoy these daily Roundups — or any other part of our hyper-local blog — please click here to support us. Thanks!)

4 Comments

Posted in Arts, Obituaries, Real estate, Westport Country Playhouse

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

[OPINION] With Focus On Cribari Bridge Traffic, Don’t Forget Another Mess

Posted on April 25, 2026 | 16 comments

While Westport’s attention is focused on the Cribari Bridge — and the traffic issues that already plague Saugatuck — an “06880” reader urges us not to forget about the “worst intersection” in town (and perhaps the state).

That is, of course, the cluster**** that is Riverside Avenue, Wilton Road and Post Road West. The reader writes:

Below is a 5 p.m. Google Maps screenshot of “live” traffic on the Tuesday of school vacation last week.

Wilton Road at top; Riverside Avenue at bottom; Post Road West cutting through.

I can only imagine how red the lines will be now that schools are back in session, and everyone rushes to get home from school, work and play.

A quick AI search on “06880” turns up several suggestions, offered in the past:

Traffic Officers: Some suggest assigning police officers or traffic agents to direct traffic, especially during peak hours. This has been noted to significantly improve traffic flow at similar problematic intersections, such as the Cribari Bridge. (Click here for a previous “06880” story.)

Traffic Light Timing and Configuration: Many readers suggest altering the timing of traffic lights to allow for better flow. One idea is to have green lights for only one direction at a time (e.g., green for northbound Wilton Road traffic only, then green for Post Road West traffic only; then green only for the other 3 streets, moving counter-clockwise one at a time. That would prevent backups caused by cars waiting to turn while opposing traffic is also trying to move. (Click here for a previous “06880” story.)

Installing a left-turn arrow for cars on Wilton Road turning onto Post Road West has also been suggested. (Click here for a previous “06880” story.)

An all-too-typical scene on Wilton Road.

Road Widening and Lane Adjustments: Past opportunities were missed to widen the road or create turning lanes by acquiring properties at the intersection corners. While difficult now, widening the road, particularly at the intersection of Wilton Road and the Post Road, could create a much-needed right turning lane. (Click here for a previous “06880” story.)

Many of these suggestions involve state roads, which means changes require the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s planning, funding, and approval. (Click here for a previous “06880” story.)

In the mid-2010s, David Waldman proposed a creative solution: move the building at the corner northwest corner of Wilton Road and the Post Road — at that point, it was a liquor store — to create a turning lane.

Town officials turned him down.

Now, in 2026, the state is looking to acquire 77 square feet with eminent domain at the same location, according to recent media reports.

The Department of Transportation would install Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks ramps, and a pedestrian push button there.

Aerial view of the intersection — without, remarkably, any traffic.

But instead of incremental tweaks to lights and sidewalks, why don’t we take time — and perhaps one of the Cribari Bridge Committees — to engage with DOT and the town, for a holistic look at the intersection for more permanent solutions?   

It may be expensive to buy and/or move buildings (including, perhaps, the one at the foot of Post Road West on the eastbound side, where traffic turns sharply onto Riverside Avenue). That’s another solution proposed in the past.

But unless we build another bridge, in addition to the Cribari Bridge changes or bore a tunnel under the Saugatuck River, the traffic problems will continue to get worse in Westport.

Who is interested in shaping another solution to make Westport safer and faster?

(“06880” regularly covers transportation, local politics, real estate — and, like today, their “intersection.” If you appreciate stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

16 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Saugatuck, Transportation

Tagged , , , ,

Roundup: Governor Lamont, Food News, Fishing Fun …

Posted on April 14, 2026 | Leave a comment

Governor Ned Lamont spoke to over 150 people at the Westport Library yesterday.

It was the 4th “Your State, Your Business” event, sponsored by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce.

Lamont covered a lot of ground, from the stability of Connecticut’s economy and energy costs, to affordable healthcare and housing.

But the audience was interested in local issues too.

The first question — from Representative Town Meeting member Kristin Schneeman — concerned the future of the Cribari Bridge.

The governor said he was getting up to speed on the subject. He said he understands that residents are concerned, and will look to put people — including 1st Selectman Kevin Christie, and the state Department of Transportation commissioner — together to figure out a solution.

A video of the event will be available later today.

After lunch at Nômade, Governor Lamont spoke to a smaller group at the Senior Center.

Governor Lamont answers a question from moderator Matthew Mandell, director of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce. (Photo/Lindsay Katz)

At Nômade, Governor Lamont posed with Chef Zoli Kovacs. (Photo/Sal Liccione)

==================================================

After 4,000 people voted in 11 categories, CTBites has announced semifinalists for their “It’s a Woman’s World” contest.

Two are from Westport and Weston.

Alison Milwe Grace (AMG Catering & Events) is nominated in the Catering category. Melanie Pabon (The Cottage) is a finalist in the Server/GM category.

Winners — the tops in Connecticut’s culinary world — will be announced April 27 at Hotel Marcel in New Haven. Click here for tickets, and more information. Click here for the full CTBites story.

================================================

Those are not the only local connections in this week’s CTBites newsletter.

There’s also a feature story on Gruel Britannia.

It’s a deep dive into the popular Cross Highway spot (and her first location, in Southport).

There are also hints about a few innovations owner Karen Hubrich has planned for her Westport space. Click here to read the full story.

Lunch menu at Gruel Britannia.

=================================================

One more restaurant item: Hey Taco! has opened on Post Road East, between the Shell station and ASF.

It replaces Border Grille, which itself replace another mostly-takeout Mexican place, Tacos or What?

Chris Dobransky — aka FairfieldFoodDude — recently visited. He loved it.

He wrote about the “authentic, made-with-love tacos done right. Between the bold flavors, generous portions, and obvious passion behind the food, this place is already making a name for itself.”

Click here or below for the full writeup.

==================================================

Book lovers, take note: The Westport Library’s big spring book sale takes place May 15-18.

There is something for everyone — toddlers through adults — with thousands of gently used books in over 50 categories of non-fiction and fiction, including antiquarian, comic books,  and vintage children’s books. 

Plus a huge assortment of DVDs, CDs, vintage vinyl, jigsaw puzzles, ephemera, and framed artwork, from small desktop pieces to large wall pictures.

Hours are:

  • Friday, May 15 (noon to 6 p.m.; early access with ticket, 8:45 a.m. to noon))
  • Saturday, May 16: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Sunday, May 17: (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; almost everything half price)
  • Monday, May 18 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; fill a Library logo bag for $10, your own equivalent-size bag for $8, or buy individual books for half price).

For more information, click here. To volunteer, email  volunteers@westportbooksales.org.

A small part of the large Westport Library book sale.

=================================================

Yesterday was the first day of the Westport schools’ spring break.

Many families have already skedaddled out of town.

But bright and early, Andrew Colabella spotted these 2 boys, at Riverside and Treadwell Avenue.

(Photo/Andrew Colabella)

“It’s 7 a.m. School is off for the week,” Andrew writes.

“Your buddy meets you at your house, fishing pole and gear ready to go. Take the long haul across the bridge to the fishing spot.

“Two kids, living in the moment. Reminded me of when I was a kid. I love this town!”

=================================================

Atla DeChamplain — a jazz vocalist, lyricist and educator known for her expressive phrasing, vocal control and authenticity — headlines this Thursday’s Jazz at the Post (April 16, VFW Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7).

She’ll be joined by her husband, pianist Matt DeChamplain, plus bassist Sameer Shankar, drummer Ben Bilello and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

==================================================

Speaking of the VFW: Rock star/soul singer/multi-instrumentalist Eliot Lewis — a longtime member of the Average White Band and Hall & Oates’ band, and who has performed with legends like Joe Walsh and Todd Rundgren — brings his many talents to the VFW this Friday (April 17). He’s joined by special guest artist, Weston’s own Owen Daniel.

The doors open at 6 p.m., for an opening set by Ecoustic Rock Monster.

Tickets are $15 online, $20 at the door. Light bar food and drink specials are available.

===============================================

The daffodils — and the daffodil photos — keep on coming.

Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image shows the colorful scene, from the lower Imperial Avenue parking lot up the steps to the back of the Westport Woman’s Club.

(Photo/Laurie Sorensen)

==================================================

And finally … on this date in 1912, Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic. It sank a few hours later.

1,501 passengers and crew members died; 707 were saved.

(Was there room for Jack on the door frame? Why didn’t Rose beg him to try? Who knows? But here’s one thing we know for sure: You can click here, and support “06880.” Our hearts will go on. Thanks!)

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Entertainment, Library, Local business, Politics, Restaurants

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

“06880” Podcast: Dara Lamb

Posted on April 13, 2026 | 3 comments

Dara Lamb is a co-founder of the Westport Alliance for Saugatuck.

Last year, the grassroots organization battled the Hamlet development. Now they’ve turned their attention to the Cribari Bridge.

The other day, Dara joined me on the Westport Library stage to chat about their work, the controversy, the neighborhood and more.

Click here or below to learn what the Alliance is doing, how they’re doing, why it’s important — and what’s ahead.

3 Comments

Posted in Local politics, Media, Saugatuck

Tagged , , , ,

[OPINION] Cribari Committee Must Insist On “Honest Process”

Posted on April 12, 2026 | 10 comments

Werner Liepolt is a longtime Bridge Street resident. He writes:

On Thursday, 1st Selectman Kevin Christie announced a Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee.

That may sound reassuring.

But before anyone applauds, one question should be asked: Is this committee being formed to scrutinize the state’s process — or simply to give local cover to a decision already being pushed forward on an outdated record?

Because that is where things stand.

The state is moving toward a consequential decision on the future of the Cribari Bridge while relying on what it calls an “updated” Environmental Assessment that is, on close reading, still essentially the same document prepared in 2020.

First meeting of the Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee, in 2018. A new committee will soon be formed.

And Connecticut Department of Transportation officials say that kind of document has a shelf life of only 2 to 3 years.

So let’s stop pretending the issue is only what kind of bridge gets built.

The issue is whether Westport is being asked to accept a 2026 decision based on stale assumptions, stale analysis, and a process that no longer matches present reality.

I attended the first meeting of CTDOT’s Planning Advisory Committee in July 2018 as a federally recognized consulting party, because I live in the Bridge Street National Register Historic District.

At that meeting, CTDOT made the standard clear: Environmental Assessments do not last forever. After roughly 2 to three3 years, they must be revisited to account for changing conditions.

That was then.

At the March 19, 2026 public hearing, CTDOT presented a February 2026 version of the Environmental Assessment that appears to be little more than the 2020 document with a new date.

Cribari Bridge (Photo/Fred Cantor)

Yet the process rolls on:

  • Preferred alternative identified.
  • Public comment period underway.
  • Town leaders urged to engage.
  • Residents told their voices matter.

Fine. Then the first thing this new advisory committee should ask is obvious: Why is Westport being asked to react to a decision framework built on an expired study?

This matters because the bridge does not sit in some abstract engineering zone.

It sits in the Bridge Street Historic District, where setting, views, scale and patterns of neighborhood life are part of what is protected.

It also connects directly to Route 136 Scenic Highway, where preservation of visual character is not a sentimental talking point but part of the public purpose of the designation.

Start of the Route 136 Scenic Highway.

Since 2020, the surrounding conditions have plainly changed.

  • COVID transformed our demographic and altered our work habits.
  • Traffic patterns are different.
  • Navigation apps now push drivers through residential streets in real time.
  • Greens Farms Road already functions, at key hours, as a pressure valve for I-95 congestion.
  • Development in Saugatuck has intensified.

And nearby infrastructure changes raise entirely foreseeable questions about whether this corridor is being transformed, in practice, into something far more consequential than CTDOT’s analysis admits.

Residents do not need a consultant or an advisory committee to tell them that conditions have changed.

They live them.

What makes this even harder to defend is that the project’s own visual analysis appears partial. The review described in the current materials does not meaningfully capture winter visibility from elevated homes within the historic district, even though those views are part of the setting that gives the district its character.

The Bridge Street streetscape changes with the seasons.

So no, this is not just a procedural quibble.

It goes to the integrity of the entire decision-making process.

Because when a study is outdated, everything built on it becomes suspect: the alternatives analysis, the impact claims, the traffic assumptions, the mitigation discussion, and the town’s ability to say honestly that it has evaluated current conditions.

That is why the new advisory committee matters.

Not as a public-relations device.

Not as a way to calm people down.

Not as a stage on which local officials can appear engaged while the real framework remains untouched.

It matters only if it is willing to say, clearly and publicly, that Westport should not be boxed into commenting on a preferred option grounded in a stale Environmental Assessment.

Part of the state’s assessment of the Cribari Bridge.

Westport’s elected officials should be careful here.

A committee can be a tool for real scrutiny.

It can also be a way to absorb public anger while avoiding the central issue.

If this committee is serious, it should demand answers to a few basic questions immediately:

  • Why is a 2020 Environmental Assessment still serving as the foundation for a 2026 decision?
  • What exactly was reevaluated, and what was merely repackaged?
  • How were post-2020 traffic changes actually studied?
  • How were cumulative corridor impacts assessed?
  • Why should residents trust a process that appears to have updated the cover more than the analysis?

Those are not anti-bridge questions.

They are pro-accountability questions.

No one is asking for delay for delay’s sake.

What people are asking for is something much more modest and much more reasonable: that before Westport lends its name, its cooperation, or its political cover to this process, someone in authority insists that the underlying record reflect the world as it exists now — not as it looked 5 or 6 years ago.

The Cribari Bridge, in 2019. (Drone photo John Videler, for Videler Photography)

More than 1,600 people have signed a petition calling for federal oversight on the protection of Westport and the nation’s historic resources.

The March 19 hearing drew a packed room and a near unanimous, clear mandate.

The public has spoken with unusual clarity at the sole public hearing CTDOT has conducted on this project.

Now the question is whether this advisory committee will do anything more difficult than listen.

Because in the end, this is not just about what replaces the Cribari Bridge.

It is about whether Westport’s leaders will insist on an honest process — or help legitimize one that is already past its shelf life.

(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible contribution, please click here.)

10 Comments

Posted in Local politics, Politics, Saugatuck, Transportation

Tagged , ,

Christie Forms Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee

Posted on April 9, 2026 | 4 comments

Last month — before and during the state Department of Transportation public hearing on the future of the Cribari Bridge — residents and Representative Town Meeting members urged 1st Selectman Kevin Christie to form an advisory group.

Today, he did just that.

Christie said that a new Cribari Bridge Advisory Committee would “support the town’s ongoing engagement with the DOT as the state-led process moves forward.”

He did not announce names of committee members, or indicate when and how they would be appointed.

The first selectman noted, “the well-attended public hearing reflected strong community interest and underscored the complexity of the issues involved.

“Traffic, safety, neighborhood impact, historic and neighborhood context, and long-term fiscal responsibility are all legitimate concerns that deserve to be evaluated carefully and in an informed way.”

Residents packed Town Hall for last month’s Department of Transportation public meeting. (Photo/Dan Woog)

While state officials have identified a “preferred option” for the bridge, no final decision has been made. The environmental review process remains open.

Christie said, “the Advisory Committee will bring together technical expertise and community perspectives to help keep Westport’s input grounded in facts and reflective of community priorities. It will evaluate options for the bridge, including structural and design considerations, in the context of community impact, funding implications, and long-term maintenance responsibilities.”

The Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the First Selectman.

However, he noted, “the Advisory Committee will not replace the formal state process or make a final decision on the project. Its role is to support the town’s engagement with DOT by providing a structured forum for coordination, analysis, and public input, with a focus on outcomes that serve Westport’s long-term interests.

“Westport has a real stake in this project for our neighborhoods, our infrastructure, and our fiscal future. This Advisory Committee will build on the Town’s discussions with the DOT by grounding decisions in facts, incorporating community input, and identifying solutions that work for Westport.”

The public comment period on the DOT’s Environmental Assessment is open through April 17. Comments can be submitted online, by email to James.Barrows@ct.gov, or by mail to James Barrows, P.O. Box 317546, Newington CT 06131-7546. Reference Project No. 0158-0214.

Cribari Bridge (courtesy of Connecticut Department of Transportation)

 

4 Comments

Posted in Local politics, Saugatuck, Transportation

Tagged , ,

[OPINION] Traffic Apps Care About Algorithms, Not Neighborhoods

Posted on April 2, 2026 | 15 comments

As a longtime Bridge Street resident, Werner Liepolt has a front-porch view of traffic — including the vehicles that apps like Waze send past his house. He writes:

Take a look at Westport the way a navigation algorithm does.

I-95: Thursday, March 26, 9 p.m.

It sees not a collection of neighborhoods — but a network.

Because that’s how today’s traffic actually moves.

From the Waze-eye view, the logic is clear. Waze sees traffic speed and volume, but it doesn’t reliably see or respect local rules and human factors that shape safe and appropriate traffic patterns.

Waze emojis and avatars — “Moods” — represent “Wazers:” happy, fast, or stuck in traffic. Other icons indicate real-time reports, crashes, hazards and police.

Waze does not consistently indicate local thru-truck prohibitions. Neither school bus stops nor routes are accounted for. Ditto cyclists, crosswalks and pedestrian activity.

And Waze of course has no way of measuring or reporting long time and cumulative effects of traffic noise, pollution, aesthetic impact or vibration damage.

Waze also ignores narrow streets and historic districts — for example, the Bridge Street National Register Historic District.

The Cribari Bridge is not isolated. It connects directly to a sequence of roads that carry traffic eastward through Westport.

From the Waze eye view, the logic is clear.

The William F. Cribari Memorial Bridge connects Riverside Avenue’s commercial district directly to Bridge Street (Route 136), feeding traffic into a residential corridor that continues inland. What appears to be a local crossing is, in fact, a key link in a broader east–west route.

Now look a few miles away.

Individually, these are routine infrastructure projects.

Together, they form something much more consequential.

Just east of Westport, the Sasco Creek Bridge sits on Greens Farms Road near the Post Road and I-95 Exit 19. The Connecticut Department of Transportation proposes removing a major constraint at the eastern end of the same corridor.

CTDOT is:

  • Likely increasing load capacity at Sasco Creek. The design drawings show a full-capacity structure capable of carrying legal truck traffic.
  • Removing geometric constraints and increasing load capacity at the Cribari Bridge, making it capable of handling legal truck traffic.

Yet the Environmental Assessment of the Cribari Bridge assumes trucks will not use this route — without analyzing what happens once both bridges in this corridor are upgraded,

That creates a continuous, higher-capacity east-west route from Fairfield on the Old Kings Highway through Westport on Greens Farms Road and Bridge Street to Saugatuck — closely paralleling I-95 between Exits 18 and 19.

This is not speculation. It is visible on the map. The Sasco Bridge CTDOT Project 0158-0218 is already underway. The hearings concluded in 2021.

They concluded about the time the Environmental Assessment for CTDOT project 0158-0214 (the Cribari Bridge) was being written. Now the hearings and time for public comment on that project will end on April 17.

Combined, these CTDOT projects should broaden the Cribari Bridge Area of Potential Effect to the entire I-95-Greens Farms Road corridor.

Navigation apps do not consider whether a road is “appropriate” for through traffic.

They calculate the fastest route.

When I-95 backs up — as it often does — these systems will route drivers off the highway, send them across Sasco Creek, through Greens Farms and Bridge Street, over the Cribari Bridge, and back toward the highway or local destinations.

Once weight limits and geometric constraints are removed, this corridor becomes accessible, continuous, and visible to routing algorithms.

At that point, it will be used.

The Environmental Assessment for the Cribari Bridge suggests that trucks and through-traffic will not find this route “desirable.”

But that assumption belongs to an earlier era.

Today, traffic patterns are shaped not just by drivers, but by software. And software does not share local sensibilities.

Nowhere does the Environmental Assessment meaningfully examine:

  • The combined effect of upgrading both bridges
  • Diversion from I-95 during congestion
  • The role of real-time navigation systems
  • Impacts on residential streets and safety

Instead, the project is evaluated as if each bridge exists in isolation. It does not.

If this corridor begins to function as an alternative to I-95, the consequences will be felt across Westport:

  • Increased traffic through residential neighborhoods
  • Safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Noise and air quality impacts
  • Changes to the character of a federally recognized historic district

These are precisely the kinds of indirect and cumulative effects that federal law requires agencies to consider.

No complex modeling is needed to understand the risk. The map already shows:

  • A connected route
  • Fewer constraints
  • A faster alternative to a congested highway
  • Numerous Waze alternative routes from the Post Rd and through residential neighborhoods south of the Post Road

The question is not whether traffic will use the corridor. The question is why the state has not fully evaluated that possibility.

Public comment on the Cribari Bridge project is open through April 17. Submitted comments make a difference and must be counted under FHWA regulations. Comments can be submitted here or by voicemail: (860) 594-2020. (reference State Project No. 0158-0214). Written comments can be mailed to: James Barrows, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546, Newington CT 06131-7546.

(Our “Opinion” pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)

15 Comments

Posted in Politics, Saugatuck, Transportation

Tagged , , , ,

A Tale Of 2 Bridges: CTDOT Considers Downtown Span Too

Posted on April 1, 2026 | 13 comments

One often-overlooked element of the discussion on the future of the Cribari Bridge is climate change.

As the Saugatuck River rises by a few inches over the next decades, clearance under the 143-year-ol span will diminish.

The state Department of Transportation is considering that, in its plans for rehabilitation or replacement.

But the rise will not be confined to the Cribari Bridge alone.

Consider the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge downtown.

Very little river traffic now passes underneath the Post Road — a few kayaks and canoes, mostly at low tide.

But CTDOT is looking ahead.

A project (formally #0158-0980) would replace the current structure with a drawbridge:

Artist’s rendering of proposed Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge drawbridge.

Steve Lance — the “06880” reader who spotted the plan, while searching for information on the Cribari Bridge — reached out to CTDOT.

James Barrows, who serves as manager for the Cribari project, responded.

“Work would not begin until #0158-0214 (the Cribari Bridge) is completed,” he said. “CTDOT would not want to disrupt traffic on two major crossings simultaneously.

“However, we see it as an important next component in making the Saugatuck River navigable as far upriver as possible.”

Barrows said that while the drawbridge would initially be open only far occasional traffic, it could adopt a regular schedule to allow more watercraft to pass through than currently do.

He noted that the entire operation would take “only 6 to 8 minutes.” Traffic disruption would be “minimal,” he said.

Barrows — who was at DOT’s recent public meeting at Town Hall — said, “our intention is to involve residents, business owners and other stakeholders as early and often as possible” in the project planning.

Click here to see the full report. A link is included in the report for preliminary comments.

(“06880” will follow this story — as we do all that impact Westport. Please click here, to help us continue our work. Thank you!)

13 Comments

Posted in Downtown, Local politics, Politics, Transportation

Tagged , ,

Friday Flashback #495

Posted on March 20, 2026 | 13 comments

We’ve run this photo before.

But today — the day after a public meeting with the state Department of Transportation, in the midst of fierce discussions about the future of the Cribari Bridge — is a good time to resurrect it.

The last time the Saugatuck River span was renovated — over 30 years ago — a temporary bridge took it place.

It rose up and down at both ends: Bridge Street and Riverside Avenue.

It was wide. It curved around the original. It cut through the parking lot of what was then Mansion Clam House (now the aptly named Bridge at Saugatuck restaurant).

And it worked.

Traffic was a breeze.

For 3 decades since, Westporters have wondered why it was torn down.

Today is a good time to resurrect not only the photo, but the question.

(Friday Flashback is one of “06880”‘s many regular features. If you enjoy this — or anything else on our website — please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)

13 Comments

Posted in Friday Flashback, Saugatuck

Tagged

Roundup: Cribari Bridge, Craig Melvin, Railroad Parking, Cyber Threats …

Posted on March 20, 2026 | 1 comment

Among the many details offered at last night’s Cribari Bridge public meeting, this one passed without further comment: The state Department of Transportation has identified 10 properties and 1 dock as potentially affected by the project.

This morning, Bridge Street resident Werner Liepolt wrote to John McAvoy, Federal Highway Administration division administrator in Hartford: “No map, list of properties, or description of the nature of these potential impacts (temporary or permanent) was provided at the meeting nor, to my knowledge, at previous stage of the project.

“Without this information, it is not possible for affected property owners or the public to meaningfully evaluate or comment on the project’s impacts, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Section 106 review process under the National Historic Preservation Act.”

Liepolt asks CTDOT and the FHWA to provide identification of all properties under consideration for right-of-way acquisition or easement; mapping showing the extent and type of potential impacts, and clarification of whether impacts are temporary (construction) or permanent.

He also requests that the comment period — now set to run through April 17 — be extended, so that the public and affected property owners have “a meaningful opportunity to respond.”

CTDOT has not indicated which 10 properties, and which dock, might be affected — including possible condemnation and eminent domain taking — by the Cribari Bridge project. (Drone photo/Alex O’Brien)

==================================================

Craig Melvin — co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show, and our Westport neighbor — should draw a big crowd to the Westport Library on April 8.

He’ll be interviewed by Jim Marpe. The former 1st selectman is a member of the Y’s Men of Westport & Weston — sponsors of the event.

Craig will share stories from his career at the NBC News desk, including his transition into his current role.

The event is free, but registration is required (click here).

Craig Melvin, in January 2025.

================================================

On April 6, all daily parking in Lot 1 — the large one opposite Riko’s Pizza — will revert back to permit-only parking.

The state Department of Transportation has returned Lot 8 (off Saugatuck Avenue, between I-95 and Exit 17) to the town for railroad parking, following several years as a staging area for the 95 bridge replacement project.

That restores approximately 140 daily parking spots.

During COVID and for some time afterward, permit-only lots were underutilized. The WPD adjusted parking allocations by adding daily spaces to Lots 1 and 3 to help offset the loss of Lot 8, and better utilize the lots closest to the station.

Now that commuting levels have returned to near pre-COVID patterns on most weekdays, they’ve readjusted again.

The website will be updated, and signage posted to alert commuters. A new parking map is also being developed, and will be available on the website soon.

Saugatuck train station parking map. Click on or hover over to enlarge.

==================================================

Cyber threats are everywhere.

On April 8 (VFW Post 399; cocktails for purchase 5:45; program 7 p.m.), 3 experts offer advice on keeping safe in the digital age.

Panelists include Westport Police Department Detective James Baker; Connecticut State Police Detective Mathew Hogan, and former Secret Service agent Brian McCabe.

The free event is sponsored by the Westport Republican Town Committee.

=================================================

Read to Grow — the great non-profit that ensures children begin life surrounded by books — once again hosts its annual statewide fundraiser in Westport.

“A Night for the Books” is set for May 7 (6 p.m.). The venue is appropriate: the Westport Library.

The evening will highlight the power of books, community, and connection, while raising money for programs that provide books and literacy resources to families across Connecticut.

Dave Briggs — former CNN, Fox, NBC, Turner Sports and Yahoo Finance journalist, and a Westport resident — will emcee.

Twelve Artists Collective of Westport members are creating book-inspired centerpieces, for the auction. Zucca Gastrobar caters the farm-to-table food; Alina’s Bakery adds treats. A giving tree – with gift cards donated by local stores and restaurants — will be part of the “mystery pull.”

Before the event (3 to 5 p.m.), families can pick up free children’s books, at the Read to Grow bookmobile.

The organization’s programs include Books for Babies, which gives newborns in Connecticut hospitals their first book; Books for Kids, through which families request free books delivered directly to their homes, and the statewide bookmobile.

Early bird tickets are available through April 3; click here to purchase, and for sponsorship information. To learn more about Read to Grow, click here.

==================================================

In what has become an annual tradition, the Westport PAL 8th grade boys and girls basketball players took the court at Madison Square Garden this week, before the Knicks game.

For the past few years, the NBA (through its Jr. Nicks program) team has offered PAL a great experience. Young players attend the pre-game shootaround, scrimmage on the Garden floor, then watch the game.

Thanks, Jr. Knicks — and Westport resident and former Staples player Brett Tessler — for making it happen.

Westport PAL players, at Madison Square Garden.

=============================================

Want to laugh on April 1 — without being a fool?

VFW Post 399 is hosting a free comedy night, with local comedians.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Open mic sign-ups begin at 7.

For questions and more information, email meganharvist@gmail.com.

IYKNY.

=================================================

Speaking of entertainment: Corky Laing is no stranger to Westport.

The legendary drummer for Mountain has played — and hung out — here before

Can’t quite place Mountain? They’re the “Mississippi Queen” band.

Laing provided the iconic cowbell intro.

He returns April 11 (7 p.m., VFW Post 399), this time as a special guest with Ten$Grand Band.

Tickets are just $20. The show will sell out soon. Click here to purchase.

Corky Laing

==============================================

Up next at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport: “Birthday Club.”

The play — about 5 friends who reunite to celebrate a milestone birthday, and confront changes in marriage, career, health and identity, while examining what has sustained their friendships over decades — will be presented March 27 and 28 (7 p.m.) and March 29 (2 p.m.).

The story “gives space to regret, loyalty and second chances, revealing the warmth and resilience that shape enduring friendships.”

The production is presented by UU Players. Tickets are $25 at the door; students with ID are free. All proceeds support UU Westport.

“Birthday Club” cast.

==================================================

At last summer’s Pequot Library book sale, teenager Morgan Kofron bought an antique family Bible.

Soon after, it was learned that the Bible had belonged to the Adairs — Black and Indigenous (Shinnecock) landowning family who played a significant role in the economic and cultural history in both Westport and Fairfield.

The Adair family papers are preserved at the Westport Museum for History & Culture. The Bible will now be added to those materials.

Adair family Bible.

===============================================

It’s been a while since we featured Man’s Best Friend as a “Westport … Naturally” item. Our bad.

So let’s hear it for Fergie!

(Photo/June Rose Whittaker)

==================================================

And finally … Vera Lynn was born on this day, in 1917. The English singer — whose performances lifted all of Great Britain during World War II — died in 2020, at 103.

(They just don’t make ’em like Vera Lynn anymore. Fortunately, “06880” remembers her. But we also do a lot more than that. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support us. Thanks!)

1 Comment

Posted in Library, Police, technology, Transportation

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,