More than a dozen state Department of Transportation representatives — including deputy commissioner Laoise King — came to Town Hall last night, for a public meeting about the future of the Cribari Bridge.
“Save Saugatuck From Semis” signs greeted residents at Town Hall yesterday.
They offered a dry presentation, focused on structural engineering issues.
The public could comment afterward, they said — but only at a table near the front, speaking individually to a transcriber.
The public howled.
DOT — perceived as inflexible by many residents, during discussions over the past few years about the 143-year-old span — relented.
Residents could indeed step up the microphone and address the entire audience– including the DOT staff — the moderator said.
The public applauded.
Part of the Town Hall crowd last night.
For nearly 2 hours, the public — Representative Town Meeting members, other citizens, even the owner of the small Bridge Street house that once belonged to the bridge tender – spoke.
Nearly all emphasized two things: traffic and safety. Environmental concerns, and fears of damage to homes from the vibrations of semis, were raised too.
Kristen Schneeman — who demanded that she be allowed to speak from the lectern, not the corner table — was first. Her comments set the tone for the night.
The RTM member noted that public opinion has recently converged around 2 needs: preventing tractor-trailer traffic from creating a “fourth lane of I-95 that jeopardizes safety, health, and quality of life well beyond the Bridge Street historic area,” and preserving the historic character of a local icon.
She said that CTDOT’s Highway Design Manual calls on designers to be “imaginative, innovative and flexible,” asking “if the oldest active movable highway bridge in Connecticut does not merit that flexibility, what does?”
RTM member Kristin Purcell and Westport Alliance for Saugatuck member Dara Lamb both said that state officials are encouraging more housing in Saugatuck, as a “Transit-Oriented District.”
Why then, they wondered, should tractor-trailers be added to an already congested area?
RTM member Kristin Mott Purcell.
Greens Farms Association president Art Schoeller called Greens Farms Road “already a go-to pass-through” for I-95. His organization, he said, opposed “any alternative that would allow trucks” in that neighborhood.
Carole Reichhelm drew applause when she thanked CTDOT for their extensive work on the project.
But, she added, “you’ve given waivers and allowed exemptions many times before, for a variety of reasons. Why wouldn’t the Cribari Bridge qualify for one?
“You can’t stop Waze,” she concluded. “But you can stop trucks. We want to work with you on this.”
Morley Boyd of the Westport Preservation Alliance held a copy of the CTDOT’s own Bridge Preservation Plan. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Public comment on the Cribari Bridge project (#0158-0214) is open through April 17.
Comments can be made online (click here); by email (James.Barrows@ct.gov); voicemail (860-594-2020), or mail (James Barrows, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131).
To learn more about the Cribari Bridge project, click here.
Joey Kaempfer is a 1965 graduate of Staples High School.
After working on commercial real estate projects around the world, he moved back to Westport. He lives near Saugatuck Shores, and drives through Saugatuck often. Joey writes:
I have watched and listened to the back and forth about our 143-year-old Cribari Bridge for some time. I have traveled across it in cars, bicycles and by foot on and off for nearly 70 years.
So, as a Westporter, I wish to offer a few thoughts.
First, I understand and completely concur with the idea of not curing the ills of an overcrowded I-95 by running giant trucks through the village.
Second, I have had the pleasure of living in antique houses, and in my business career rebuilding a number of old structures around the world. I do not find the Cribari either charming or pretty, except at Christmas time with its colored lights.
Yes, it’s old, but mere age isn’t really a meaningful reason to retain something that has outlasted its useful life. I say that as someone who is often nostalgic about older buildings, houses, and objects of beauty.
Mere age is not a reason to retain something that has outlived its useful life, says Joey Kaempfer.
I would like to see the bridge, or part of it, moved closer to town as a footbridge near the Library, or as an interesting replacement for the Kings Highway bridge near the medical park formerly known as Fort Apache.
We could then build a magnificent modern bridge in Cribari’s stead. It could be genuinely beautiful, perhaps designed by a remarkably talented architect. (Perhaps Jon Pickard of New Haven, the former head designer at the late Cesar Peilli’s office, or someone like Norman Foster in London, or another notable and brilliant designer.)
I would be delighted to pay the differential cost for this great design over yet another dull river crossing. Such a bridge could help lift up our wonderful town, by showing what startling design can do. I have found great design to be contagious.
One example of a modern bridge design. Joey Kaempfer notes, “Ours would be smaller and more delicate. But great design can lift the spirits of those who see and travel across it.”
The replacement bridge could be slightly wider; be more graciously proportioned; have a simple, modern mechanism to allow taller boats to pass, and still not be designed to allow large, noisy trucks trying to avoid I-95 congestion.
I see this as an opportunity for Westport to keep some history, while creating something accretive to the beauty and charm of our town.
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyperlocal blog, please click here.)
Tonight’s main event — a public meeting about next steps for the Cribari Bridge, with representatives of the state Department of Transportation — begins at 6 p.m., in the Town Hall auditorium.
Can’t be there? It will be livestreamed at www.westportct.gov, and aired on Optimum channel 79.
The Cribari Bridge leads from Saugatuck (above) to Greens Farms. (Photo/John Videler for VidelerPhotography.com)
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Meanwhile, Saturday’s main event will be the state high school basketball championship.
The Staples boys team — already 2-time FCIAC champions — competes for their first Connecticut crown since 1937.
Tip-off is 8:30 p.m., at Mohegan Sun.
Sure, it’s late — and at the other end of the state. But it’s been nearly a century since Westporters have been able to cheer the Wreckers on in a state boys basketball final.
Go Wreckers! And go Westporters — see you Saturday night at Mohegan Sun!
The Staples boys basketball team. (Photo/Diane Lowman)
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Looking ahead: The theme for the Memorial Day parade float contest has been announced.
And — looking back — it’s a great one: “250 Years of Honor and Service.
Certificates will be awarded in 6 categories: Best Development of Theme, Best Youth Organization Float, Most Creative, Best Community Organization, Most Colorful, and Best Overall Float.
Of course, we already know the winner in the Overall category.
It’s the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston.
After all, they’ve won for the last 250 years.
Another Y’s Men Memorial Day parade float winner. This one won in 2021. (Photo/Dan Woog)
In their continuing effort to UnPlastic Westport, Sustainable Westport will show “Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics.” The documentary explores the alarming spread of microplastics throughout our planet — and our bodies.
The event — following a sold-out showing at SXSW — is April 9 (6:30 p.m., Greens Farms Academy). A panel discussion will follow the screening.
Westport Professionals Network co-founders Lisa Fedorchak and Katie Gervasio, analyzed the current job market, at Tuesday’s Westport Rotary Club meeting.
The WPN connects local college students and young professionals with job and networking opportunities. Volunteers offer mentorship and advice, in person and online.
“Right now, this is a tough time,” said Fedorchak. “The young professional unemployment rate is 10.5%.”
Lisa Fedorchak (speaking) and Katie Gervasio, at the Westport Rotary Club. (Hat tip and photo/Dave Matlow)
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Westport resident Vivek Kanthan wants to end the drought of Americans ascending to the top of Formula 1.
“06880” last checked in just over a year ago, when he signed with the Formula 4 team Griffin Core by Campos — the top-ranked team in that division.
Since then, Kanthan won his first F4 race, captured Rookie of the Year honors, and set several records, including the single lap speed mark in Mexico City.
Last weekend, the 15-year-old placed 1st at the Spanish Winter Championship.
For more than 4 decades, The Susan Fund has provided college scholarships to Fairfield Country residents who have been diagnosed with cancer at some time in their life, and attend (or plan to) enroll in an institution of higher learning.
The Fund was established in 1980 in memory of her Susan Lloyd, a Staples High School graduate who lost her battle with cancer. Since its founding, the organization has provided over $2 million in scholarships to more than 300 students.
The deadline is near — April 1 — for applications for the 2026 school year. To apply or to learn more about the Susan Fund, click here.
On May 2, the Nolan Team at Compass is sponsoring a town-wide tag sale. It will likely be Westport’s biggest ever.
Residents can participate by hosting a sale at their own home.
It’s a great way to get plenty of publicity. The Nolan Team handles all promotion (including a sign for your lawn or driveway). Your address will be included on a map, and all publicity.
Shoppers can plan their own route, and visit multiple sales all day.
To participate, and for more information, click here.
300 years of passageways in Weston is the topic of an April 19 book talk at the Weston History & Culture Center.
Artist Julie O’Connor will discuss her 2008 book, “Doors of Weston.”
The lecture is free, but registration is required. Click here.
doors are accessible “portals” to understanding the evolution of Weston and its people over the last three centuries, as we celebrate America and Weston since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Center says, “doors are accessible ‘portals’ to understanding the evolution of Weston and its people over the last 3 centuries, as we celebrate America and Weston since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.”
Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between March 11 and 17.
A 44-year-old Woodside, New York man was charged with 2 counts of larceny, following 2 shoplifting incidents at Walgreens. Both involved allergy medications. One was of $2,659 worth of merchandise; the other was $1,964. He was extradited after being incarcerated for an unrelated matter in New York.He was held on a $40,000 bond.
A 50-year-old Redding man was charged with sexual assault, after a complaint by a restaurant employee that a customer had used his hand to pinch the victim’s buttocks.
A 44-year-old Plymouth, Massachusetts man was charged with failure to appear. He was held on a $25,000 bond.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Texting while driving: 9 citations
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 6
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 5
Failure to obey stop sign: 5
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 4
Failure to renew registration: 4
Failure to obey traffic commission regulations: 4
Distracted driving: 3
Operating a motor vehicle without tint inspection: 2
Werner Liepolt and Robbie Guimond live a few hundred yards apart. They are separated by the Saugatuck River — and by what to do about the Cribari Bridge, which links their 2 neighborhoods.
Today, both offer their views on the future of the 143-year-old span.
Werner Liepolt lives in the Bridge Street Historic District. He writes:
I have worked with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) on the Cribari Bridge project since 2016.
Not against them — with them.
So have several other Westport residents. Many of us served on the Project Advisory Committee as consulting parties recognized by the Federal Highway Administration, representing different groups in town.
I live in the Bridge Street National Register Historic District, which the Westport Historic District Commission and the Connecticut State Historic Preservation Office nominated for National Register status in 2017.
1884 Rufus Wakeman House, in the Bridge Street Historic District.
I am not sorry that we worked with CTDOT.
But I am sorry that CTDOT has not worked more closely with the community on one central concern: truck traffic.
Throughout the PAC meetings, consulting parties repeatedly asked a simple question: If the Cribari Bridge is rebuilt or altered, how will the project prevent the residential neighborhoods of Bridge Street, Imperial Avenue, Greens Farms Road, South Compo Road, and Saugatuck Ave nue from becoming a bypass route for trucks avoiding I-95 congestion?
To date, none of the project alternatives presented by CTDOT address that question.
The 143-year-old Cribari Bridge is not wide or high enough to handle large trucks. (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
The Environmental Assessment prepared for the project runs more than 160 pages, with hundreds more pages of appendices. Yet the analysis largely assumes that changes in bridge height, width, and weight capacity will not significantly alter traffic patterns.
Many residents believe that assumption deserves closer examination, and that CTDOT needs a No Trucks option.
The Cribari Bridge sits within a federally recognized historic district. Under federal law, projects affecting historic districts must consider not only direct impacts to structures, but also long-term, indirect and cumulative effects on the district’s setting and circulation patterns.
Changes that could alter traffic composition — including the potential for heavier vehicles — are part of that evaluation.
In my petition, now signed by over 1,400 people, I asked for something simple: open hearings before decisions are made, and federal oversight to ensure that the protections applied to historic districts are properly followed.
That request still stands.
The upcoming CTDOT meeting on March 19 (6 p.m., Town Hall auditorium) is an opportunity for residents to ask the questions that have not yet been fully addressed.
One of those questions is straightforward: Should Bridge Street and the surrounding historic district become a route for heavy truck traffic — or should Westport insist on solutions that prevent it?
Whatever one’s answer, the question deserves to be asked — and answered — before decisions about the bridge are finalized.
Robbie Guimond lives on Riverside Avenue, where he owns a marina. He writes:
After 4 decades at the marina, it’s obvious I value public access to the Saugatuck River, The potential loss of the Cribari Bridge weighs heavily on me.
Over the last 10 years I’ve been deeply involved with this process. It has highlighted various perspectives that deserve investigation.
More traffic analysis is one. I believe the Connecticut Department of Transportation has approached these options from as neutral a perspective as possible.
Even with their past “adaptive reuse” and the less than perfect results, I feel they are looking for the best outcome for the town.
One view underneath the Cribari Bridge (Pier 2) …
After reviewing the Environmental Assessment and literally hundreds of public blog comments, it is clear that losing the historic bridge is unpalatable to the many who are vocal.
However, it is also evident that CTDOT intends to take action.
From my perspective, there are 2 paths forward:
1. No Build. This means the repair of pier 2, along with minor repairs to the truss and other needed areas.
Yes, the electric box will go, but the different heights of the horizontal truss members might have a posted height of around 13′ 4″.
I believe one is sagging to 13′ 7″-ish, thus preventing tall tractor trailer trucks while still allowing our Fire Departments ladder trucks. This option also avoids a temporary span in The Bridge restaurant’s lot, and extends the span’s life by approximately 15 to 25 years with minimal disruption beyond some channel closures.
2. Full Replacement: If CTDOT deems the first option out of the question, a full replacement is the only other reasonable alternative. The current bridge has already undergone many modifications, and further aggressive changes will only diminish what remains of its character and lead to a 13′ 6″ marked height.
… and another (the pedestal the span swings on). (Photos/Robbie Guimond)
While the pros and cons of a full replacement are debatable, one point is non-negotiable: The town administration, with its Representative Town Meeting- suggested Bridge Committee must maintain strict control over every detail of the design — including location, height, air gap, crosswalk improvements at Wilton Road, and Compo Road South’s desperately needed left turn signal — as this new structure will likely stand for the next century.
I am hopeful that either option can lead to a successful outcome, I guess time will tell.
Maybe not “lonely.” But — as they so often did — the Beatles nailed the past few months.
We’ve had a classic New England winter.
Big snowfalls. Frigid temperatures. Gray days, one after another after another.
Pretty gross. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Yet — as it always does — spring beckons.
It arrives Friday, meteorologically.
It comes early next month, religiously. Once again, Passover and Easter share the same week.
The holidays — one celebrating freedom and redemption, the other renewal and resurrection — are annual reminders that life goes on, stronger than ever, as the world reawakens with colors and warmth.
Spring is a glorious time, whatever God you follow. Or none.
So — as Westporters spend more time outdoors, in the garden, at the beach, on playing fields, and everywhere else in town — what’s ahead?
The Cribari Bridge will continue to dominate many discussions. The road upon which the can has been kicked down for decades may finally reach a fork.
There’s still no clear direction for the future of the 143-year-old span, whose impact on the town is far broader than its 2 narrow lanes might seem.
We may know a lot more after Thursday’s 6 p.m. Town Hall meeting, when the state Department of Transportation meets the public.
Whatever follows will be the first big test of 1st Selectman Kevin Christie’s tenure. He’s been quiet so far. Let’s hope he’s assessed his options, spoken behind the scenes with all the players, and is ready to lead.
Springtime at the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Fred Cantor)
Soon, the budget — actually 2; the town’s, and the larger Board of Education’s — heads to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) for approval.
Last week, the Board of Finance voted unanimously in favor of the BOE’s $157.9 million request. But they vowed to keep a “sharper eye” on next year’s request.
That’s nothing like the situation in the 1970s and early ’80s, when budget battles were annual affairs. Sides were clearly drawn: one claiming every penny was necessary for education, the other (including an actual “Taxwatchers Party”) demanding deep cuts.
There has been great cooperation recently between the BOF and BOE. Several drivers of the budget increase — especially healthcare costs — are largely out of the town’s control.
Renovation of Coleytown Elementary School will be an upcoming budget item.
But events both local (like the recent revaluation) and national (the war in Iran, gas prices, inflation) may impact Westport in the year to come.
We’re not yet talking much about those issues (though the Board of Assessment Appeals is plowing through a number of re-revaluation requests).
We soon may be.
I feel that ice is slowly melting …
We’re all ready to head outdoors.
Al fresco dining returns soon, all over town. Once again, Church Lane will be closed to cars. A tradition begun 6 years ago, in the very dark days of the pandemic, will continue, bringing the community together around food and music.
A new concessionaire may take over at Compo Beach and Longshore (if not, there will be food trucks).
At Longshore too, work continues on the Inn. The renovation is on schedule; it will reopen soon, as a wonderful, newly improved sparkle in one of our town’s true jewels.
Artist’s rendering of the renovated Inn at Longshore.
Old Mill Grocery will pulse with energy too. A couple of NIMBY neighbors are trying to stop the sale of alcohol, and the use of outdoor tables and a gelato cart. The existence of the 107-year-old beloved neighborhood spot remains in doubt. But for now, it’s lived to serve us for another season.
Spring returns soon to Westport.
All is not right with our town, or the world.
But after a long, cold, lonely winter, we’ll take what we can get.
Here comes the sun … it’s all right.
(“06880” covers everything under the Westport sun. If you enjoy stories like this — or anything else on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
As Westporters prepare for Thursday’s public meeting with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (March 19, 6 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), nearly 1,400 residents have already made their views known. (They have also donated $2,455 to the cause.)
They signed an online petition organized by Werner Liepolt. The former Westport teacher — who lives on Bridge Street just few hundred yards from the 143-year-old span — initiated it due to what he calls “a public perception that CTDOT had not provided opportunity for public involvement.”
Werner Liepolt painted this image of the Cribari Bridge.
Liepolt asks for “federal oversight to guarantee that all alternatives are evaluated and that the richly historic and irreplaceable nature of the bridge is given due consideration.”
He has submitted his petition into the official public comment record for the Environmental Assessment currently under review by CTDOT and the Federal Highway Administration.
Under federal review procedures, public comments and petitions are part of the record considered as agencies evaluate project alternatives and potential effects on the surrounding area (including the Bridge Street National Register Historic District).
The meeting is part of the ongoing environmental and historic review process for the Cribari Bridge project.
The full petition — active until April 17 — says: “I am a resident of the Bridge Street National Register District, home to the iconic William F. Cribari Bridge—individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places that has been an integral part of our community’s identity for 141 years.
“This historic bridge, oldest operable bridge of its kind in the USA, nestled in Westport, Connecticut, is on the brink of being replaced by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) without an essential public engagement process.
“Despite its historic status, there has been a disturbing lack of transparency and involvement from the public, disregarding the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 Section 106 review procedures.
“The William F. Cribari Bridge is more than just a piece of infrastructure; it is a cherished symbol of our heritage, tying together the historical fabric of our neighborhood.
Cribari Bridge (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
“The sudden decision to replace such an irreplaceable landmark raises concerns not only within our community but also nationwide, as it sets a precedent for how historic sites might be handled without proper oversight.
“Why hasn’t there been an effort to engage the community in this critical decision-making process? The lack of transparency undermines the principles of fair public policy and overlooks the historical significance that this bridge brings to our region.
“It is imperative that the federal government steps in to ensure that the CTDOT considers all perspectives, from engineering experts to local residents, and follows due process in accordance with National Historic Preservation guidelines.
“The preservation of the William F. Cribari Bridge is essential for maintaining the cultural and architectural identity of our region, and its replacement should not proceed without an exhaustive review and input from all stakeholders involved.
Manually opening the Cribari Bridge.
“We need comprehensive federal oversight to guarantee that all alternatives are evaluated and that the richly historic and irreplaceable nature of the bridge is given due consideration.
“I urge you to sign this petition to demand federal oversight over the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s plans to replace the William F. Cribari Bridge.
“Together, we can safeguard the integrity of our cherished historic landmark and ensure a democratic process respects both our heritage and community voice.
“Let us be vigilant in protecting our past for the generations to
come.”
“Adaptive rehabilitation”? A complete replacement?
Those are the most talked-about options, for the 143-year-old span.
But one “06880” readers is thinking outside the bridge — er, box.
He offers an idea that may seem improbable, perhaps impossible.
But back when Grover Cleveland was president, the idea of a bridge that opened laterally to let Saugatuck River traffic through may also have been considered way out there.
A detail of the Bridge Street Bridge, from Robert Lambdin’s Saugatuck mural.
At this point, nothing should be off the table. So “06680” presents it, for discussion. The reader writes:
What about an entirely new bridge and road next to the I-95 bridge, on one side of it or the other?
It would go from the Saugatuck Avenue parking lot underneath the I-95 bridge (next to Black Duck) to Compo Road South, using Elaine Road.
(Elaine Road leads into Westport Animal Control and the public boat launch under I-95. It is currently one-way; it would have to become two-way to bring traffic onto Compo Road South. The current exit road from the boat launch area loops just north of Elaine Drive; it takes traffic via Underhill Parkway onto Bridge Street, opposite The Saugatuck co-op residences.)
Elaine Road (red balloon), the I-95 bridge, and environs. Click on or hover over to enlarge.
This would alleviate traffic in the Saugatuck bottleneck area on Riverside Drive.
The Cribari Bridge could receive basic rebuilding, as a passenger car or possibly pedestrian-only bridge.
It seems that a temporary bridge will be necessary during the project. Why not make a better positioned permanent bridge?
Aerial view.
Meanwhile, another reader offers a suggestion for construction.
Ray Broady moved to Westport in 2014 from Southern California, with his wife of 55 years, to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter. Ray spent his career in contracting. He writes:
I realize the state Department of Transportation is trying to meet state and federal mandates, with regard to traffic.
DOT is going override the town’s wants and wishes, and move ahead with a big concrete bridge that bypasses historic preservation and careful outcome needs of our community.
We can slow and stop this outcome if we bring to DOT at the March 19 meeting (6 p.m., Town Hall) a viable consensus plan of how the Cribari Bridge can be replaced with a wonderful matching historic-looking truss bridge that is a little wider (not a lot), has better approaches, still provides the opening swing span, will have a slightly taller clearance for small boats when closed, can be built in shorter time versus standard build for a new temporary bridge, and does not disrupt traffic badly during the new bridge final in place finish.
I have come up with a plan of how this can be easily accomplished. The concept is a new historic truss Cribari Bridge replacement.
Several fabricators and builders in the country can build a new historic truss-look bridge structure in 3 separate sections. There are 2 ways to accomplish this.
The East Main Street Bridge in Newark, Licking County, Ohio is 35 feet wide. Two lanes, with bicycle and pedestrian ways, it was fabricated by US Bridge in Cambridge, Ohio.
One is to float construction barges in the river sides near the launch ramp area and under a portion of I-95 overhead, where floating cranes can assemble partially finished structures to assemble the 3 main sections for the bridge.
The other is to construct the 3 new bridge sections on barges at another site, and float them up the Saugatuck River mouth and into position when ready to set them.
These new bridge sections would have top truss sections 13′ 6″ inches above the finished bridge roadway. This would preclude large semi-truck trailers crossing the new bridge.
The new bridge should be reset in a straighter line with the Bridge Street end. This will allow new concrete footings and end approaches to be constructed without demolition of the old Cribari Bridge sections
This will mean little to no lengthy closure of the bridge traffic, and produce a complete new historic-look bridge in a greatly reduced time frame.
The river is scheduled for dredging, including the area under the bridge at both new and existing locations, to create better river depths at low tides.
The new bridge pieces can be floated on the barges, and set on the new footings and approaches. DOT might be excited about this form of construction, as they just finished an “out of the box” bridge replacement using the build and move bridge for exit 17.
By a wide margin, respondents to yesterday’s “06880” Cribari Bridge survey favor “adaptive rehabilitation” of the 143-year-old span. That means improving roadway safety and adding bike lanes, while preserving the 12′ 10″ height to continue blocking heavy truck traffic.
As of 6:45 this morning, 464 readers, or 75% — out of a total of 617 who answered the question — chose that option.
Another 98 (16%) selected “full replacement” (meeting all modern height, weight and flood-resilience standards).
The third option — “no change; leave it as it is” — was chosen by 55 (9%).
Cribari Bridge (Photo/Ferdinand Jahnel)
The survey was unscientific (and a few of the 627 participants did not answer every question). But it offers some insight, as Westport grapples with next steps in a decades-long debate over next step for one of the town’s 3 Saugatuck River crossings.
Readers were given 4 elements to rate as “very important to me,” “somewhat important to me” or “not important to me,” when considering the Cribari Bridge.
The most important, according to respondents, was “the potential for use by large trucks.” That was “very important” to 426 (70%), “somewhat important” to 100 (16%), and “not important” to 85 (14%).
“Safety issues — for example, increasing the width” — was “very important” to 356 (58%) and “somewhat important” to 175 (29%). It was “not important” to 80 (13%).
When considering its future, the Cribari Bridge’s history was deemed “very important” by 277 readers (45%), and “somewhat important” by 257 (42%). Another 79 (13%) called it “not important.”
The fourth consideration was “navigability of the Saugatuck River, including the ability of all marine craft to pass underneath.” 173 readers (28%) called it “very important; 276 (45%) said it was “somewhat important,” and 164 (27%) said it was “not important.”
The Cribari Bridge is the oldest swing span of its type in the nation. It is opened manually, to allow marine craft to pass underneath. (Photo/Mark Mathias)
“06880” readers’ preference for “adaptive rehabilitation” aligns with a sense of the meeting vote taken Tuesday night, by the Representative Town Meeting.
Twenty of 21 RTM members present and voting — 95% — said yes to a bridge that would be wide enough for pedestrian and bike lanes, yet low enough to prohibit 18 wheelers.
The lone “no” vote was cast to reflect a desire for restoration, not replacement in any form. Four members abstained.
The full “sense of the meeting” resolution is at the end of this story.*
The Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Patricia McMahon)
The survey asked 3 other questions.
On the issue of whether the town of Westport should buy the Cribari Bridge — which would mean being responsible for renovation and maintenance, without federal and state funding — the majority (369, or 61%) said no. 236 readers (39%) agreed with the idea.
Even more respondents opposed the idea of moving the bridge elsewhere in town, to serve as a footbridge and preserve its history. That idea was opposed by 392 (65%), supported by 210 (35%).
The final question asked: “If the town negotiates with the state Department of Transportation on the future of the Cribari Bridge, which of the following should NOT be up for discussion?”
The most important non-negotiable item — “allowing large truck traffic” — was chosen by 484 (43%).
“Losing the historic look” was deemed non-negotiable by 266 (24%), followed by “keeping height” (172, 15%), “creating a new alignment” (121, 11%) and adding width (7%).
* The RTM “sense of the meeting” resolution” said:
RESOLVED: It is the sense of the Westport Representative Town Meeting that the Town administration should engage with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to ensure that the Cribari Bridge across the Saugatuck river is restored, rehabilitated or replaced as soon as practicable.
Any upgrade should at a minimum maintain or evoke the historic design of the current structure. The finished structure should be wide enough to include pedestrian and bike lanes and a height restriction to ensure that it will not provide access for semi tractor trucks.
(“06880” reports regularly on the Cribari Bridge debate — and everything else in Westport too. If you appreciate our coverage, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Save it at all costs! Renovate it for safety and river navigation! Don’t allow trucks! Don’t worry, they can’t get through Saugatuck anyway!
As the March 19 community meeting (6 p.m., Town Hall) with the state Department of Transportation looms, the jury remains out on what Westport — residents, and town officials — really want for the span’s future.
A decade after discussions began on a renovation or replacement of the 143-year-old bridge, no one seems to have an idea of what to say to DOT.
That might be because no one has clearly asked.
Today, “06880” does just that.
We’ve created an 8-question survey. It’s not scientific — we’re not Gallup or Quinnipiac — but it could give some sense of residents’ feelings. Results will be posted on Friday.
The survey is below. NOTE: This is for current Westport residents only. Thanks!
Cribari Bridge (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress)
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