Tag Archives: Green’s Farms Road

4-Way Stop Signs: 4 Rules

Posted on October 23, 2022 | 19 comments

“06880” has performed many civic functions over the years.

We’ve told you where to get COVID vaccines (remember those?).

We’ve given you details on dumping your yard waste after a storm. We’ve provided primers on septic systems.

Today, we’re a Driver Ed teacher.

Alert “06880 reader — and terrified-to-be-on-the-road-these-days Westporter — Lynn Flint sends along these reminders of who has the right-of-way at 4-way stop signs.

Three examples: Hillspoint and Greens Farms Roads; Cross Highway and Bayberry Lane; Cross Highway and North Avenue (tricky, because one of the stops is not visible to all other drivers).

The North Avenue/Cross Highway intersection may be the most dangerous one in Westport without a light. Who goes first?

Here are the rules:

1. The first vehicle to arrive has the right of way. Pretty easy: You get there (clearly) first, you go first.

2. Always yield to the right. When 2 vehicles arrive side by side, the one furthest to the right has the right of way. (That’s “right” — an easy way to remember it.) If there are 3 vehicles, the one furthest left goes last (“left = last”).

3. Straight traffic has the right of way over turning traffic. This applies when 2 cars face each other. If they’re both heading straight, or turning in the same direction (say, both left or both right), both can go at the same time. If one is turning, but the other is not, the turning driver yields to the straight-ahead driver. NOTE: This assumes that a driver who is turning uses the turn signal. That’s the little arm on the steering column. It is not difficult to push up or down, and it is not there for decoration.

4. Right turns take the right of way over left turns. This is Advanced Placement Driver Ed. Imagine 2 cars facing each other. One is turning right; the other is turning left. If they both go at the same time, they’ll crash. So the car turning right — the one closest to the turn — goes first.

There is no written test for this — just a practical exam.

See you on the road!

(Hat tip: TopDriver.com)

(Like these occasional tips? Please click here to support your hyper-local blog.)

19 Comments

Posted in Transportation, Westport life

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Testing, Testing …

Posted on January 3, 2022 | 45 comments

All roads lead to the Greens Farms railroad station.

And — with demand for at-home testing high — drivers lined up early for this afternoon’s distribution of the hard-to-come-by kits.

Town officials announced late this morning that supplies had just arrived. By 1:30 p.m., cars were backed up on Greens Farms Road all the way to the Sherwood Island connector. Soon, the line stretched all the way back to South Compo.

Similarly long lines were reported the other direction on Greens Farms Road, and on adjacent streets like Beachside Avenue, Morningside Drive and Turkey Hill.

With little to do but wait, a number of drivers sent photos to “06880.” Here are a few:

Greens Farms Road, heading toward Beachside Avenue … (Photo/Jan Stewart)

… and cars waiting behind from the Connector, shown in the side mirror. (Photo/Jan Stewart)

Coming from the other direction — the east — on Greens Farms Road. (Photo/Wynne Bohonnon)

Morningside Drive South, heading toward Greens Farms Road. (Photo/Alan Phillips)

Beachside Avenue bridge over I-95, heading toward Greens Farms Road. (Photo/Wynne Bohonnon)

 

45 Comments

Posted in Transportation

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Many Hands Make Lights Work

Posted on July 20, 2021 | 26 comments

During COVID, Westport’s eerily empty streets were a joy to drive.

A sad joy, to be sure. The other side of our unimpeded ride was knowing that so many friends and neighbors were stuck home, inside, with nowhere at all to go.

Now — thanks to vaccinations, warm weather and pandemic fatigue — traffic is back.

And it’s worse than ever.

For hours a day, backups stretch everywhere: from Route 1 and 33 almost to Fresh Market. Canal and Main Streets. All of Saugatuck.

No one can say for sure why it’s this bad. But driving in Westport really, really sucks.

Waiting in line at the Imperial Avenue light. (Photo/Dick Lowenstein)

With time on my hands the other day — I wasn’t going anywhere — I tried to think of solutions.

I wouldn’t wish another townwide quarantine on anyone. Banning Waze is not an option. (I’m as hypocritical as the rest of Westport: I happily use the app to avoid highway traffic by driving through other towns.)

So I did the next best thing. I came up with a few ideas.

For example:

Alternate red and green lights at both Wilton Road and Riverside Avenue. The awkward dance between cars heading northbound and southbound doesn’t work. One car trying to turn left from Wilton Road onto the Post Road — or left from Riverside onto Post Road West — can hold up a dozen cars behind it. So why not have green for only northbound traffic; then only green for southbound traffic; followed by what we’ve got now (first a “left turn only” for eastbound and westbound drivers, then a full green for both).

What’s the holdup? Some dude at the front of this line, trying to turn left onto the Post Road. (Photo/David Waldman)

Add a “left turn only” for drivers on South Compo, going westbound on Bridge Street. Traffic now routinely backs up under the railroad bridge.

At the same time, change the timing of the light. It’s too long for Greens Farms Road and Bridge Street drivers, not long enough for those on Compo South. (I know; a long light helps ease traffic on Greens Farms and Bridge Street when it’s backed up with I-95 overflow. Maybe shorter lights would effect Waze’s algorithm of suggesting that as an alternate route.)

A “left-turn only” arrow from South Compo to Bridge Street will make traffic flow as easily as it appears in this image from Google Maps.

Reconfigure the turning lane from Kings Highway North (where the Willows/ “Fort Apache” medical complex is on the right), onto Wilton Road. Right now the right lane is for right turns and cars going straight on Kings Highway. When one car in that lane heads straight, no one behind can turn right on red. Make the left lane for left turns and straight ahead; the right lane should be “right on red” only.

Another reason Kings Highway North should be “right turn on red” only: The left lane lines up more directly with its continuation past Wilton Road.

All of these ideas are beyond the scope of Westport officials. They’re state roads. So yeah, I know, I have a better chance of walking to the planet Zork than I do of seeing meaningful traffic light changes.

But a boy can dream.

(Do you have an idea for easing Westport’s traffic woes? Click “Comments” below. It won’t do any good — but at least “06880” readers can appreciate your brilliance.) 

26 Comments

Posted in Transportation, Westport life

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Pic Of The Day #1395

Posted on February 10, 2021 | 4 comments

Greens Farms Road, looking west (Photo/David Squires)

4 Comments

Posted in Pic of the Day, Weather

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On Greens Farms Road, A Vigilante Traffic Stop

Posted on December 14, 2019 | 44 comments

It’s no secret — unfortunately — that when I-95 backs up, Greens Farms Road can be an alternate route.

Neighborhood residents don’t like it. But — in this age of Waze and other traffic apps — there’s nothing they can do about it.

That did not stop one man from trying.

Alert “06880” reader Josh Stein reports:

Driving southbound yesterday on Greens Farms Road, I came upon a car parked perpendicular across both travel lanes.

I thought there was an accident. I ran up to the car, and was greeted by a man who said he represents the Greens Farms Association.

I’m sure he doesn’t. But, Josh continues:

He said was protesting through traffic. Dozens of cars were stopped.

A less congested view of the area on Greens Farms Road where a vigilante stopped traffic yesterday.

When Josh returned home, the same thing happened. He called the Westport Police Department. They arrived quickly.

Apparently, Josh says:

This guy has been doing this all week. The police are aware of him.

He actually accelerated and aimed his car at me this second time. He has a large dog in his back seat. The first time he blocked both lanes of traffic, he was in front of 286 Greens Farms Road. This second time he was in front of 350 Greens Farms Road or thereabouts. He told the officer he lives on Greens Farms Road, in the 300s.

No, we don’t like what Waze is doing to our town.

But there must be better “ways” to address the problem than this.

44 Comments

Posted in Places, technology, Transportation, Westport life

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Alert: Monday Morning Commute To Train Station, I-95 May Be Messy

Posted on March 4, 2018 | 5 comments

The Westport Police Department says:

Due to electrical grid damage from Friday’s storm, and continuing repairs, it is anticipated that the intersection of Greens Farms Road/Bridge Street at Compo Road South may remain closed to traffic at least through the morning commute tomorrow (Monday, March 5).

No traffic will be allowed through the intersection of Greens Farms Road at Compo Road South.

Road closures will be in place at Bridge Street at Imperial Avenue, Compo Road South at Keyser Road, Greens Farms Road at Hillspoint Road, and Compo Road South at Elaine Road. Any destinations within this area will be accessible only to local traffic; all other traffic should must use detours.

Drivers traveling from all points south of the I-95 overpass on Compo Road South should follow Compo Road South to Hillspoint Road north to the intersection of Greens Farms Road. From this point, traffic will be routed either east on Greens Farms Road and/or north on Hillspoint Road.

Drivers traveling west on Greens Farms Road will be detoured north at the intersection of Greens Farms Road and Hillspoint Road toward Post Road East.

No westbound traffic will be allowed on to Greens Farms Road from the Sherwood Island Connector. This area will be accessible to local traffic only. All other traffic will be diverted north on the Sherwood Island Connector towards Post Road East.

Compo Road South will be completely closed to southbound traffic at the intersection with Keyser Road.

All southbound traffic on Imperial Avenue will be diverted west on Bridge Street. All eastbound traffic on Bridge Street will be diverted north on to Imperial Avenue.

The work may continue into Monday evening.

 

5 Comments

Posted in Police, Transportation, Weather

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Photo Challenge #156

Posted on December 24, 2017 | 8 comments

Every Westporter knows the Post Road. South Compo. North Avenue.

But not every Westporter knows Greens Farms Road — especially the section near Southport.

That’s a shame. You miss out on beautiful homes. Our “other” railroad station.

And last week’s photo challenge.

Peggy Lehn’s image showed a tree stump, painted to look like a happy face. It’s familiar to anyone taking a right out of the station. Bob Grant, India V. Penney, Jimmy Stablein, Barbara Wanamaker, Seth Schachter and Andrew Colabella all recognized it instantly.

It’s been there for maybe a year — after a tree was cut, or fell down.

Let’s hope it stays forever. (Click here for the photo — or go see it yourself.)

This week’s photo challenge comes courtesy of Ed Simek. If you know where in Westport you’d spot this, click “Comments” below.

8 Comments

Posted in Environment, Pic of the Day

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Scott Smith’s Concrete Questions

Posted on November 25, 2017 | 9 comments

The roads of Westport play an important — if often unrecognized — role in our lives. When we do think about them, it’s in the context of traffic, alternate routes, that sort of thing.

Scott Smith thinks of asphalt and concrete. The longtime Westporter writes:

The autumn flurry of repaving Westport’s road before the asphalt plants shut down for the winter makes me wonder about the status of some other byways around town. I’m thinking of the local streetscapes I travel that are still paved with concrete.

Three spots come to mind: the mile or so along Greens Farms Road between Compo and Hillspoint, and 2 blocks on Riverside — one heading toward the train station, the other from Viva’s to the VFW. Made of poured aggregate cement and laid down in blocks of 20 feet or so, these stretches of old roadway remind me of a time when things were built to last.

Concrete on Greens Farms Road …

But not always. Years ago, while re-landscaping a home I lived in off Imperial Avenue, I dug up a bunch of old concrete blocks. They were odd shapes, most 2 or 3 feet across and all 6 to 8 inches thick, smooth on one side and jagged on the other.

The house was built in 1960, on low-lying property, so I figured they were fill from when construction of the I-95 Turnpike tore through town. The chunks of pavement were a bear to raise up out of the ground, but made great stepping stones. I bet they are still there.

… on Riverside Avenue north of the Cribari Bridge …

It’s probably a state versus town issue, but as I see other local roads in the continual process of getting stripped of asphalt and replaced with new black pavement, I wonder what’s up with these concrete remnants of vintage Westport.

Are there any longtime townies — or people in Public Works — who could let the rest of us know when these roads were first laid down, and how long they might stick around?

… and near the train station. (Photos/Scott Smith)

9 Comments

Posted in Places, Saugatuck, Totally random, Transportation

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Digging Into Westport’s 300-Year-Old Mystery

Posted on August 26, 2016 | 18 comments

The other day, amateur historian Bob Weingarten published a story in Greens Farms Living magazine.

Read the previous sentence carefully.

The publication calls itself Greens Farms. Not Green’s Farms. Or Greensfarms.

Punctuation matters. And the punctuation of Westport’s oldest section of town was the subject of Weingarten’s piece.

I’m interested. From time to time, I’ve referred to that neighborhood in several ways. I never knew the answer — and never knew how to find out.

Weingarten quotes author Woody Klein, who called John Green “the largest landholder” among the 5 Bankside Farmers who in the late 1600s settled around what is now Beachside Avenue (the “banks” of Long Island Sound).

This is where the Bankside Farmers first worked the land. It looks a bit different today.

This is where the Bankside Farmers first worked the land. It looks a bit different today.

The area was called Green’s Farms. But in 1732 it was changed to Greens Farms because, Klein says, Fairfield — the town of which it was part — did not want “any individual landholder to become too independent.”

The plural form, Weingarten writes, could mean either that Green had more than one farm, or that it was “adopted from the multiple farms of the Bankside Farmers.” So Greens Farms it was.

Except in property deeds, which referred to “the Parish of Greensfarms.”

However, in 1842 — when the parish was incorporated into the 7-year-old town of Westport — the spelling became Green’s Farms.

The church of the same name adopted the apostrophe. Today it sometimes uses one, sometimes not. Sometimes on the same web page.

Green's Farms Congregational Church

The church — with or without an apostrophe.

Confusion continued, though. For decades thereafter, official documents and maps referred to both Green’s Farms and Greens Farms.

Weingarten also mentions two streets: Green’s Farms Road and Greens Farms Hollow.

The state Department of Transporation has used both spellings — and a 3rd: Green Farms, for the Metro-North station.

Weingarten cites one more example. The post office near the train station uses the apostrophe spelling on one sign, the non-apostrophe on another.

This is definitely not one of the options.

This is definitely not one of the options.

Weingarten favors Green’s Farms. So do I.

But “06880” is a democracy. So — even though the zip code is 06838 — we’ll put it to a vote. Click the poll below — and add “Comments too.”

All you have to lose is an apostrophe.

Click here for “06880+”: The easy way to publicize upcoming events, sell items, find or advertise your service, ask questions, etc. It’s the “06880” community bulletin board!

18 Comments

Posted in History, People, Places, religion, Transportation

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Towering Over Greens Farms Road

Posted on June 1, 2015 | 10 comments

Remember that 120-foot cell tower proposed for a private residence on Greens Farms Road?

It’s on hold — but drivers in the area have recently noticed a smaller tower, near — but not on — the property in question.

Emergency response tower - Greens Farms Road

Hold your texts and emails (if you can get a signal). This is not that cell tower.

It’s Westport’s Emergency Response System — and it’s been there since the mid-1980s. It was installed to warn residents of impending disasters (I’m just guessing, but say, a truck accident involving toxic chemicals on nearby I-95).

The proposed cell tower will be 75 to 100 feet taller than this structure.

So why are people just now noticing it?

A widening project on Greens Farms Road (including a new turning lane onto Hillspoint, visible in the photo above), and resulting deforestation of the area, has made the Emergency Response System more prominent.

As for the cell tower: neighbors, local officials and state legislators are still working to prevent its construction on private property, in a residential zone. The town continues to seek an alternative site on state DOT property.

 

10 Comments

Posted in Environment, Places, technology

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