Every Westporter knows the William F. Cribari Bridge.
Plans to renovate or replace the historic 142-year-old swing span over the Saugatuck River ensure it will be one of the top news stories of 2026.
And — for a few more days — no matter what you think about its future, you can marvel at its festive, special holiday lights when you drive over it at night.
But who was William F. Cribari?
“Crobar” — as he was universally known in his native Saugatuck — was quite a guy.
He was a World War II vet. Serving under General George S. Patton, he took part in the invasions of Normandy, Sicily and North Africa. He also served in the Battle of the Bulge.
But that’s not why the bridge is named after him.
For more than 30 years, Cribari was a special police officer. He walked the beat on Main Street, and directed traffic at both the pre-light Riverside/Saugatuck Avenue intersection, and the Post Road by Kings Highway Elementary.
But that’s not why the bridge is named after him either.
His greatest fame came when he was shifted to Riverside Avenue, at the entrance to the Manero’s (now Rizzuto’s) parking lot.
William F. Cribari
There — with a smile, a theatrical wave and more than a few dance steps — he masterminded rush hour traffic through the heart of Saugatuck. Much of it went over the Bridge Street — now William F. Cribari — Bridge.
He was much more than a traffic cop, of course. Cribari’s full-time job was tool crib operator for Nash Engineering. He was a longtime Westport PAL volunteer, and a Knight of Columbus. He attended every Army-Navy football game from 1946 on.
At 12 years old he joined the Saugatuck Volunteer Fire Department as a snare drummer. He remained a life member.
More than 30 years later, he became drum major for both the Nash Engineering Band — marching every year in the Memorial Day parade — and the Port Chester American Legion Band.
In 2003, Cribari and his wife Olga were honored as grand marshals of Festival Italiano. That annual event was held in Luciano Park — not far from where he was born at home in 1918, and just around the corner from where generations of commuters learned to love Westport’s greatest traffic cop.
And where stands perhaps the only bridge in the world named for one.
William F. Cribari was honored with this Westport News photo feature.
Cribari died on January 30, 2007, at 88.
Nearly 2 decades later his name lives on, through his namesake bridge.
Let’s all make sure his legend does too.
(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!)
Almost exactly 9 years ago — on December 14, 2016 — “06880” published a story by “historic-minded” Wendy Crowther. The subject was the William F. Cribari Bridge.
I called it a “perfect holiday/Westport piece.” It still is.
And — with a Connecticut Department of Transportation “consulting meeting” set for this Thursday (December 18, 6 p.m., Town Hall) — this is a perfect time to re-post her thoughts.
The span over the Saugatuck River is now 141 years old. But little has changed in the near-decade since Wendy first wrote:
A few days ago, my TV remote dropped me into the last half of the 1946 holiday classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I entered the story just as George Bailey ran onto the Bedford Falls Bridge and contemplated suicide. Luckily George’s guardian angel, Clarence, showed up just in time to help George see the value of his life, and its impact on his town and loved ones.
Though I’ve seen the movie a bazillion times, this time I noticed something I hadn’t seen before. George Bailey’s bridge was very similar to our own Saugatuck swing bridge (the William F. Cribari Bridge).
George Bailey on the Bedford Falls bridge (1946).
Due to my involvement over the last year and a half in efforts to not only document the history of our 132-year old span, but also save it from the impending doom of the state Department of Transportation’s scrap heap, I’ve become sensitized to old bridges in general — particularly truss bridges like ours (and George’s).
Seeing the movie from this new perspective, I became intrigued by the film’s use of the bridge as a symbol. Sixty years ago, when “It’s a Wonderful Life” was first released, plenty of small truss bridges still existed. Clearly, it was one of many elements used by the filmmakers to convey the quaint, homey feel of a small, American town — towns like Westport, and thousands of others across the country.
George Bailey’s bridge, set in fictional Bedford Falls, plays a pivotal role in the story. The 2 most transformative moments occur as George stands upon it: the first as he prepares to jump from it, the second when he returns to the bridge and desperately pleads, “I want to live.”
It’s believed that the town of Seneca Falls, New York was director Frank Capra’s inspiration for “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He supposedly visited Seneca Falls during the time the screenplay was being developed. Seneca Falls has a real bridge that looks much like the one depicted in the movie.
It also looks a lot like our Saugatuck swing bridge.
George Bailey on the Bedford Falls bridge (left); the actual Seneca Falls bridge (right). (Photos/Ottawarewind.com)
Though the Seneca Falls bridge and Westport’s are similar in many ways, Seneca’s can’t hold a candle to our own.
Our bridge, built in 1884, is 132 years old — the oldest active bridge of its type in the nation. Seneca’s, built in 1915, is a mere 101. Both are truss bridges, though ours is longer and made of iron; theirs is made of steel. Our bridge swings open for boat traffic; theirs doesn’t. The roads over both bridges are known as Bridge Street — but ours has the additional honor of being designated a State Scenic Road.
Our bridge crosses the Saugatuck River; theirs crosses the Seneca. Both bridges are still in use and open to traffic. Neither is tall enough to allow semi-tractor trailers to cross.
But here’s where Seneca’s bridge has it over ours. It was rehabilitated in 1997. Ours may meet the wrecking ball within the next few years — if the state has its druthers. DOT wants to make room for big rigs.
Original plans for the 1884 Saugatuck River bridge. (Image courtesy of Westport Historical Society)
In the fictional town of Bedford Falls, and in the real-life towns of Seneca Falls and Westport, bridges are iconic symbols that tell a story, provide a sense of place, and teach us about our history. They span rivers and time. They connect what separates us, and they can deter what we prefer to fend off.
In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the critical moment occurs as George stands for the 2nd time on the Bedford Falls Bridge and begs to have his old life back again. Suddenly, snow begins to fall. He is transported from his alternate reality and returned to the present. His gratitude sends him jubilantly running through the streets of Bedford Falls, shouting greetings to all the buildings and friends he cherishes.
As the film ends, all is well in Bedford Falls. Goodness triumphs over selfishness and greed, bells ring and the angel Clarence gets his wings.
The William Cribari (Saugatuck River) Bridge, Christmas Eve 2015. (Photo/Wendy Crowther)
Having newly seen “It’s a Wonderful Life” from the bridge’s perspective, I realize that it offers Westporters valuable insights and inspiration.
Will we fight hard to keep what many of us cherish — our Saugatuck swing bridge? What powerful forces will try to overcome valiant efforts to keep it just the way it is? What changes to the bridge could transform (or devastate) portions of our community forever? If we lose it, will we wish we had better understood the wisdom of its ways?
The film ends with 4 important words. The entire cast sings “Auld Lang Syne.” Loosely translated from Scottish, the phrase means “for the sake of old times.” Let’s remember those words.
(Wendy is a founding member of the Westport Preservation Alliance. For more information about the history of the Saugatuck Swing Bridge and the efforts to save it, click here.)
(“06880” was founded in 2009. We’re not as old as the Cribari Bridge, but we humbly think we play a nice role in this town too. If you enjoy our work, please click here to help. Thank you!)
Two days after they were ordered, the holiday lights to brighten the William F. Cribari Bridge arrived.
An energetic, efficient and very committed group of Westporters made sure that the beloved annual tradition — in danger when the lights were removed, and the long-time sponsor stepped back — continues.
The lights will be hung Sunday night, starting at 10 p.m. (the bridge will be closed during that time).
The gala bridge lighting is set for 5 p.m. Monday. The entire town is invited.
Westport PAL — one of the lights’ sponsors — will have collection boxes for the toy drive they run, with the Westport Police Department. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the bridge, and the Bridge at Saugatuck restaurant.
The restaurant will also offer half-priced wine and beer from 5 to 8 p.m.
Westport’s fundraising drive — to send children from our sister city of Lyman, Ukraine to a camp in the mountains, a respite from a third winter of war — has gotten off to a slow start.
Our goal of $56,000 would enable 200 boys and girls to enjoy time together, with teachers and therapists, at Karabin. The sports, crafts, games and movies — along with schoolwork — takes place in a setting far removed from their hometown, a few miles from the Russian front.
Right now, Lyman’s youngster have been evacuated. The therapeutic camp is a chance to enjoy normalcy, with friends and trusted adults.
It costs about $280 to send one child to Karabin, for 10 days.
How about it, Westport? Can we raise $56,000, to ensure that 200 kids in our sister city enjoy time away from the terrors of the past 3 years?
Just click here. Under “Designation,” choose “Westport-Lyman sister city” from the dropdown menu. You can also choose a monthly or one-time donation. If you use the mail or Venmo option, please make a note: “For Westport-Lyman.”
Students from Weston’s sister city of Siversk, at the Karabin camp. Westport is raising funds for children from Lyman, our sister city.
Yesterday was Black Friday. Next week is Cyber Monday.
Today is Small Business Saturday.
There are plenty of local stores to choose from. They’re the heart and soul of our town. Think local!
Meanwhile, next Saturday — December 7 — is another opportunity to support small businesses.
The “06880” Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll features over 70 merchants, offering discounts, deals, gifts and freebies. Click here for details.
WEST Boutique on Post Road East is one of many locally owned businesses.
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Here is an update on the Thanksgiving Day house fire, near the Westport border.
At 3:42 p.m., Weston Fire was alerted to a fire at 40 Weston Road. The garage fire spread quickly into the 10,000-square-foot residence. Firefighters’ efforts were thwarted by dangerous fire conditions and structural collapse.
In addition, a vehicle drove over the water supply hose on Weston Road, damaging the line and stopping the flow of water for several minutes.
The 25 or so people inside the home escaped without injury. But the house is uninhabitable, and the heat from the fire melted the plastic on some cars in the driveway, CT Insider reports.
Personnel remained on the scene for over 16 hours, battling the blaze. Mutual aid assistance was provided by several fire departments including Westport, along with the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Weston Public Works Department, Weston Police Department, Westport Police Department and Weston EMS.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Weston Fire Marshal. Preliminary investigation shows it began in the garage, the result of frying a turkey. (Hat tip: Bill Dedman)
Thanksgiving Day house fire in Weston. (Photo and details courtesy of Weston Volunteer Firie Department)
And finally … today is the 100th birthday of satirist Alan Sherman. He had a brief heyday in the early 1960s — including the novelty smash hit below — before dying in 1973, 10 days before his 49th birthday. He had been undergoing treatment for emphysema, asthma, and obesity, and died of respiratory failure.
(Celebrate Small Business Day by supporting this small business: “06880.” Your hyper-local blog relies on readers’ contributions. Please click here — and thank you!)
The Westport Representative Town Meeting celebrates the 75th anniversary of its first meeting this coming Tuesday (December 3, 7 p.m., Town Hall).
The public is invited. The legislative body’s regular monthly meeting follows in the Town Hall auditorium, at 7:30.
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Sponsors have flocked to the new PAL/YMCA Westport travel basketball program.
And it’s not just local busineses and services. In addition to orthodontists, a cleaning company and restaurants, 3 families sponsored teams.
But their names on not on the young players’ jerseys. Instead, thanks to donations from the McCalisters, Liz Hauer and Groves, the causes they believe in — Adrienne Flemming fitness program, Hearts in Harmony and CT Children’s Hospital, respectively — are emblazoned on the back.
Sponsorship includes game jerseys and shorts, practice jerseys, a shooting shirt and backpack, at no cost to players.
The 8th grade (oldest) jerseys were sponsored by PAL. Both teams chose a message that reflects the core belief of the Staples High School program.
On the boys’ jerseys is “STANCE,” an acronym the Wreckers boys live by. The girls’ jersey say “DRIVE,” which this year’s captains and new coach Tommy Sparks chose to reflect the program’s beliefs.
This year’s travel basketball program involves 11 boys and 9 girls teams, plus a 3rd grade girls developmental squad.
Sponsors include Electric Symphony, Fairfield Dermatology, CT ENT, Purple Cow Cleaners, The Bridge at Saugatuck, Outpost Pizza, Academy Camps, The O’Dell Group, Embrace Orthodontics, Metta Management, Heartlent and The Cal Group.
Honoring a favorite non-profit.
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The Westport Farmers’ Market is beloved for its home-grown produce, baked goods, cheese mongers and more. Savvy shoppers know it’s the place to be, every Thursday.
Once a year — on a Saturday — the WFM hosts a special Holiday Artists’ Market. This time, the fare is courtesy of local artists.
This year’s event is Saturday, December 7 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gilbertie’s Herbs & Garden Center).
Over 40 artists will show and sell their wares. The Bubble & Brew mobile café will be there; carolers, too, plus a photo booth.
Among the attractions: Ms President US‘s Clara Scotto, of Westport, will showcase upcycled, upmarket teen fashion. All proceeds from t-thrift sales will be donated to Person to Person in Darien.
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What’s so funny about Walrus Alley?
Once a month — usually the last Tuesday — the downtown restaurants hosts 3 comics.
This week’s headliner was Chris Clarke.
Chris Clarke, at Walrus Alley on Tuesday night. (Hat tip and photo/Matthew Mandell)
Yesterday’s story about the return of lights to the William F. Cribari Bridge — we’ll have them after all! — reminded readers of the joys of crossing the 135-year-old span during the holidays.
And it reminded Westport artist Michael Chait of this video he produced, illustating the dazzling colors over the Saugatuck River.
“Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap” is the subject of a special Westport Library conversation.
The December 4 (7 p.m.) event exploring inequality with authors Louise Story and Ebony Reed. It’s part of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation’s “In Community Conversation” series, in partnership with TEAM Westport.
“Fifteen Cents” authors Louise Story and Ebony Reed join FCCF president and CEO Mendi Blue Paca for a panel discussion with local community leaders, followed by an audience Q & A. Click here for more information.
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between November 20 and 27.
A 22-year-old Astoria, New York woman was charged with larceny, identity theft, and conspiracy to commiti thosoe crimes, after an investigation into a complaint about a stolen IRS refund check that had been stolen and deposited. She was held on a $150,000 bond.
A 30-year-old Cos Cob man was arrested for larceny and identity theft, based on $5,500 in fraudulent charges. He posted a $10,000 bond.
A 22-year-old Waterbury man was charged with violation of probation. He was held on a $20,000 bond.
A 59-year-old Stamford man was arrested for failure to appear.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 9 citations
Failure to comply with traffic control signals: 5
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 4
Failure to obey stop sign: 4
Traveling unreasonably fast: 3
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 3
Failure to renew registration: 2
Passing a standing school bus: 1
Speeding: 1
Driving while texting: 1
Failure to yield to a pedestrian: 1
Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
Improper marker lamps: 1
Improper number of headlamps: 1
Be sure you have the right number of headlights!
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Jolantha — Weston’s favorite pig — is all dolled up for Thanksgiving.
She is also very glad that the meal of choice on this holiday is turkey, not pork.
And finally … it’s amazing the things I remember from my childhood, decades back. (Just as amazing: how easily I forget things from seconds ago, like why did I just walk into this room?).
Every Thanksgiving at Burr Farms Elementary School, we sang this song:
I thought it was a nice holiday tune. Not until decades later did I realize it was a hymn.
But that wasn’t the only religious component of my Westport public school education. In first and second grade — until the Supreme Court outlawed it — every day began with the Lord’s Prayer.
That’s right. Just after the Pledge of Allegiance, our entire class — Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and everyone else — bowed our heads, and said, “Our Father, who art in heaven …”
(Happy Thanksgiving! Today, I am thankful for the chance to share my love of Westport with our wonderful online community. Enjoy the day!)
For decades, Mansion Clam House was a storied Saugatuck destination.
It closed in the mid-2010s. Its replacement, Parker Mansion, shut down last year, after a largely forgettable 6-year run.
The vacant property — prime real estate, in one of our town’s most vibrant restaurant destinations — is ready for its next incarnation.
If Doug Pardon’s plans work out, “The Bridge at Saugatuck” will be as beloved as Mansion Clam House, and more a part of the riverfront neighborhood than Parker Mansion ever was.
Doug Pardon
This is the Staples High School Class of 1997 graduate’s first restaurant venture. But after a career on Wall Street, Pardon knows how to research an investment.
The former football, basketball and baseball player (and statewide Scholar-Athlete honoree) has gotten input and feedback from seasoned professionals.
And as someone who grew up in town, then moved back 8 years ago to raise his family, Pardon knows what and where Westporters like to eat.
Food has always been part of his life. His father Edward — a noted financial advisor — loved to cook. He took lessons from Pietro Scotti, and on Sundays prepared memorable meals.
Pardon inherited his father’s passion. (His parents live in the same Guyer Road home they built in 1972, and enjoy babysitting their grandchildren.)
Pardon tried to purchase the Black Duck a few years ago. Despite many conversations with the owner and landlord, the deal was not completed.
This past January, through his friend Chuck Haberstroh’s uncle-in-law, commercial real estate broker Skip Lane, Pardon heard that the Parker Mansion space on the Riverside Avenue/Bridge Street corner was available.
Before it was Parker Mansion …
He and his wife Elizabeth took a look.
“There seemed to be a lot that prior management hadn’t focused on,” Pardon says.
“There’s the main building, with an upstairs and downstairs; a side patio that they built but never developed, and the riverfront, which was also not utilized.”
… the building was, for many years, The Mansion Clam House.
Pardon researched area restaurant rents.
He enlisted his friend, NBC News and MSNBC anchor/journalist Craig Melvin, as a partner. The men met while coaching their sons’ basketball team.
Pardon brought several restaurateurs through the property. (One was Matt Storch, owner of nearby Match Burger Lobster, who just wanted to help.) They thought the kitchen was small, but good. “You could open up tomorrow,” one said.
Not quite. They took their time. After diligent work — on the property, and getting it right — The Bridge will open in late July.
A “Coming Soon” banner is coming soon — Memorial Day weekend — to spread the word to folks passing by.
Coming soon: A “Bridge at Saugatuck Coming Soon” sign.
Pardon is not quitting his day job. He needed the right chef and operating partner.
Stephen Lewandowski was a great find. The Culinary Institute of America graduate opened Townhouse Greenwich (the former Gabriele’s), and Harlan Publick in South Norwalk.
He also served as executive chef at New York’s Tribeca Grill and corporate chef for the Myriad Restaurant Group, working alongside Drew Nieporent.
Pardon convened focus groups with 80 Westporters. He asked what they liked and disliked in 20 local restaurants.
“I know a lot of restaurants fail,” Pardon says. “It’s important to listen to people. You can’t just open up what you want.”
He’s using local talent to create “a nice place the town can be proud of.” They include architect Frederick Hoag, contractor Chris O’Dell of the O’Dell Group, interior designer Elizabeth Murstein, and Dennis Grimaldi of Westport Glass.
The Bridge will feature “upscale tavern American cuisine,” Pardon says. Part of his vision for the interior is the Gramercy Tavern bar — the site of his first date with his future wife.
The downstairs area will include a barroom feel, with high-top tables. There will be more formal dining upstairs. The side patio and waterfront are important elements in the design, perhaps with cabana-type structures.
Pardon also hopes to use the 5 boat slips on the Saugatuck River.
Boat slips and unused waterfront, behind the former Parker Mansion.
Yet as exciting as The Bridge’s location is, what about that other bridge — the one named for William Cribari, whose uncertain future includes the possibility of a much larger span being built just a few yards away?
“People keep asking me that,” Pardon says. “The town cares about Saugatuck. I’m not losing sleep over it.”
Westporters have debated “the Saugatuck bridge” for years. Doug Pardon hopes they’ll soon all agree that “The Bridge at Saugatuck” is a welcome addition to town.
(“06880” covers Westport’s restaurant and political scenes — and much more. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
… and writes: “I drove by this today. I took it down. Horrified.
“I am Jewish. I attended Columbia a few decades ago. I am distraught. Then this, where I live.
“It was defaced on the highly trafficked corner of Cross Highway and North Avenue.
“I drove by it on my way to drop my child off at an after-school activity. I did not want to stop with my child in the car. So I left it there.
“I drove back 20 minutes later to retrieve it. How did people drive by this for 20 minutes and not remove it?
“I hoped beyond hope it would be gone before I got back, but it wasn’t. It was there. How many people drove by and didn’t stop? How could someone do this in the first place? It is now in the Westport Police’s hands.”
35 Staples High School students and 6 teachers recently returned from 12 days of cultural and artistic immersion in Italy and France.
Led by Stephen Zimmerman, town-wide coordinator of music and visual arts, the itinerary was packed with visits to renowned art museums including the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries in Florence, the Guggenheim in Venice, and Musée d’Orsay and Louvre in Paris.
Students also participated in hands-on activities, such as a fresco art workshop in Florence and an impressionist painting class in Paris.
Staples art students, at a fresco class.
The trip also included guided tours of landmarks like the Roman Forum, Colosseum and Vatican City. The group took gondola rides in Venice, and exploring the streets of Burano, Florence and Paris.
“This trip was an opportunity for our students to deepen their understanding and appreciation of art and culture,” says Zimmerman.
“By experiencing these iconic works of art firsthand, students gained a deeper appreciation for the scale, texture, color, and more.”
There are not many “Rosie the Riveters” left, in 2024.
But one of the originals — women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II — will speak at the Connecticut Air & Space Center in Stratford on May 1 (5 p.m.; $25 tickets, children under 12 free).
And (of course) there’s a Westport connection.
This Rosie — Jean Hunt Tucker — is 99 years old. Her father built the house on Imperial Avenue that she grew up in. It’s where Sharon Levin — who told “06880” about the event — now lives.
“Rosie” will talk about her important work at Chance Vought Aircraft in Stratford.
Beginning at age 18, Jean made drawings of parts for electrical installations — without ever seeing the actual equipment. She also worked on fuselages.
Chance Vought sent her to the Academy of Aeronautics, near La Guardia Airport, to train women entering the industry.
In 1945 Joan entered Northeastern University, as one of its first class of women.
She married in 1949. When the company moved to Dallas, she stayed here. She earned a degree in industrial engineering, and taught math for 38 years in 3 states and 2 foreign countries.
Click here for more details, on Westport’s own Rosie the Riveter.
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“06880”: where Westport meets Talladega.
Last weekend, 2007 Staples High School graduate — now vice president of marketing at Liquid Death (and an Ad Age “40 Under 40” honoree) — was at the Alabama Super Speedway to announce his company as the official iced tea sponsor of NASCAR.
But wait! There’s more! He met his friend, Staples ’09 grad Parker Kligerman, the NASCAR Xfinity Series driver.
Kligerman drives the #48 Chevrolet Camaro for Big Machine Racing. When he’s not behind the wheel, he’s a NASCAR analyst for NBC Sports.
Greg Fass, Parker Kligerman and NASCAR’s official iced tea.
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The always-popular Westport Woman’s Club’s “pop-up art show” is set for Friday, May 3 (5 to 7 p.m., opening reception) and Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5 (2 to 5 p.m.).
Curated by Miggs Burroughs, the event features many local artists. Over 200 works, including paintings, mixed media and ceramics, are available for purchase. Prices range from $50 to $1,500.
Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Refreshments will be served. Curated by Westport Artist Miggs Burroughs, this popular show features a variety of local artists whose works are available for purchase.
Among the artists and works at the Westport Woman’s Club show.
Alert “06880” reader Paul Rohan was curious about the pavement-grading activity to the right of the northbound entrance at I-95 Exit 18.
He asked State Representative Jonathan Steinberg, who serves on the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee.
A representative from Steinberg’s office said that the property near the Sherwood Island Connector is a “reuse stockpile area.” It is a hub for storing dirt and gravel salvaged from the Norwalk WALK railroad bridge site, allowing the contractor to minimize waste and disposal.
The materials are “carefully inspected, sorted, and organized for future use on the WALK Bridge and related projects. Repurposing these materials instead of disposing of them reduces waste and contributes to environmental sustainability.”
Materials salvaged from the Norwalk railroad bridge work are being stockpiled near I-95 Exit 18 in Westport.
Speaking of bridges: Yesterday’s “06880” floated a what’s-old-is-new-again idea: the possibility of a “new” Cribari bridge similar to the temporary one built in the early 1990s, during the span’s last major renovation.
Alert “06880” reader Gloria Gouveia goes back more than a century before that. She sends along this rendering of plans for the original bridge, built in the 1880s:
Hey, it looks better with holiday lights.
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The Westport Garden Club, Westport Library and Westport Arts Advisory Committee announces the winners of their Youth Poetry Contest, for students in grades K-9.
The winning poems are “Forever Awake” by Tessa Lederer (Grade 4) and “Thoughts on a Fresh Spring Day” by Katya Bank (Grade 9).
The theme for the 2024 contest was “I Spy with My Little Eye, Something Green Outside — Celebrating Our Green World.”
But that’s not all. Both young poets won first place in their grade at the state level. They now advance to The New England Garden Clubs’ regional contest. Those final selections will be submitted for National Garden Club awards.
Tessa and Katya will be honored at the Library this Sunday (2 p.m.).
Their readings will be followed by a poetry workshop with town poet laureate Jessica Noyes McEntee. Attendees will be invited to write their own poems, inspired by natural materials provided by The Westport Garden Club.
The event is free and open to the public.
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The Saugatuck Sunday Afternoon Concert Series continues this weekend (April 28, 3 p.m.) with “When Music Connects Us.”
Performers include The Naugatuck Valley Chorale — an ensemble of students and community members — and the Western Connecticut State University Chamber Singers.
The concert is free, and the public is invited. A reception will follow.
Two groups perform Sunday at the Saugatuck Church.
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Many Westporters use “Hair of the Dog” — just over the Southport border, near I-95 Exit 19 — for pet grooming, walking and sitting.
The owner, his wife and their 4 children have been displaced, after a kitchen fire at their Fairfield home last week. The contents of their home are a total loss.
The owner suffered serious burns on his hands and face, and may take a year to fully heal.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with housing, clothes, furniture and other expenses. Click here to read more, and contribute. (Hat tip: Seth Schachter)
And finally … in honor of the Rosie the Riveter (story above):
(“06880” is your go-to source for all things Westport. But we rely on our readers for help. To make a tax-deductible contribution, please click here. Thank you!)
Much of the debate about the William F. Cribari Bridge is binary: Replace the 139-year-old span, or renovate it.
Mary Gai has another idea. The longtime resident writes:
After reading a letter written to the state Department of Transportation by a Westporter, extolling the virtues of the temporary bridge that was constructed while the last repairs were made to the Cribari bridge about 30 years ago, a thought popped into my head.
The temporary bridge (left), built next to the Cribari Bridge. It came close to the Mansion Clam House (later Parker Mansion). The view is looking north, to Bridge Street. Bridge Square is on the right.
The bridge over the Saugatuck River is beloved, no doubt — but not all of us love the traffic congestion caused by its size and state of disrepair.
The letter proposed keeping the bridge, but leaving it in the open position to let boats through, while building another bridge like the wonderful temporary bridge that was so great for traffic and boats.
Keeping it open does not make a lot of sense to me. But what is keeping us from dedicating the Cribari bridge to pedestrian and bike traffic only? We can elevate it, with stairs on both ends and ramps for those who need them.
Then we can build a bridge like the temporary bridge we all loved 30-plus
years ago, for the cars and trucks.
Saugatuck is all grown up now, with many more residents than there were just a decade ago. Could this make everyone happy?
If this was previously presented as an idea and shot down, let’s revisit it. Our technology has to be better now. And we will be able keep the beautiful lights at holiday time … or all year long.
This rendering of a temporary replacement — while the current bridge would be worked on — was presented by the Cribari Bridge Project Advisory Committee in 2018. Could it be a permanent solution?
(“06880” often publishes Opinion pieces by residents. It’s one more feature of our hyper-local blog. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
Nine prominent Westporters — longtime contributors in local government, real estate and law — firmly believe that the William F. Cribari Bridge in Saugatuck should be replaced.
Lawrence Weisman, Ken Bernhard, Ross Burkhardt, Ron Corwin, Michael Dinshaw, Marcia Falk, Roger Leifer, Mike Nayor and Denise Torve have — among other things — served in the Connecticut legislature, and on the Planning & Zoning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
They wrote to the Western Connecticut Council of Governments, which is taking public comments for the Connecticut DOT:
As long time Westport residents we would like to comment, for ourselves and for many of our neighbors and friends, on the state Department of Transportation’s plan to improve the Cribari Bridge.
The immediate question is whether to restore or replace the existing structure. After carefully examining the issue, we strongly favor the replacement option.
The William F. Cribari Bridge … (Photo/Nancy Lally)
The Cribari Bridge plays a critical role in maintaining traffic flow in the congested Saugatuck area of Westport. Its importance cannot be overstated. It is one of only 3 vehicular crossings of the Saugatuck River in Westport, and for many it provides the closest access to the railway station, Norwalk Hospital and the interchanges with I-95.
In the not too distant future, 2 significant projects will place additional stress on the Cribari Bridge. It will become the primary river crossing for 2 large new developments in Saugatuck area — the Hamlet (a large hotel, office, retail and housing project) and the soon-to-be-completed development on Hiawatha Lane comprising approximately 150 residences.
In addition, the Saugatuck River is scheduled to be dredged, which when completed will result in increased boat traffic, particularly during the summer months when Westport is most congested.
If the bridge remains as is, large boats passing through the Saugatuck area will need the bridge to be opened, bringing all vehicular, pedestrian and bike traffic to a stand still for considerable periods of time.
Opening the Cribari Bridge.
Traffic flow in and around the Saugatuck area is already poor and, as noted, will inevitably become worse. Even now, at times, the congestion and lack of alternative routing is dangerous.
It is imperative that the Cribari Bridge be replaced with a more appropriate design so that it can better handle vehicular traffic of every kind, and provide safer pathways for pedestrians and bicyclists.
The arguments for opposing replacement of the bridge were once understandable, but they are no longer persuasive. The existing bridge has served its purpose. But now its limited size and proportions do not accommodate the long-term safety and capacity needs of our community.
The Saugatuck side of the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
Consider the following facts about the bridge as it exists today:
* The deteriorating condition of the bridge has led to the imposition of weight restrictions, threatening its use by school buses, fire engines, snowplows, and the like.
* The bridge will not be able to accommodate the increasing use of the structure by pedestrians and bicyclists.
* The clearance between the bottom of the bridge and the river’s height at high tide is minimal for boat traffic.
* The width of the lanes is inadequate for today’s larger automobiles.
* The bridge frequently gets stuck in the open position. Even when operational, it takes 25 minutes to open and close, causing untenable backups and delay.
* At the 2 other Westport bridges crossing the Saugatuck River (the Post Road and Kings Highway North), where traffic congestion is notable, new development is being constructed, making the Cribari Bridge an even more important traffic relief point.
The Cribari Bridge is one of 3 bridges connecting both sides of the Saugatuck River. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)
One of the principal arguments against replacing the bridge is an apprehension that a larger bridge will attract unwelcome truck traffic. That concern can be managed and discouraged in any number of ways.
For example, the bridge could be designed with limitations on height. Additionally, the town and state can place truck restrictions on the feeder roads (Greens Farms Road, Imperial Avenue and Bridge Street) and on state Route 136, as has been done in Westport north of Coleytown Elementary School, in Darien, and in the section of Norwalk adjacent to Rowayton.
A second argument made for restoring the existing bridge, rather than replacing it, is the perception that the existing bridge has historic and aesthetic value.
While we naturally share the desire to preserve Westport’s past, in this instance we think that the need for safety and efficiency far outweighs any historic considerations.
Regarding aesthetics, Westport can rightfully insist that it should have a voice in the design of the bridge to include appropriate decorative elements such as lighting fixtures and structural enhancements, to make the new Cribari Bridge attractive.
The Cribari swing bridge is over 130 years old. (Drone photo/John Videler for Videler Photography)
When the town of Westport twice had the opportunity to improve the intersection of Route 33 and US 1 (Riverside Avenue and the Post Road), it failed to act.
The DOT now rates it as one of the worst functioning intersections in the state. Let’s not make a similar mistake again.
In conclusion, for the reasons stated and with an eye toward the future, we strongly support replacement of the Cribari Bridge with a modern structure that will serve Westport’s needs now and in the years to come.
To do anything less would be irresponsible.
Lawrence Weisman
Ken Bernhard Co-authors:
Ross Burkhardt
Ron Corwin
Michael Dinshaw
Marcia Falk
Roger Leifer
Mike Nayor
Denise Torve
(Residents can send comments on the Cribari Bridge to plan@westcog.org. The deadline is April 1.)
Like most Westporters, I’ve gotten used to the construction cones, narrow lanes and drunken lines on the Post Road between Fresh Market and McDonald’s — and further east, near Bulkley Road by Stop & Shop.
Like most Westporters too, I’ve gotten used to seeing no work going on at either site — for months.
Will it ever resume? Is it done?
I asked Pete Ratkiewich. The Westport Public Works Department director pointed me to documents from a 2019 (!) Town Hall presentation.
They show intersection improvements, roadway widening and sidewalk work (click here to see).
So: No. It’s not over yet. Not by a long shot.
“They are only done partially on the north side. And they have a long way to go on the south side in both locations,” Pete says.
And, he adds, “you won’t see work start up again in earnest until the asphalt plants open.”
Work on Post Road East near Fresh Market.
Work at the Post Road East/Roseville Road/Hillspoint Road intersection.
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Speaking of the state Department of Transportation:
They’ll perform maintenance work on the Cribari Bridge this Monday night (7:30 p.m., to 5:30 a.m. Tuesday; March 18-19).
While the bridge is closed, traffic will be detoured to the Post Road.
When the sun goes down Monday, work will be performed on the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Sam Levenson)
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St. Patrick’s Day came early for Club 203.
On Wednesday night, over 135 guests from Westport’s social organization for adults with disabilities partied at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399.
The evening included entertainment by the Lenihan Irish Dance troupe, green bagels from Village Bagels, and green clover cookies from the Pantry.
Nearly everyone wore green. Everyone was Irish for the night. And everyone had a blast!
There is a new — and very friendly — face at the Westport Weston Family Y.
Angie is the “official greeter” on Monday and Thurday mornings, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. She then heads to the Wellness Center, keeping things clean and tidy.
Her employment is a partnership between the Y and Star Inc. She gets her first paycheck today, and is very excited.
When you see Angie, give back to her the same smile she gives you!
When thousands of homeowners in Florida and Louisiana purchased their hurricane insurance, they probably had no idea that John Seo stood to make a big profit if their properties got through the next three years unscathed.
Unbeknownst to them, Seo, a 57-year-old hedge fund manager in southern Connecticut, is the reason why millions of people from New Zealand to Chile have financial protection against natural disasters. His fund, Fermat Capital Management, owns the world’s biggest collection of catastrophe bonds — complex financial instruments that insurers issue to cover risks they can’t handle.
Fermat is an oddity in the hedge fund world. Its modest office, in the affluent town of Westport, sits in a former post office across from an auto-repair shop. There are meteorology journals in the reception area and equations scrawled on a whiteboard. Investment decisions are guided by complicated weather-risk computer models powered by large servers that whirr ceaselessly behind a glass window.
Fermat’s “modest office” is at the end of Riverside Avenue, just before it intersects with Railroad Place. Click here to read the rest of the piece about Seo, titled “How a Physics Whiz Made a Fortune Betting on Nature’s Catastrophes.” (Hat tip: Allan Siegert)
John Seo (2nd from left) and colleagues, at Fermat Capital. (Photo/Joe Buglewicz for Bloomberg)
Next up in the Westport Country Playhouse Script in Hand play reading series: “Tenderness and Gratitude Number Four.”
Michael is a party boy who avoids intimacy at all costs. Jenny is a jaded, wise-cracking office worker who still harbors dreams of becoming an artist. When the two strike up an unlikely friendship at work, they are forced to learn what it means to open up to someone else, and how to take a long, hard, messy look at oneself in the mirror.
The “a humorous, often heartbreaking examination of love, art, truth, lies, office politics, and the complicated road to true friendship” is set for April 15 (7 p.m.).
All tickets are $30. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
We’re halfway through March. Which means our town is halfway through the Great Westport Burger Contest.
Competitors in the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event include Black Duck, Boathouse, Harvest, Jr’s,, La Plage, Little Barn, Match Burger, Nomade, Old Mill Grocery, Organika, Rizzuto’s, Shake Shack, Southport Diner, Spotted Horse, The Blondinit, The Porch, The Whelk, Viva Zapata and Zucca.
The 7 categories are Best Classic Burger, Best Cheese Burger, Best Gourmet Burger, Best Veggie Burger, Best Non Beef Burger (fish, turkey, lamb…), Best Fast Food Burger, and Best Slider. Each Restaurant can enter up to 4 categories, but can win a maximum of 2.
Residents have until March 31 to visit the venues, enjoy their offerings, then vote on the Chamber’s website.
Yesterday, 17 current and former Representative Town Meeting members relished the chance to promote the contest, with lunch at Spotted Horse.
I wasn’t there. But I’m pretty sure I know what was on the menu.
What’s the state of college admissions today, in a post-COVID world? What should rising 9th and 10th graders be thinking about?
Those are some of the topics they (and their parents) can learn about, at a “College Admissions Planning for Rising Freshmen and Sophomores” webinar (March 21, 7 p.m.).
There is no charge for the S4 Study Skills event, but registration is required here. Click here to sign up.
And finally … in honor of the Westport Y’s new greeter (story above):
(From Post Road traffic to hedge funds, the YMCA to London, “06880” is “where Westport meets the world. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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