After negative public feedback during a first read of a proposed “quick build” pilot for a “road diet,” on Rte 1 by the New York border, the Dept of Public Works retreated.
The project would have impacted the intersections of Byram Road and Pemberwick Road at Route 1 close to the NY state line.
The pilot would have started at the end of August and run through October.
View toward New York line from West Putnam Ave. Aug 16, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
View toward Greenwich from West Putnam Ave near state line. Lone pedestrian walks along Rte 1 where there is no sidewalk. Aug 16, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
Residents complained that the pilot would not include pedestrian enhancements such as crosswalk striping, signage, curb ramps or sidewalks.
Instead it would have used temporary elements like bollards, rubber tires and jersey barriers to create a right turn only lane coming from New York to turn onto Byram Rd and to narrow Rte 1 in either direction to a single lane, to reduce conflict points and serve as a traffic calming measure.
Driver from Byram Rd looking for traffic coming from Port Chester, New York’s Main Street where DPW’s had proposed a “quick build pilot” to create a right turn only lane onto Byram Road. July 24, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
DPW commissioner Jim Michel was the applicant and the three-member Board of Selectmen, who serve as the town’s traffic authority, nodded in agreement when Mr. Michel said, the plan was to “take a step back.”
“We’ve heard a decent amount from the residents and so forth, so I think what we’re ready to do here on this project is take a step back, do some further review with the neighborhood, the neighborhood association (BNA) in coming weeks and review some of the ideas,” Mr. Michel said, adding that an upcoming Army Corps of Engineers bridge project at the state line was an added complication.
“I know there’s been some discussion of putting in a HAWK, which is more like a full signal. We’re going to explore the opportunity of getting a full signal at Byram Rd and Rte 1.”
During the first read, former State Rep Rachel Khanna said that in 2024, she and her Democratic House colleagues secured a $450,000 “Urban Action Grant” intended for crosswalks.
After the first read, State Rep Meskers was more blunt, when he said, “I am disappointed to see that the money we secured for crosswalks is going to be used for some type of road narrowing experiment.”
And so on Thursday, Mr. Michel said another option to be explored was for a “full signal” at Byram Road at Rte 1.
He said he had spoken with the president of the Byram Neighborhood Association, Liz Eckert, and DPW would attend their September meeting and then schedule a public meeting.
First Selectman Fred Camillo said it was important to work with the neighborhood association and Ms Eckert would coordinate between the BNA and DPW.
“We’ll see what we can get done in the coming months and years before the project, and when the bridge project is done we’ll do something more permanent.”
See also:
DPW’s “Quick Build” Pilot Project on Rt 1 by NY State Line Takes Neighbors by Surprise
July 24, 2025