Submitted by Sincerely, Greg Bound, Felix Flakstad and Cole Sullivan
We are a group of concerned high school students in favor of extending the sidewalk on Shore Road toward Tod’s Point.
The road toward Tod’s has always been a hub of cars, bikers, and walkers, which was made extremely apparent Sunday, March 3rd. That day Old Greenwich and the surrounding area experienced an unusual spell of warm weather, driving thousands of people to the beach; so many people, in fact, that the line of cars stretched all the way to the 3-way stop at the intersection of Shore Road and Sound Beach Avenue.
At the same time, many other people that lived closer opted to walk or bike to Tod’s, meaning that many mothers with children and couples with dogs were forced to share the road with hundreds of drivers. There are many photos that show this congestion and lack of safety for pedestrians.
Three out of the four photos show bikers and walkers attempting to make their way to Tod’s Point amidst the car traffic on Sunday. Many of these people are accompanied by pets and children, increasing the need for a sidewalk so that they can travel to the beach safely. The fourth photo shows a dangerous curve in the road which is difficult for both drivers and pedestrians to navigate. With a sidewalk, those walking to the beach don’t need to worry about unseen cars coming around the corner, and the drivers don’t need to worry about unseen pedestrians walking in the road.
As high school students, we’ve had experience biking and walking to Tod’s Point, and now we’re getting experience driving to it. In both situations, the need for the sidewalk is clear. When we biked to the beach with friends, there was always a danger of cars coming around a blind corner too fast. When we ran to Tod’s, there wasn’t a clear space for us away from the road. Now that we’re driving, we have to worry about mothers biking with the children who don’t have a sidewalk to safely travel on. The need for the sidewalk on Shore on the way to Tod’s is more apparent and important than ever.
Sincerely,
Greg Bound, Felix Flakstad and Cole Sullivan