Submitted by Marcie Molloy MD
I am writing regarding the proposed sidewalk extension of Shore Road from Sound Beach Avenue to S Crossway (at the causeway before Tod’s Point).
My family and I moved to Connecticut in 2004 and were thrilled to discover the walkable community of Old Greenwich. Over the last twenty years, a few sidewalks have been installed in Old Greenwich, making it safer for pedestrians. However, the town has yet to build a sidewalk on the highly populated and dangerous Shore Road toward Tod’s Point.
Tod’s Point is utilized by all Greenwich residents. More than 500,000 people visit Tod’s Point from April 1st through October 31st when passes are scanned. During the summer months, the number of people entering Tod’s Point via cars, bikes or on foot is over 20,000 per week! In July 2014, one of those people was my husband.
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, my husband, who is an experienced marathoner, was enjoying one of his marathon training runs on Shore Road to Tod’s Point until he was hit by a car, thrown into the air, and landed on his head. He suffered multiple face, arm, hip, knee and head injuries, including a severe concussion. He is lucky to be alive and I am eternally grateful for the many Greenwich neighbors and residents who came to my husband’s aid immediately after he was hit.
A judge found the driver who hit my husband at fault. However, the lack of driver visibility of runners and walkers on Shore Road due to large hedges, narrow roadways, and a lack of sidewalks were main discussion points in the case. It has been over 10 years since my husband’s accident and nothing has been done to fix these major safety issues on Shore Road.
I am not in the business of running a town but I am familiar with the challenging triangle of quality, access, and money. I have been a primary care physician for over twenty years and my job is to be an advocate for my patients, helping my patients access quality medical care while working within the restraints of health insurance and finance. This is not easy. However, there is one foundational principle shared in running a town and taking care of patients that helps guide decisions, and that is the prioritization of safety.
Prevention of illness and accidents is often the best medicine and policy. Yes, a risk-benefit-cost analysis is necessary in any prevention effort. Funding a sidewalk installation on Shore Road is absolutely less costly than morbidity and mortality lawsuits. More importantly, preventing horrific accidents is just the right thing to do.
The lack of safe access to Tod’s Point, the beautiful beloved, and busiest Greenwich park, is negligent. However, this can be remedied with a sidewalk on Shore Road. I implore the Greenwich Board of Estimation and Taxation to save lives and approve the $1.25 million in funding requested for engineering and construction of the sidewalk on Shore Road between Sound Beach Avenue and S Crossway.
With much appreciation of Greenwich government elected representatives and caring citizens,
Marcie Molloy MD