Thursday night’s BET budget public hearing was modestly attended compared to the previous evening’s BOE budget hearing memorable for raucous applause and some boo’ing.
Nevertheless, those who spoke – mostly Old Greenwich residents – were passionate as they urged the BET to fund an extension of sidewalks on Shore Rd to Tod’s Point.
But there were several who advocated for other projects.
DPW workers collecting leaves.
Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan requested the town eliminate funding for the town’s annual leaf collection, saying it was originally implemented to discourage people from burning their leaves.
Besides, she said, leaves can be composted.
“Modifying, scaling back or even phasing out a program that has outlived its original purpose: burning leaves, a practice has been illegal for decades, would address safety concerns, a sense that the costs only benefit certain neighborhoods, and an opportunity to align with other budget priorities with other board priorities,” Stone McGuigan said.
“The conservation commission recommends leaving the leaves,” she added.
Shore Road Sidewalk project Phase 2
Slide from recent DPW presentation
Nicole Chaudhri, a parent of three young children living off the section of Shore Rd where sidewalks are proposed, said for more than 20 years the town had conducted repeated studies.
“Every time, the conclusion is the same, that that stretch of road is a really high need for a sidewalk,” Chaudhri said, going on to list studies in 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2015.
“I can only imagine how much more expensive a sidewalk is now versus building the exact thing 22 years ago. But also, I’m thinking about how many town resources have been spent.”
‘I also think about all the kids and families who didn’t walk to the beach. The moms who are nervous waiting for their kids to walk home along that curve, worrying with a knot in their stomach if they are going to be safe because the sidewalk hasn’t been built for so long,” Chaudhri said.
Maggie Bound thanked the BET for funding in 2022 the first phase of sidewalks from Shore Rd from Tomac to Sound Beach Ave.
“It was built in 2023. It has made our children safer and our residents more connected. It is very much used,” she said. “But please we would like to finish this job and continue the sidewalk on Shore Rd to the causeway on Tod’s Point.”
She said the request was for $1.25 million to engineer and build the sidewalk to the causeway, and the DPW’s design was straightforward.
“There is plenty of right of way, just a few trees and light poles,” she said. “The DPW has always said that a sidewalk on Shore to Tod’s is the single most popular request that they receive from the residents in the Town of Greenwich.”
Marcie Molloy, who has spoken in the past of her husband’s severe injuries being hit by a car while running on Shore road, again urged the BET to approve the sidewalk funding.
“In the adversity and chaos of the Covid pandemic illuminated the importance of parks and beaches to people’s physical and mental health. However with this revitalized appreciation of parks and beaches, the number of people visiting Tod’s point is over 500,000 between April 1 and Oct 31, with over 10% on foot or bike.”
Molloy said her husband was an experienced runner training for his 8th marathon while running on Shore Rd to Tod’s Point beach. He suffered multiple face, arm, hip, knee and head injuries including a severe concussion and is lucky to be alive.
“It ended in a lawsuit and thankfully the judge’s ruling was in our favor. However, the lack of driver visibility of runners and walkers on Shore Road to due to large hedges, narrow roadways and a lack of sidewalks, and that main bend is where he got hit, were the main discussions in the lawsuit,” she added. “Let’s talk about money. Maybe we should have sued the town, not for money, but for the demand that sidewalks be placed on Shore so that what happened to my husband doesn’t happen again.”
Ryan Munro, who said his family moved to Old Greenwich near the end of Shore Road nine months earlier, said his first grader enjoys biking to school. He spoke in support of extending the sidewalk.
“The stretch there is pretty tricky and I have to hold my breath any time I ride with my daughter around that bend,” he said.
Liz Johnson, a realtor, she said buyers often ask why Shore Rd lacks sidewalks to the park.
“These roads were laid out in the 1600s and 1700s, and the Indians and farmers are gone. They are no longer here and they are replaced by pedestrians,” she said. “There are people walking and jogging and there is absolutely no safe place to go.”
Kristen Beecher said that earlier in the week a DPW meeting about the next phase of Shore Rd sidewalks was “fantastic seeing it was feasible.”
Beecher pointed out that while there are 26 bus stops between Sound Beach Avenue and South Crossway, there was no safe passageway for children and families to get to and from these stops.
“Every day they face the daunting task of navigating the busy road with no place to stand,” she added.
Katie Lerro asked the BET to fund a sidewalk on Indian Field Road, which is heavily trafficked with vehicles and pedestrians as it connects Rte 1 to I95 in Cos Cob. March 27, 2025
But there was also a passionate speaker about the need for sidewalks on Indian Field Road.
“Yes, this again!” said Katie Lerro. “I know the topic of sidewalks on Indian field has come up in the past. Even in 2006, according to the town’s own pedestrian safety survey Indian Field Rd was designated as a high priority street for a sidewalk.”
“In the almost two decades since the report was published, both car and foot traffic have increased significantly. According to the recently published CT Dept of Transportation PEL study, Indian Field Road was specifically named as a street that caused concern.”
Ms Lerro said in the past five years several homes were sold to families with school age children and the desire for a sidewalk was strong. She said she and a neighbor conducted a survey of the 47 homes between I95 and Rte 1, 68% responded favorably to a sidewalk.
She said if not for the entire stretch, it would be helpful to have a sidewalk from Rte 1 and Cross Lane, where 80% of homeowners were strongly in favor of a sidewalk.
“Cross Lane opens up to Loughlin Park neighborhood and will allow for safer passage. Indian Field Rd sees an incredible amount of foot traffic in all sorts of weather, at all times of the year. She scariest is the icier winter months when it gets darker earlier.”
“High schoolers, Metro-North commuters, dog walkers and residents will be able to get to the train, local businesses, parks, high school more safely and their families can breathe a little bit easier,” Lerro added.
Adele Rota spoke in favor of the full funding for the Commission on Aging and specifically, The Wallace Center (formerly The Senior Center), that she called her “happy place.”
“The pandemic made clear that loneliness is an epidemic and it impacts all ages – school children to the elderly. It also demonstrated how important socialization is. The Wallace Center provides programs and support for seniors: physically, mentally, socially and for our overall well being.”
She said many who attend the Wallace center and enjoy the programming are of limited means and are on fixed incomes.
“The services provided by the Commission on Aging and The Wallace Center are a vital lifeline to their well being.”
See also:
About that $4 million School Budget Shortfall, Rallying Cry is “Stop Defunding Greenwich Schools”
March 27, 2025
Jan 29, 2025
Advocating for Sidewalks on Shore Road: Phase two
March 18, 2025