On Tuesday night the P&Z commission voted to approve the an MI for the Dept of Public Works pilot project to improve the intersection of Greenwich Ave and Elm Street.
The project will include bumpouts, which involve pushing out sidewalks so that pedestrians have a shorter distance to walk from one side to the other.
Also the center of the intersection will be raised.
The project includes major landscape and lighting improvements and will result in considerably more green.
The work will tentatively start in the spring.
Businesses will stay open during construction.
Last week the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the MI for the project, after DPW senior civil engineer Jason Kaufman gave an update.
Kaufman said the fire department had arranged safety cones to simulate the proposed bumpouts at the intersection.
“There were no issues. The fire dept successfully turned all the corners we had concerns about,” he said. “So that was a success.”
Selectwoman Rabin said she was concerned about the reduction in parking spaces, given the project will result in the reduction of parking spaces.
Camillo said there is an ongoing problem with employees feeding meters at parking spots on Greenwich Avenue.
“We want more spaces opened up for customers, for residents and non residents visiting the Avenue, but we want to make sure that employees have a place to park that’s not too far away,” Camillo added. “It’s always going to be an issue.”
Learn more about the project:
Raised Intersection with Green Space Proposed at Greenwich Ave and Elm St