The Town of Greenwich Department of Public Works (DPW) will start construction in mid-August for the Shore Road Sidewalk Project.
Located in Old Greenwich, the project will construct a new sidewalk along the east side of Shore Road, from Tomac Avenue to Sound Beach Avenue.
Back in March 2022, Shore Road area residents urged the BET to approve $750,000 for sidewalks on Shore Road.
Maggie Bound testified about how dangerous the situation was, noting sidewalks were not a “nice-to-have.”
Liz Johnson said until the 1970s when Cummings Point Office Park and Dolphin Cove were developed in Stamford, Shore Road was a quiet road. “There were no cell phones, little construction and smaller and fewer delivery trucks,” she said.
Her testimony was compelling. “The world has changed and Shore Rd has evolved into a toxic blend of joggers, pedestrians often with baby carriages, dog walkers, children who often must walk in the road alongside speeding cars, distracted drivers, ubiquitous online delivery trucks, heavy construction vehicles, moving vans, public buses, cement mixers and huge 18-wheeler trucks that are too tall or too heavy to go under or over the railroad bridges,” Johnson said. “All large trucks servicing those areas must get off I95 at exit 6 and enter via Shore Road.”
OGS principal Jen Bencivengo said almost all her students arrive on foot, bike or bucket bike.
“Having those sidewalks is vital for our community,” Bencivengo said.
Neighbors created lawn signs that said SOS, short for Sidewalks on Shore and set up a website, sidewalksonshore.org.
According to DPW, construction will start at the intersection of Tomac Avenue and Shore Road, and continue south to the intersection of Sound Beach and Shore Road.
Work will occur from 7:00am – 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, and will be performed in segments, typically proceeding by block. Alternating one-way traffic within the work zone during construction hours is likely. Police will be on-site to direct traffic.
“This project was created due to an abundance of community interest and has been identified as pedestrian safety enhancement by numerous studies,” DPW said in a press release on Monday.
Shore Road is utilized by both pedestrians and vehicles. There are several school bus stops located on Shore Road and it is used by approximately 2,250 vehicles daily.
FGB Construction Company of Norwalk is the contractor and Town of Greenwich DPW Civil Engineer, Ian Brown, is the project manager. For additional information and updates, visit https://www.greenwichct.gov/2344/Shore-Road-Sidewalk-Project.