Norwalk”™s Wall Street and West Avenue corridor will receive more than $4 million in investments over the next 12 to 18 months to improve the area’s infrastructure, according to Mayor Harry Rilling.
The investments will be made in streetscape and roadway improvements; traffic signal replacements and upgrades; pay stations and signs; milling, paving, and line striping; enhancements to the Yankee Doodle Garage, and fencing for Freese Park.
Rilling said the enhancements were included in the budgetary process over a year ago, have gone through the proper approvals and now are ready to be rolled out in the 2019-20 construction season.
“These projects improve mobility and safety in the area, help create customer turnover for local businesses, and enhance existing neighborhood resources” the mayor said. “We continue to work closely with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to identify key projects across the City that enhance the quality of life. We intend to carry this approach forward through the next budgetary process.”
Since January 2015, more than 200 people have been involved in nearly 100 accidents along Wall Street. Of those, there were 31 injuries and one fatality. Additionally, four pedestrians were struck at intersections.
The parking improvements ”“ which include nine new parking spaces via the addition of reverse-angle parking ”“ come in direct response to requests from the business community and factor in the anticipated growth of pedestrian and bike traffic, Rilling said.
In addition to the parking spaces and pay meters, new bike lanes have been installed along East Wall Street near the Mill Hill Historic Park and Norwalk Historical Society. In the coming months, new sidewalks will also be installed throughout the Wall Street/West Avenue Corridor.
“In a downtown center like the Wall Street district, curbside parking spots typically produce $100,000 or more in retail and restaurant business per year. With 18 additional spots, we have the potential for $1.8 million per year for the area,” said Jud Aley, a member of the Norwalk Parking Authority Board. “In addition, new bike lanes and speed calming elements increase pedestrian and cyclist safety, while providing connectivity between neighborhoods.”
To Norwalk Officials: How have your studies predicted the negative effects on town residents, aquarium goers, and new shoppers coming to the SOHO Collection project? I have never seen a large Shopping mall have only ONE solo entrance traffic light to handle the entire load of entering and exiting customers to a shopping Mall…while simultaneously handling the large volume of traffic on West Avenue that we have everyday of the week already. Many other Malls have numerous Entrances on all sides of their expansive parking Lot sections that surround the inner building complex. This new one appears to only have ONE! As a resident of Sheffield Apartments whose only entrance is on North Water Street, and as anyone who cares about the future success of the guests, families, and Bus Loads of school groups going to the Maritime Aquarium, I can not imagine arriving or leaving either of these two locations will be tolerable yet possible on any busy weekend or holiday shopping period in the near future!! I also expect to see traffic backed up onto I 95 from both directions as they try to navigate the solid traffic backed up that leads all the way from I 95 to the intersection of West Avenue and Reed Street. Thank You