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| WHAT COULD BE: A cemetery loop that functions as a "downtown East Norwalk", appealing to people and businesses, replete with public spaces and places to walk. | CURRENTLY: High-speed one-way traffic and a neighborhood that lacks vitality. |
One of the biggest barriers to pedestrian and bicycle movement in East Norwalk is the Cemetery Loop. Several moderately-trafficked two-lane streets converge on this high-speed raceway around the historic cemetery. Inside that cemetery is the burial place of Col. Thomas Fitch, the original Yankee Doodle, a potential tourist attraction unreachable due to the nature of the street. The dangerous design also hurts the area's retail and residential property values by reducing walkability and connectivity to the East Norwalk train station.
But enough about what's wrong...the question is, what can be done to revitalize the area? Here is the Livable Norwalk proposal, visualized above.
- All streets returned to two-way operation.
- Gregory Blvd connects directly with East Ave.
- New crosswalks plus a path through the cemetery create pedestrian connectivity.
- New public spaces are created at intersections to the north, southeast and east of the cemetery, reclaiming land now lost to asphalt.
- A modern roundabout is installed at the intersection of East Ave and Winfield St (Rt 136) to reduce the backup from the signalized intersection. This will also calm traffic entering the cemetery area.
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| Thomas "Yankee Doodle" Fitch wants more visitors. (from Matthew Fatale via findagrave.com) |
The best part about this plan is that it is relatively inexpensive, primarily involving curbing work and existing entirely within the publicly-owned right-of-way. Its price-tag would certainly be less than $1 million, comparing favorably with the $5 million plan to widen East Avenue while having a much more transformative impact on the neighborhood.
What a fantastic idea!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. In order for it to be a "downtown" though, you need buildings to define the space and create a civic environment where people want to be. The black hole of the bank parking lot on the south side has to be the first thing to go. The north side is next worst.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely.
DeleteAs a resident of East Norwalk and regular MetroNorth commuter from the East Norwalk station traveling this path daily, I always thought this area was calling for a makeover that would be perfect for creating a "mini" downtown. There is so much potential here to beautify the current lackluster surroundings; the above proposal is certainly on the right track towards this end. Modifications that would curb the congestion of traffic, especially the bottleneck and awkward transition of traffic lanes upon entering the area from the north is a start but this would need to be carefully worked out and tested. Enhancements to the surrounding landscape and provisions that would allow the space to transition from the current insipid traffic circle around a graveyard to a quaint "downtown center" replete with a historic cemetery, gardens and public gathering places would create a grand welcome feel to the East Norwalk neighborhood and add much appeal to our community. This could be a boon for the few local businesses that already exist in the area and would certainly make it more attractive and pedestrian friendly. I am a supporter.
ReplyDeleteAs a resident that lives on Cottage Street, I support this idea. This area has great potential to become a nice little downtown hub, with some smart improvements. And while I generally agree with the points brought up for the cemetery circle, I do think that East Avenue should be widened. I got married at St Thomas, and my bride was late for the wedding because it took her 25 minutes to get from Cottage Street to the church - perhaps .5 mile, on a Saturday. The street is nearly impassable from 3-6pm daily, especially when school is in session. On the weekends, its almost as bad. I resort to go up Winfield, left on Strawberry Hill, over I-95, left on Beacon, onto Willow, onto Eversley, then onto East Ave. That is actually quicker than trying to go from the R.R. underpass to I95 - by a lot. A solution that makes it easy and safe to get foot and bicycle traffic into and out of the area is ok by me. It would also help if they actually repair all of the streetwork they are doing to replace the water lines, but thats another post.
ReplyDelete