Board Of Selectmen Modify Greenwich Avenue Partial Closure

GREENWICH, CT — A recently approved plan to close down a portion of Greenwich Avenue to vehicular traffic and allow more space for outdoor dining was modified during a Board of Selectmen meeting last week.

On Thursday, the board voted unanimously to make several changes to the plan, which was originally approved during the board's May 28 meeting, after receiving feedback from some merchants on the bottom portion of the avenue. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

According to First Selectman Fred Camillo, the feedback he had received thus far was "overwhelmingly positive," however some merchants had expressed concerns.

"Even if 75 percent [of businesses] are doing really well, we really have to address the 25 percent that aren't," Camillo said during the meeting. "We don't want to hurt anybody."

Town Administrator Ben Branyan presented the proposed modifications, which he broke down into five parts.

First, Branyan asked the physical barriers located at the intersection of Havemeyer Place, Arch Street and Greenwich Avenue be removed, allowing traffic to "flow unrestricted."

The physical barriers, along with the controlled access for deliveries and emergency access, would then be moved just south of the intersection of Greenwich Avenue and Grigg Street. Nodes would then be installed in the newly opened section for restaurants that have filed applications for outdoor dining, Branyan said.

Traffic would also be allowed to exit Greenwich Avenue onto Fawcet Place, and Grigg Street would be restored to its prior one way status and allow traffic to exit the avenue.

"We believe...these modifications will address the concerns we've received from the businesses regarding parking, customer access and delivery issues," Branyan said.

Branayn said the modifications could be implemented by the Department of Public Works by Friday, June 12. He also said the town would "continue to listen to businesses and observe both traffic and pedestrian flow."

During the meeting, a couple merchants voiced their concerns regarding customer access. Margo O'Brien, daughter of Diane's Books owner Diane Garrett, said the section of Greenwich Avenue that remained closed is critical to the store's customers for parking.

"Without full parking restored, we don't have a hope of surviving this," O'Brien said. "That's just how it is."

O'Brien emphasized that customers have long had issues finding parking even before the portion of the avenue was closed off. She said it was something that needed to be addressed if small businesses are to survive in town.

"We were mandated to close down for two months, and that was extremely financially difficult for us," O'Brien said. "Any pedestrian closure of the avenue takes away parking, and any parking that is reduced means that the viability of our business is jeopardized. It's that stark."