Partial Road Closure, Detours Slated For Downtown Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — Last week, the Board of Selectmen approved a partial road closure and detour plan on East Elm Street to facilitate construction work in downtown Greenwich with the condition that the closure receive the green light from police, fire and emergency medical services personnel.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the condition had been met, and now a portion of East Elm Street will be closed to through traffic on Aug. 2, and Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A detour will be in place during these hours that utilizes Lincoln Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, Millbank Avenue, Bruce Park Avenue and Davis Avenue.

Local traffic will be allowed through. Greenwich police officers will be on the scene to direct traffic.

Chris Franco of The Franco Group LLC explained to the selectmen last week that construction on four new condominiums at 97 and 99 E. Elm St. was nearing completion and that it was time to perform utility connections.

However, testing is needed to find the sanitary line which is believed to be 9 feet underground, Franco said. A. Vitti Excavators, the contractor brought on to perform the work, advised Franco it would be unsafe to perform the testing if the roadway wasn't closed to vehicular traffic.

Jim Parlante from A. Vitti Excavators said the area is "very tight and narrow," but the closure will not affect area residents, and Franco said it would not hinder pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk.

Franco said residents in the area were notified recently of the work.

"I know the road very well and it's obviously tight. It looks like you have a good plan there," First Selectman Fred Camillo said.

Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan said the board usually follows the process of having a second read of agenda items to allow time for public feedback, but in cases of urgency, that could be waived.

She asked if the closure had received approval from first responders in town. Parlante said he hadn't reached out yet to officials in those departments but would do so promptly.

The town announced Tuesday that the closure was subsequently approved by those departments.

To view the detour route, click here.