Selectmen Consider Road Closure To Facilitate Water Main Work

GREENWICH, CT — In order to accommodate water main replacement work from Aquarion Water Company that's anticipated to begin next month, the Greenwich Board of Selectman is considering a road closure and detour plan.

The Selectmen heard a plan on Thursday from A.J. Penna & Son Construction, who would undertake the work. The plan calls for the replacement of roughly 2,300 feet of water main on Brookside Drive in Greenwich.

Dino Georgiadis from A.J. Penna & Son said the area is particularly tough to dig in, and crews expect to get through 40 feet per day. The entire project could last anywhere from a month to a month-and-a-half.

"We would like to get through it much sooner. By having a road closure, it will allow the crews to operate optimally and efficiently," Georgiadis said.

A daily road closure would be in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Grove Avenue to Field Point Road, according to Georgiadis.

"The reason for the road closure is we are going to be working roughly on the southbound side of Brookside, leaving the northbound side narrow for traffic and any sort of pedestrian passing," Georgiadis said.

Detour plans are split into two sections. In section one, Brookside Drive would be closed between Grove Lane and West Putnam Avenue. Traffic will be detoured through Grove Lane, Dearfield Drive, West Putnam Avenue and through a portion of Brookside Drive.

Once construction reaches Route 1, the second detour can begin.

Brookside Drive would then be closed between West Putnam Avenue and Field Point Road. Traffic will be detoured through West Putnam Avenue, Brookside Drive, Field Point Road and Prospect Street.

Georgiadis said the start date for the project is contingent on the permitting process, but current projections point to mid-June.

"We're hoping to get approval today because waiting for all the permitting to come through,I just don't want this permitting delay to push this along through the summer," Georgiadis.

The board did not vote on the road closure. They will revisit the request during the next regularly scheduled meeting on May 26 to allow time for public feedback.

First Selectman Fred Camillo said he wanted to make sure all the residents in the area were aware of the project.

"I would be more comfortable if we waited until the 26th so everyone's been contacted. We've been down this road before where someone's not contacted and they have an objection, then we've jumped the gun and we didn't do our due diligence," Camillo told Georgiadis. "While you're getting approvals and contacting people, I think that gives us a little bit of time in the next two weeks, and I think you'd be more prepared to present here and certainly we'd give you the OK."

Selectperson Janet Stone McGuigan agreed, and said she also wants to make sure residents understand that their water might be shut off at times during construction.

"They're going to see dark water coming out of their faucets and spigots," she added. "I think it would be really important that we notify everyone."