Norwalk to Receive $4 Million from State to Improve Traffic

NORWALK – On Friday the State Bond Commission
approved a $4 million grant-in-aid to the town of Norwalk to complete
the preliminary design for road reconfigurations at the interchange of
Routes 15 (Merritt Parkway) and 7. State Rep. Terrie Wood (R-141),
who serves on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, is showing
her appreciation this week for the Commission’s support of this
long-delayed project.

“This project will create a full-directional interchange between
Routes 7 and 15, while maintaining access at Main Avenue to and from the
parkway,” said Rep. Wood. “The current set-up of the
routes is inconvenient as it denies drivers access to the exits they
need to take, sending them around and out of their way.”

“This is a great start to finally accomplishing the town’s
traffic-saving plans – which began coming to fruition back in 2005,”
continued Rep. Wood. “I will continue to help Norwalk
secure the funding it needs to move forward, and support minimal-impact
designs approved by the Merritt Parkway Conservancy.”

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that the
tentative highway/bridge and environmental work will begin in 2022.
Until then, local stakeholders are anticipating to meet in the coming
months and complete design alternatives (per the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) requirements) by 2018. Construction will be 80 percent
funded by the federal government.

In order to move forward with the new project, the DOT will have to
meet the requirements of the Environmental Policy Act and obtain various
regulatory approvals. Community outreach also will be part of the
process as design work advances.