Politics & Government
Ridgefield Voters Approve Danbury Road Sidewalk Easements, Hear Pickleball Project Update
Ridgefield voters approved Route 35 sidewalk easements and received an update on the town's pickleball project.
RIDGEFIELD, CT — Residents attending a special town meeting June 22 unanimously approved easements needed to construct a new sidewalk along Danbury Road, advancing a project town officials say will improve pedestrian safety and expand connections to Ridgefield's growing trail network.
The easements affect three privately owned properties along Route 35 between the pedestrian bridge near the Parks and Recreation Center and Cops Hill Road. The proposed project includes approximately 580 feet of five-foot-wide sidewalk designed to close a gap in the existing pedestrian network.
Public Works Director Jake Muller told residents the sidewalk project has been under development for several years as part of a broader effort to improve pedestrian connectivity throughout town. He said the new sidewalk would eventually link to other planned improvements extending south along Danbury Road and ultimately connect with the Rail Trail system near Branchville.
The project was included in the fiscal year 2027 budget approved by voters earlier this year. Muller also announced that the town recently learned it had been awarded a Connecticut Department of Transportation Community Connectivity grant totaling approximately $408,000, which could support future phases of sidewalk construction along Route 35. Town officials said they will evaluate whether to incorporate the grant into the project.
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Several residents spoke in favor of the sidewalk proposal, praising its promise of a safer and more continuous pedestrian route between the recreation center, commercial areas along Route 35 and the ROAR animal shelter. Others noted that the stretch of road currently lacks safe accommodations for walkers and runners.
After discussion, voters approved the easements by voice vote without opposition.
Following adjournment of the special town meeting, First Selectperson Rudy Marconi and Parks and Recreation Director Dennis DiPinto provided an informational update on the town's planned pickleball court project at the recreation campus. Officials said a state grant expected to offset approximately $310,000 of the project's cost was not awarded, but bond counsel determined the town may proceed because voters approved project funding in the May referendum regardless of grant availability.
DiPinto said the project remains unchanged from plans previously approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetlands Board. The proposal includes four pickleball courts, parking improvements, seating areas, shade structures and related site work. He said construction could begin this summer and be completed by late fall.
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Board of Finance Chairman Mike Rettger said the discussion was intended to provide transparency after the grant application was denied shortly after voters approved the project. He noted that while the town had disclosed the possibility of receiving grant funding, some residents might have assumed the grant would fully offset the cost.
Town officials said they will continue pursuing future grant opportunities that could help reduce the project's cost. A newly appointed volunteer grant administrator will assist with identifying and applying for available funding sources.
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