State To Grant Wilton $1.4 Million For Pedestrian Bridge

WILTON, CT — The Town has received the commitment letter for the grant of $1,405,200 from the State of Connecticut Department of Transportation for the construction of the pedestrian bridge connecting Wilton Town Center to the Wilton train station.

Wilton officials will now move forward sending final drawings to the State for review and requesting permission to bid the project. Once permission is received, the town will put the project out to bid and present bid results to the Board of Selectmen for a decision on next steps.

The pedestrian bridge is part of an overall plan to ensure the vitality and appeal of Wilton Town Center, according to a news release from the Office of the First Selectwoman. The plan began with improvements to Schenck's Island and the Norwalk River where views of the river have been opened. Work on the development of a master plan for the Center and surrounding Route 7 area are expected to begin this fiscal year.

The bridge is expected to facilitate mixed used development around the Wilton train station, to increase the value and development prospects of 3.5 acres of undeveloped town owned land on Station Road, and to incentivize new residential options within the Town Center. Greater residential density is required to ensure the economic vitality of the Center, officials said.

Wilton officials have been actively pursuing building the pedestrian bridge since 2007. After applying for a number of State grants for the project, it received a Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant for the project in 2014. The Town completed the permitting process, which included required design input from various Federal and State agencies resulting in a much more costly project than originally anticipated when the STEAP grant was awarded.

"Based on the expanded scope and cost of the bridge, a reassessment occurred as to whether we should continue to pursue the project." said First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice. "It was determined the project was worth pursuing because of the potential economic development impact for the area around the train station and Wilton Center."