Southwestern Connecticut Leaders Want Study of Route 7 Corridor

A transportation policy and planning group of leaders from eight southwestern Connecticut municipalities reaffirmed on Thursday its recommendation the state conduct a study of uses for the right-of-way for the uncompleted portion of the Route 7 expressway.

After a discussion that resulted in a change in wording from “Support for the Route 7 Expressway” to “Support for the Route 7 Corridor,” the group unanimously approved a resolution calling for a “comprehensive, multi-modal investment study” of the proposed path for the expressway, which extends from Interstate-95 in Norwalk to Interstate-84 in Danbury.

The group requested the same study be conducted in 2007.

Under consideration since the 1960s, portions of the Route 7 expressway were completed in Norwalk and Danbury, leaving a gap of more than 15 miles that would run through Wilton, Weston, Ridgefield and Redding. Fierce opposition by residents in those towns has stymied efforts by the state to complete the project.

In the interim, the state has been widening the existing Route 7 in Wilton. At the same time, the General Assembly passed legislation in 2008 allowing the state to sell properties acquired for the expressway to raise revenue.

The sensitiveness of the issue was displayed in the debate during Thursday’s meeting of the South Western Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (SWRMPO), which consists of the chief executives of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton. The meeting was held in the Norwalk Transit District’s headquarters on Wilson Avenue in Norwalk.

“Why are we wasting our time on this extremely costly and unaffordable proposal?,” asked William F. Brennan, first selectman of Wilton, who noted the state’s Department of Transportation does not include the Route 7 expressway in its long-range plans projected out to 2025.

Brennan said he met with senior officials of the Department of Transportation on Wednesday, and they told him they have no interest in the project and that it would cost millions of dollars to acquire the remaining land necessary for it. He said better use of the state’s transportation funds would be made by fixing Interstate-95, “the most overloaded interstate road in Connecticut.”

In reply to Brennan’s remarks, Woody Bliss, first selectman of Weston and chairman of SWRMPO, said the function of the group was to look toward the future of the infrastructure network of transportation in the region. Bliss said the organization voted unanimously in 2007 for the state to conduct a study of the Route 7 corridor, which could result in deciding to continue widening existing Route 7, building the “Super 7″ expressway, or constructing a light rail line.

The first selectman of Westport, Gordon F. Joseloff, said he had no problem with SWRMPO repeatedly reviewing plans for the Route 7 corridor because, “there’s a large turnover among our residents and the needs change, and unless we are willing to at least listen and sample we’re not doing our jobs.”

Norwalk’s Mayor Richard A. Moccia said no city has been more affected by the Route 7 expressway than Norwalk.

Between 1969 and 1992, the southern portion of the expressway was constructed in Norwalk between I-95 and Grist Mill Road. Known as the Route 7 connector, it currently unloads traffic at its northern terminus onto the existing Route 7 a short distance from the Wilton town line.

Moccia said Norwalk was “split in half” by the expressway, which “really set back our economic growth as far as logistically moving around the city and creating another barrier between neighborhoods.”

“Hopefully we can reach a reasonable course,” said Moccia. “Let’s look at this, let’s not dispose of the land yet, until we have a better idea” of what’s needed from the study.

  • kylej

    Finish the 2 lanes each way in between Wilton and Danbury, build a greenway with parks and a bike trail on the right of way, and promote Metro-North use with smart development (G&B Mill, etc.) and more frequent trains (which will be possible after the signalization work is done). A greenway makes sense because it is not that expensive, and people who would otherwise (rightly) be afraid of biking on Rt. 7 would be more likely to use it on a protected path. And if in 20 years they still want to finish Super 7 it could still be done. The ONLY benefit of belling off the properties would be to decrease the chances of Super & even being finished. But light rail? Where? Serving what?

  • Barnstorm

    Finish the Super 7 now. Make the citizens of Wilton & Ridgefield pay the brunt of the expense, since they’re the ones who have held this project up for so many years. The job would have been a lot cheaper had it been done years ago.
    Heck, make Toni Boucher pay for it all!
    There’s a price to pay for being an obstructional elitist (if there is such a word).
    Moccia’s comments are amusing. Neighborhoods weren’t just cut in half by the expressway; the one I grew up in was totally eradicated by it! What hurt economic development was the years the Esposito administration let the infrastructure fall to crap. All the king’s horses and Alex Knopp couldn’t put the pieces back together after that.

  • Blarney

    It would be totally idiotic to sell of the land that displaced so many properties and families decades ago. To sell it IN THIS MARKET would be doubly idiotic. If it gets sold off you can bet that SOMEONE will make millions on the development of the sold property. It is the old story someone will get the gold and the taxpayer will get the shaft. The Governor had better get her act together and start thinking of the Southwestern coastal area of this state. The old route 7 is simply throwing good money after bad. It will always be the longest 16 miles in the State.

  • nwlknative

    After reading Rell’s comments, I would never vote for her again. She certainly isn’t in touch with the feelings of the majority of citizens in this area . We need that road more than ever. No amount of rail upgrading will take the traffic off of the old Route 7 – and with that being the only road that goes north to Danbury, the traffic will only get worse as people move north to escape the high cost of living in lower Fairfield county but continue to work down here.

  • blarney

    That dead horse of more public transportation will solve all our traffic problems has been not only whipped to death, but is pretty much rotted away.

    • Secondhand Rose

      I’ve never been able to figure out why people seem to think public transportation is the be-all and end-all to traffic problems. I’ll consider giving up my car when public transportation can get me to all the errands I need to run during my lunch hour every weekday or on the way home at night.

      • kylej

        It’s not the be-all or end all in solving traffic problems but you’d be able to run your errands a lot faster if the train ran more often, had more parking and were and faster. I’m assuming you don’t commute on Rt 7 right now because it’s a zoo during rush hour partially because of the construction) and most of the people are headed to Stamford. The trains are pretty full during rush hour so more trains would only help even out the commuting traffic.

  • Fred Wilms

    One of my other public service hats is serving as a Comissioner on the CT State Transportation Board. If Super 7 ever comes before us, I will strongly support it. Norwalk’s economic well being depends on us breaking the dysfunctional east-west transportation patterns that hold us down. We need vibrant north-south transportation alternatives. I commend Bob Duff for spearheading Super 7. However from where I sit, I can support any reasonable north-south solution – so in addition to Super 7, I support the current Route 7 widening. I also support improving the Danbury rail line. We need to upgrade that rail line so it becomes another straight shot into/from NYC like the New Haven, Harlem and Hudson lines. If there are other ideas out there, I would be willing to look at them as well.

  • ENW

    Good idea for the straight shot. The connecting service has its limitations. Right now it’s like the Toonerville Trolley, more so when train service is interrupted and buses fill in.

  • No Brainer

    How about some common sense for a change. Construction of super 7 should include a light rail. Could also be possibly completely automated. Miami has such a system, NY put in one to run to Laguardia. An elevated light rail could be assembled along side the auto expressway that would ensure public safety from the hazardous crossings that put drivers at the peril of signals functioning properly. The economic boost and relief of congestion, well its a no brainer. Aparrently that is exactly what we have running the show. tip of the hat to Duff for doing the right thing. Duff for Governor.

  • Blarney

    NATIONAL ALARM SYSTEM ALERT…A tsunami estimated to be 70 feet high is scheduled to hit the Connecticut shore in 48 hours. All residents within 2 miles of the Southwestern Connecticut shore are to evacuate to the nearest 8 lane highway inland. Not having that available “Put your head between your legs, and kiss your a..hole GOODBYE.”

    • Secondhand Rose

      Oh, I guess La Palma finally split in half and fell into the ocean. I’ll go put on my bathing suit. (eye roll)

  • BLARNEY

    LAST WARNING, Long Island has just been covered by 25 feet of water. The wave is moving at 25 MPH. Sorry you are all dead if you are not inland at least 16 miles by now.

  • Secondhand Rose

    I always wondered what it would feel like to be dead. I guess now I know. Glub!

  • Barnstorm

    Long Island under 25 feet of water? Property values just went through the roof. The wave is moving at 25 miles per hour? Sono is toast and the issue of 83 East Avenue suddenly becomes a very wet moot point. Guess we all should have invested in that beachfront property in…Bethel. And it begs the question….
    If a wave heads north at 25 miles per hour and a train leaves Danbury heading south at 45 miles per hour, how long does it take to realize this wasn’t on my SATs?

  • Blarney

    “the issue of 83 East Avenue suddenly becomes a very wet moot point.”

    That issue will not be resolved by something so mundane as a 70 foot Tsunami. Maybe if a 9 mile wide asteroid hits 93 East ave, THAT might allow the owners of the property to claim a hardship, and finally remove that eyesore.