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Norwalk: Rocks On The Move


by turfgrrl


November 18th, 2007 · 6 Comments

The DOT has finally gotten around to addressing the Merritt/Route 7 interchange rock pile and as a bonus will also blast away the rock wall at the end of the Route 7 connector.

From the Hour:

The state transportation department has signed a $671,550 contract with M. Rondano Inc. of Norwalk to remove the rock wall, an often fatal fixture at the intersection of the expressway and Grist Mill Road, as well as the rock pile, an eyesore that has sat unmoved since the department halted its overhaul of the parkway in the wake of a lawsuit.

“Work should begin within the next several weeks, likely starting with the removal of the rock pile on the Merritt Parkway,” said Kevin L. Nursick, spokesman for the transportation department. “Generally speaking, they will be able to do all this work through the winter months.”

The rock wall also will go and be replaced with a gentle slope covered with vegetation.

“The rock wall at Grist Mill Road will be removed via blasting and other mechanical means,” Nursick said. “In its place will be a variety of attenuation barriers that area will be constructed in such a manner so that it will safely slow down vehicles. There will continue to be signs. There would be some barriers designed to slow cars down in a controlled manner.”

“Behind that it would be a grassy area with other planting. It would be graded in a manner so it would increase in steepness,” Nursick said.

Both projects were slated to go forward several years ago but stalled due to a lawsuit brought against the state by conservationists.

In 2005, the Merritt Parkway Conservancy and nearly a half-dozen other preservationist groups sued the Federal Highway Administration and DOT in an effort to get the state to downsize the then-estimated $98-million project. A judge halted the project.

Mayor Richard A. Moccia and state Sen. Bob Duff, D-25, majority whip, had pushed the state transportation department to remove both the rock wall and construction debris leftover from the halted overhaul project. They welcomed news that a construction contract is in place with work set to begin.

“They’re going to start hopefully ASAP. From a safety point of view, (the wall) just was a nightmare, whether people used it for self-inflicted (injury), or they didn’t know the road ended,” Moccia said. “As far as the rock pile, it was just an eyesore.”

source: The Hour, DOT vows Route 7 rock wall will be gone by spring, By ROBERT KOCH, November 18, 2007

Tags: In the News · Norwalk

6 Responses so far ↓ “Norwalk: Rocks On The Move”



  • 1 Anonymous // Nov 18, 2007 at 12:24 pm

    I’m glad Duff amd Moccia were working on this, wasting any more time on crime and other envoronmental issues would of been counter productive. I would hate to think that the slogan was meant for the rocks but in Norwalk because thats all we have to do is consider serious matters like these rocks.

    How ironic we have a polution control meeting the 19th and there they will addressing the issue of smell in the harbor.

    The city dodged a bullet at the Harbor commission the other night Duff was and Moccia were not in the meeting even when Duff got out of the elavator he wasn’t interested in coming into the meeting he knew what to stay away from.The DPW was not there to answer any questions, wonder where he will be for this next meeting? wonder if the minutes were read by the mayor,where his departments are all asking for money in the face of yet another busy year coming up.This is our Harbor a money generator like it or not support it with funds or close the water way down. Drastic move? no not fo what the fire, police and harbor master wants its all acedemic and needed,whats needed? money Mr Mayor.

    The wall will be gone, I’m sure there be other places where suicide will occur I just hope we as a city move on to some other current agenda’s that will enhance the quality of life. The removing the stone wall for me is not a priority, we could of used the almost 1 million on any of the projects that are suspended from conversation while the political machines reorganize their pork barrels.

    Lets see who shows up to this highly news worthy meeting and what comes out of it.

    Its not like we have any activists out here on the blog that would be interested in what gets done at the pollution control meeting.The smell in the harbor keeps everyone on the move.I guess its a great slogan after all.

    I’m sure its time for the advocate and The Hour to send in the reporters who sit and cover this stuff and take with them enough articles for the next couple of days.

    the rock wall and rocks will be gone, now can we tackle some of the other important issues at hand?

    the 19th was suppose to have a meeting, but I havn’t seen anything in the news, has it been scrapped?

  • 2 anonymous // Nov 18, 2007 at 4:35 pm

    It would have been better news to hear the DOT had signed contracts to begin super 7 and the interchange,rather than push some rocks around. Add another contract to electrify the Danbury rail line, and add lightrail shuttle stops on the same line at increased stations through Norwalk. Well, we can dream can’t we? In the time it takes CT to just complete yet another study, or move a pile of rocks, whole 21st-century rail and road systems have been installed in Eastern Europe, South America, other once third world backwards economies. At this rate, Southwest CT and the rest of the US will begin to resemble the countries we are so proud of making fun of like in Borat. Our roads and rails in SW CT are a joke, if you don’t have to live here. Empire in decline? You’re witnessing it!

  • 3 anonymous // Nov 18, 2007 at 4:38 pm

    Better yet: “Madge, you’re soaking in it!”
    This is only funny if you of a certain age.

  • 4 barnstorm // Nov 18, 2007 at 6:41 pm

    The rock wall at the end of the Route 7 connector used to be part of the neighborhood I grew up in. Back then it was all gentle slopes and grassy areas. How ironic that after the entire neighborhood was bulldozed off the face of the earth, they are now planning on putting back a grassy gradient.

    Rather than get all nostalgic, I nominate the town of Wilton to be the recipient of all the rocks from both projects.They have been one of the prime obstacles over the past 30 years to getting the Super 7 done. It’s the least we can do to say “thanks”.

  • 5 anonymous // Nov 18, 2007 at 7:24 pm

    if they are not going to complete super 7, why not close off most of the intersections to route7 in Wilton. Redirect those intersections to roads parallel to 7 and create just 2 or 3 entrance and exit ramps within the towns limits. This would reduce the number of stoplights and increase the flow of traffic for those going through Wilton.

  • 6 Mr Greenpeace // Nov 19, 2007 at 12:47 pm

    seeing where this thread got nowhere, it would seem the focus on Wilson ave should also be on Meadow st where there has been numerous fires and explosions at the scrap yard within the last two years.

    Grasso Construction has until Tuesday to reduce the height of storage piles at the property to 20 feet, remove parked vehicles from the area near Village Creek, and remove construction equipment from the platform area next to the southwest border of the property, according to a stipulation and order released this month by State Superior Court in Stamford.

    not for nothing when the scrap yard parks cars there 30 feet high or higher than the 3 story houses on lawerence street.

    I’m glad to see some progress but whats next. like there are plenty of work for our new counsel to do.Unless the old counsel left work to finish.

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