The Greenwich Bottleneck: More Cars, Same Space
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Greenwich's population has remained remarkably flat for over half a century. In 1970, our population was roughly 60,000; today, it sits at approximately 63,500—a modest 5% increase. However, the road experience tells a different story. In that same 50-year window, the number of registered vehicles and the frequency of daily trips have effectively doubled.
On Thursday, March 12, the Department of Public Works (DPW) held a Public Comment Session for the Safe Street Greenwich Safety Action Plan. This federally funded effort aims to identify and prioritize the most impactful areas for safety improvements. The draft plan is here and the final report is expected to be complete by Late Spring/Early Summer.
High Priority Street Locations (Starting at page 71 of the draft plan):
US Route 1 from Cross Lane to Neil Lane (Riverside)
US Route 1 at Havemeyer Lane (Old Greenwich/Stamford Border)
US Route 1 from Church St to Maple St/North St (Central Greenwich)
US Route 1 from Old Church Road to Stanwich Road (Central/Cos Cob Border)
US Route 1 from Byram Rd to Chapel Street (Western Greenwich/Byram)
Railroad Avenue between Ridge Street and Greenwich Avenue (Central)
Milbank Avenue from Lewis Street to Mason Street (Central)
Arch Street at Soundview Drive (Central/Near I-95)
Delavan Ave and Mill St from Water St to Chestnut St (Byram)
Sound Beach Avenue between Wesskum Rd and near West End Ave (Old Greenwich)
North Street at Clapboard Ridge Road (Mid-Country)
Stanwich Road at Indian Rock Lane to Fairfield Road (Mid-Country)
North Street at Fairfield Road and Parsonage Road (Mid-Country)
Western Junior Highway near Henry Street/Western Middle School (Western Greenwich)
Greenwich Ave from West Elm St to Arch St (Downtown/Central)
Railroad Avenue at Field Point Road (Central)
Lake Avenue at Round Hill Road (Mid-Country/Backcountry)
Hawthorne St N between Greyrock Dr and Weaver St (Pemberwick/Glenville)
Stanwich Road and Cat Rock Road (Cos Cob/Mid-Country)
Lake Avenue South of Rockwood Lane (Mid-Country)
North Street near North Stanwich Road and The Stanwich Club (Backcountry)
Video Highlights
You can watch the full Q&A from the session here: YouTube Link. The discussion includes vital questions whether crash data covered near misses, if pedestrian crossing times would be concurrent with lights or exclusive, and whether school zones needed more attention.
Between the Lines: The "Wild West" era of gunning it down the Post Road or opening the throttle on winding backcountry curves is coming to an end; as vehicle volume doubles on a static 1970s footprint, Greenwich is finally trading the thrill of the open road for the necessity of a safe arrival.