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Commission hears seasonal paving plans, Playhouse lot ramp and Elm Street bump-outs
Summary
A town presenter outlined spring and summer parking-lot work: repaving plans for the main train station lot, a walkway and ramp at the Playhouse lot with dumpster relocation and restriping, Elm Street bump-outs to recover five spaces and nighttime paving, and targeted striping changes to the Center School lot to improve traffic flow.
The New Canaan Parking Commission received an update on Feb. 5 about planned paving and lot redesigns that town staff and contractors intend to carry out this spring and summer.
Tiger, the presenter on behalf of town parking projects, said the town will resume work on the main train station lot in spring after a state delay, and that bids will go out shortly for a walkway and pedestrian ramp at the Playhouse lot adjacent to the Town Hall Annex. "This spring, we're looking to do the main train station lot," Tiger said. "Behind the playhouse… we're going out to bid within the next week or so for the walkway and ramp pedestrian ramp to lead from the playhouse lot down to the alley."
Plans for the Playhouse lot include relocating compactors and dumpsters into an embankment between Park Street lot and Playhouse lot, repaving and restriping stalls to modern dimensions (Tiger said the town plans 9-by-18-foot stalls similar to recent work at the Morse Court lot). Tiger said the contractor will work from the alley up the stairs and ramp and then repave while avoiding boxing crews in.
On Elm Street, Tiger said the town will install bump-outs on the south side — near Dolce/Dunkin' — to reclaim about five spaces and then resurface the street in one or two nights of milling and one or two nights of paving, likely at night in July or August. "We'll do those spring/summer and then pave in the summer… likely the paving will be done at night," he said. He added that paving work requires a mobilization window and typically is scheduled outside daytime business hours.
Tiger also reported targeted work at the Center School lot to improve circulation. After driving and observing the lot at busy times, Tiger and Maria, the town engineer, recommended adding an additional directional arrow at a key intersection inside the lot so drivers better understand that the entrance/exit aisle is permissive two-way traffic. "If we put another arrow in here directing them… the moment they get to here, they know they're either leaving or they're coming around," Tiger said. Maria confirmed the lot was busy during morning hours and that library programming and employee parking often cause congestion through about 10 a.m.
Other items discussed briefly included future attention to Park Street and Talmadge Hill lots, continued monitoring for localized repairs and crack sealing, and a multi-company review of parking software by staff (the procurement and IT compatibility check remain in progress). Tiger said the town is watching temperatures for repainting; the striping team prefers air temperatures around 40 degrees and rising.
Schedule and next steps - Orders for granite for Elm Street bump-outs were placed and expected to arrive in a matter of weeks; selectmen award for brick purchase was on the upcoming agenda. - Milling and paving expected in the summer with night operations; restriping to follow after oils from new pavement have lifted (a one- to two-week wait). - Staff will circulate a plan showing the relocated dumpster position to commissioners before final work in the Playhouse lot.
The commission thanked Tiger for the update and signaled support for proceeding with the planned bid and construction schedule. No formal vote on these projects took place during the meeting.
