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Residents and advocates warn BET against cuts to TMP and DPW staffing, citing stalled capital projects
Summary
Speakers at the March 25 Board of Estimate and Taxation hearing urged restoration of TMP and DPW staffing, saying planned projects (Wall Street redesign, East Avenue study) and $30 million in funded infrastructure risk delay or loss without adequate staff to design and build them.
Business owners, planners and transportation advocates told the Board of Estimate and Taxation on March 25 that reductions to the Traffic, Mobility and Parking (TMP) unit and the Department of Public Works would delay projects, reduce public safety gains and risk losing grant dollars.
Matthew Silver, a Brian McMahon High School teacher and member of Sustainable Streets Norwalk, said BET's proposed TMP reduction of $180,000 below the mayor's recommendation would hobble an office that has delivered measurable safety improvements. "Rather than a budget cut, they deserve an increase," Silver said, noting TMP's role in complete-streets work and crash reduction.
Christina Randall, who represents Norwalk Bike Walk Commission and Sustainable Streets, credited TMP and Director Jim Travers with nearly 13 miles of sidewalks installed last year and emphasized strong community engagement. "The work that they're doing is having a great reception," she said, and warned that cutting DPW or TMP while staff already work long hours would imperil service and maintenance.
Multiple speakers also highlighted a timing risk tied to grant-funded projects. Business leader Jason Milligan told the panel the city currently has about $30 million in funded infrastructure projects that require staff to plan, engineer and build; he warned that if projects are not delivered on schedule, grant funding could be lost.
"To cut their staff now would be very short-sighted because some of the funding, if you don't spend it in time, you lose it," Milligan said, urging BET to weigh the near-term savings against the longer-term revenue risk.
Speakers urged that TMP and DPW funding be viewed as investments in resilience and economic development. Tanner Thompson highlighted sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure as low-cost resilience measures if fuel prices spike, and several commenters pointed to the high cost-benefit ratios public-health and safety studies attribute to walking and biking infrastructure.
BET heard no immediate responses or votes; members closed the hearing after collecting public input.
