Town officials last week approved a $91,600 contract with a New Canaan-based company to install new sidewalks and pedestrian ramps along a much-needed stretch of Cherry Street downtown.
The sidewalk along the south side of Cherry Street between Main and South on Oct. 13, 2016. Credit: Michael Dinan
The concrete sidewalks and ramps on the south side of Cherry Street—between South Avenue and Main Street (from the Gulf station to the library)—should be done by Thanksgiving, according to Tiger Mann, assistant director of the New Canaan Department of Public Works.
After the partially broken and crumbling sidewalk in the heart of the business district was brought to First Selectman Rob Mallozzi’s attention, he made fixing it a priority, Mann said.
“The Town Council and Board of Finance gave us our budget for the year, and—based upon how we saw fit to new installation versus taking care of what we own—we felt we should take care of what we own first,” Mann said during the Oct. 11 meeting of the Board of Selectmen, held at Town Hall.
“That entire area has been in disrepair,” he added.
Mallozzi, Selectman Beth Jones and Selectman Nick Williams all were in attendance.
Locally based Peter Lanni, Inc. will carry out the work, following a 3-0 vote by the board.
The stretch of sidewalk last was done when fiber optic cables were installed in New Canaan “and for some reason, they just didn’t want to last,” Mann said.
Jones asked whether there are Bradford Pears on the sidewalk that are causing some of the problem.
Mann responded that yes, “they are causing some lifting.”
“They are going to stay but we are going to increase the tree well depth and spacing for it. So I think that should help it a little bit. The sidewalks are 11 feet wide in that area and the panels were poured all the way across, so what wound up happening was the entire panel lifted. It was next to the Bradford Pears and the entire panel lifted and then cracked. We are looking at trying to put some additional joints in there so that if it does lift, it will only lift one panel.”
Jones asked whether the north side of Cherry Street also needs to be addressed (along the Morse Court lot).
Mann said: “It will need to be done, but it is not in as bad shape as this side is.”