Wilton Bulletin
One lane traffic in Wilton Center as lamp post project begins

Jul 30, 2007

A public works employee stops traffic along River Road while another employee cuts through the asphalt in preparation for the center lighting project. %u2014Jeff Yates photo

River Road in Wilton Center is down to one lane along Schenck's Island today as crews from the Department of Public Works begin cutting the asphalt inpreparation for the center lighting project. A crew of three is out managing the project and directing traffic around the lane closure.

The crew began working this morning near the entrance to Ogden House, and will be progressing north up the roadway throughout the day.

Harry Kabasakalian, a field engineer for public works, said in a previous interview there were several stages to the project. In recnet days crews from the highway department have trimmed back trees and brush along the sidewalk, and have marked where the trench would run.

“Going to the curb line, we’re going to replace it with concrete curbing to try to dress it up a bit,” said Mr. Kabasakalian. First Selectman William Brennan said approximately 8,000 linear feet of concrete curbing would be installed in the Center.

The trench being dug along the sidewalk will be laid with two-inch conduit pipe, and junction boxes for the individual lamps, said Mr. Kabasakalian. The electrical contractor, Lucci Electric, would later run the wiring through the conduit.

“Once we get the main part of the conduit in, the lights are going to be the least disruptive in terms of traffic,” he said.

Work zones will be fairly small, with short sections of the sidewalk closed at any one time, said Mr. Kabasakalian, and the trench will be filled in and paved over as each section is completed. Once the entire project is completed, the town may consider repaving the entire stretch of sidewalk, he said.

“We’re going to start at the Bridge to Nowhere [the entrance to Schenck’s Island] and head towards Horseshoe Road,” he said, adding completing the section along River Road, where there is more space to work, was the best place to start. “We’re trying to get our feet wet with the easy part first, then we’ll move to the more difficult part, in front of the Village Market and such.”

Mr. Brennan said the lampposts will be positioned on the inward side of the sidewalk, to avoid damage from car accidents or town plows.

© Copyright 2007 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers