Rethink the Walk Bridge
Rethink the Walk Bridge About Us Norwalk Harbor Keeper is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization. Its members are City of Norwalk residents. Its purpose is to advocate for clean and accessible waterways in and around Norwalk. It is funded by individual contributions. We are not opposed to replacing the Walk Bridge. We support evaluating plans that are less costly and disruptive than the lift bridge project favored by the State – The founding members of Norwalk Harbor Keeper
Press Headlines: Nancy On Norwalk, CT Post, NPR
More Headlines: The Hour Given the complexity and cost of the project, the public concern — and the critical importance to the Northeast rail corridor — it is worth further study to see whether a less disruptive, but still effective, replacement can be made. - The Editors of the Norwalk Hour
Rethink the Walk Bridge The Law Suit ❖ On January 17, 2018, Norwalk Harbor Keeper filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court to: ❖ Invalidate the State of Connecticut and the Federal Transit Authority’s plan to replace the Walk Bridge with a new lift bridge. ❖ Fully evaluate a fixed bridge alternative.
Rethink the Walk Bridge Why We Sued ❖ The lift bridge replacement plan is costly and disruptive. ❖ The State and FTA have not properly evaluated fixed bridge alternatives. This violates federal environmental assessment rules under the National Environmental Policy Act. ❖ The State makes sweeping claims about boat traffic on the upper river that it has not fully assessed, including looking at reasonable accommodations of boats that might be effected by fixed bridge alternatives. ❖ Community anger is substantial and growing. Norwalk residents and other Conn taxpayers feels their questions and their views about the Walk Bridge have been ignored by the State, and that the State has not been forthcoming with information about its plans.
Rethink the Walk Bridge Let’s Drill Down: Disruption The lift bridge plan includes tearing down the IMAX theatre. This is just the tip of the iceberg of disruption for the historic cobblestone district in South Norwalk if the plan goes through. ❖ Restaurants will lose substantial business as street traffic and parking are lost to construction for a period of years. ❖ Neighborhoods in South Norwalk, Downtown, and East Norwalk will have to contend with increased car traffic, noise, pollution and congestion as cars and trucks are re- routed form the lift bridge construction site.
Rethink the Walk Bridge Let’s Drill Down: The State’s Failure to Consider Alternatives The National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 requires federally funded construction projects to conduct full environmental assessment studies. ❖ The State’s lift bridge plan fails to do this with respect to fixed bridge alternatives ❖ The State claims that a fixed bridge does not satisfy navigational requirements of the 3 entities north of the Walk Bridge that occasionally require the bridge to open so their boats can travel to the harbor. ❖ But the State has not made a proper assessment of navigational requirements on the River, or ways to accommodate River traffic affected by a fixed bridge alternative. ❖ We are asking the State to fulfill its obligation to fully study all alternatives.
Rethink the Walk Bridge Let’s Drill Down: Boat Traffic on the Upper river ❖ The Walk Bridge was built in 1896 when Norwalk was a busy commercial seaport with numerous boats on the upper river. ❖ In those years, it was necessary to have a swing bridge to accommodate the high volume of traffic, particularly among schooners and other tall mast ships. ❖ That is not the situation today. There are only 3 enterprises north of the bridge who call on the bridge to open, and they do so only occasionally. ❖ We respect those enterprises and do not dismiss their needs and concerns. We believe, however, that they can be accommodated with low profile tugs and other means, if the bridge were fixed in a continually closed position. ❖ The cost of supporting tall mast traffic north of the bridge is substantially greater than the cost of a fixed bridge. The key is for the State to make a proper environmental assessment of those options.
Rethink the Walk Bridge Let’s Drill Down: Community Anger The State has not been transparent and forthcoming about the deficiencies in the lift bridge plan, particularly concerning its failure to assess less costly and disruptive alternatives. I live in this neighborhood & I have many friends & family working in fisheries and enjoying boating in this area. I also am friends with everyone who owns a business that is or has been displaced for this project. I also have friends who've been hired to work on the bridge project and I see how some of the monies are being spent. I see many sides of this issue and of this project and I am opposed to how it is being executed thus far. Truly wasteful and very much out of align with what our neighborhood livelihood needs. -J, Norwalk Resident
Rethink the Walk Bridge Our Goals ❖ We are not opposed to replacing or repairing the Walk Bridge. ❖ The lift bridge plan is costly and disruptive. ❖ We favor a full and complete assessment of less costly and disruptive plans including: ✓ Fixed bridge alternative. ✓ Full analysis of ways to accommodate the small volume of tall mast traffic north of the bridge .
Rethink the Walk Bridge How People Can Help City residents, state taxpayers, commuters, boaters, fishermen, business owners, environmentalists and others can support our efforts in three ways: • Send tax-deductible contributions to Norwalk Harbor Keeper 9 Braybourne Drive Norwalk, CT 06855 • Sign the petition at Change.org Petition • Follow and contribute to our blog Rethink the Walk Bridge (rethinkthewalkbridge.wordpress.com)
Rethink the Walk Bridge Thank You, Norwalk Harbor Keeper Tony D’Andrea Fred Krupp Bob Kunkel Robin Penna Patrick Sikes
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