Years ago a US official touring China’s amazing new 225-mph
high speed rail network commented: “It’s amazing what you can do in a country
that only needs three people to make a decision”. No public hearings, no environmental impact
studies… no dissent.
In this country we have a different system. Consider CDOT’s many multi-million dollar
projects, their public process and, as a result, how slowly they progress.
The “billion dollar” Walk railroad bridge replacement in
South Norwalk is a perfect example.
The CDOT deserves a lot of credit for their transparency
on this project, including a dozen or so
open houses, information forums and public hearings they have held. They’ve
even opened a walk-in
information center nearby. There
are weekly updates and a robust
website, in multiple languages, to keep Norwalkers updated on
the nine-year project.
Nobody can say the
public isn’t involved.
The project has been brewing since
2015,
but only now are the protests really ramping up in the form of a lawsuit. At issue is whether replacement of the swing
bridge is really necessary or whether a fixed (unmovable) bridge would suffice.
Plaintiffs say that a fixed-bridge wasn’t considered, but
should have been, even if it meant getting the Norwalk River upstream
officially closed by act of Congress after buying out the local marinas and oil
terminals that might lose barge service as a result.
But the CDOT says that option was cost-analyzed and would
only save 11% of the construction cost, while still disrupting the area and the
demolition of the Aquarium’s IMAX theater.
I’m not a lawyer (or an engineer), so I can’t opine on
either the legality or engineering decisions.
But that hasn’t stopped others from questioning the CDOT at this late
point in the process. Everyone seems to
have an opinion, whatever their qualifications.
Some are even waxing nostalgic about the Victorian-era look
of the bridge, hoping its iron superstructure could be preserved or replicated,
because it is such a part of the city’s identity. Maybe the city’s motto should
be “Norwalk: We live in the past.”
But where were these people three years ago when the project
was in its development phase? How much
work (time and money) might be lost if their litigious second-guessing further
stalls this crucial project?
Remember: this
bridge is being replaced because it is used by 200 daily trains carrying
125,000 passengers on Amtrak and Metro-North.
There’s a lot at stake if it isn’t fixed.
Another case in point: the Cribari Bridge over the
Saugatuck River in Westport built in 1884.
This swing bridge carries vehicular traffic on Rt 136 but is so old and
crumbling that CDOT recently put a 20-ton weight restriction on the span. That means fire trucks can’t get across.
Preservationists want
to keep its ornamental steel truss filigree even though it’s regularly struck
by traffic. It’s another battle of
nostalgia over practicality.
I’m all for citizen engagement in transportation
planning. But at some point we have to
trust the professionals, yes… the engineers, to do the right thing and build
for the future. The time for kibitzing
should have a statute of limitations.
Our crumbling infrastructure cannot wait to be rebuilt.
Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media.
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