Dozens of New Canaan Police officers, their families and town residents and officials gathered under a tent outside the department’s South Avenue headquarters Thursday to recognize those who have been promoted within NCPD and those who have gone above and beyond to earn special awards.
L-R: Officers Giancarlo Vincenzi, Emily Clark, Erin McCarthy and Rex Sprosta, Lt. Joe Farenga and Chief Leon Krolikowski at the May 27, 2021 promotion and awards ceremony outside the New Canaan Police Department. Credit: Michael Dinan
Police Chief Leon Krolikowski told those in attendance on a clear, comfortable evening that the ceremony is designed “to celebrate the accomplishments of many officers.”
Route 123 is closed in the area of the New Canaan Field Club for three weeks. Credit: Michael Dinan
Traffic volume on Canoe Hill Road has tripled from 500 to 1,500 cars daily due to the state’s temporary closure of Route 123 due to a culvert replacement, police said last week.
Officials also are finding that a “significant amount” of motorists are not using the Department of Transportation’s designated detour route on the east side of 123, and are instead using Parade Hill Road, Oenoke Ridge, Lambert Road and Country Club Road on the west side, according to New Canaan Police Deputy Chief John DiFederico.
Police are studying the loading zone at Main Street and East Avenue. Credit: Michael Dinan
New Canaan shouldn’t relocate or otherwise alter a frequently abused loading zone on Main Street, police said this week, because doing so would only move the problem elsewhere and risks an exacerbating intervention by the state.
Instead of making the loading zone at the East Avenue intersection shorter or moving it, or changing the times at which non-truck-driving motorists are fined for parking there the town should do all it can to notify drivers that it’s trucks-only from 7 to 11 a.m., authorities said during Wednesday’s regular meeting of the Police Commission.
Police are studying the loading zone at Main Street and East Avenue. Credit: Michael Dinan
Municipal officials say they’re collecting data to help determine whether to change the parking rules or configuration in a long-discussed area of downtown New Canaan that’s seen a rise in recent years in service-oriented businesses.
Members of the Police Commission are asking an officer assigned to the downtown beat to observe the area of Main Street just north of East Avenue in the mornings. Officer Kelly Coughlin will gather information for police and parking officials so they can better understand how heavily a 7 to 11 a.m. loading zone there is used by delivery trucks, and whether those seeking to patronize businesses in the immediate vicinity have ample on-street parking spaces further up Main Street or across it, in front of Town Hall.
Locust Avenue approaching Main Street, on Jan. 24, 2021. Credit: Michael Dinan
Parts of Locust Avenue and Main Street will be closed at night as part of a three-week project slated for April, officials say.
Eversource’s work on Locust from the area of Forest up to Main, and then down Main to East Avenue, is expected to start around 9 p.m. and continue until about 5 a.m., according to Project Manager Charlie Frangis.
“Since it’s at night it will be less of an imposition but we just want to detour traffic, including trucks, either through or around the construction site,” Frangis told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting, held Jan. 20 via videoconference.