If you are planning to have a heart attack in Old Greenwich, I strongly suggest scheduling it on any day of the week except Saturday.
With all the focus on the traffic issues on Greenwich Avenue and the perennial debate over Greenwich Finest’s staffing of the intersections, someone should take note that the worst traffic problem in the town is in Old Greenwich.
One a recent Saturday, there was a Chicken Joe charity run, multiple games at both Binney Park and Old Greenwich School, where soccer moms and dads treated “no parking” signs as if they were mere suggestions, and the usual army of Greenwich Point devotees all colliding on Sound Beach avenue and turning it to Time Square. I have moved around a lot easier on Nanjing Road in Shanghai than I do in Old Greenwich on a Saturday. Of course, where there is traffic there is opportunity – as evidenced by all the GHS teams that stake out Old Greenwich School for their fund-raising car washes.
Snaking through all this requires the skills of Mario Andretti and the mental focus of Tiger Woods.
Imagine trying to get emergency equipment to south of village amid all this chaos. There is also the question of the environmental impact not to mention psychic impact. It’s time for some bold discussions about solutions – synchronized scheduling of events, use of buses to Greenwich Point, etc. All
ideas should be considered to ensure that Old Greenwich retains its village atmosphere.
Hi Lincoln. As to traffic fiascos, check out Greenwich Point. Thanks to the new scanning system, there was a backup yesterday all the way out of the causeway at 3:45 as I was leaving. I hate to see what’s going to happen in July when the really big crowds show up! I’d love to know what this piece of “progress” cost all of us!
Love the blog. Best news in Town!
John
Comment by John Ehlers — May 26th, 2009 @ 12:40 pm
John.Linc, I am guessing that the tod’s point scanner is intended to catch counterfeit or out-of-date cards. This is overkill to solve a tiny problem. I wonder why the system is not used during “after hours” when us boaters leave? the attendant still writes down our license plate number. It would be smarter to scan our “marine permit” card-or at least ask to see it.
Dick
Comment by Dick Franck — June 4th, 2009 @ 8:33 am
Congrats, Lincoln, on starting this OG blog. Re: OG traffic: there really are so few solutions to it. Even scheduling care with park and school property uses – all of which should be employed – traffic at noon hour during good weather, regardless of day of week can be daunting. I frequently have occasion to come back to OG from Greenwich west at noon and automatically veer off at the Church toward the Civic Center because the traffic’s backed up to Binney Park. Slower than my boat at anchor. Sound Beach Ave, at the railroad overpass is a small funnel for a major auto flow.
Cheers, Jay
Comment by Jay Louden — June 5th, 2009 @ 5:44 pm