Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn., plans to build a 17-ft. tall pedestrian bridge over Christian Street to enhance safety for students and reduce traffic congestion. Town council and residents express support for the project, despite some calls for increased transparency and community involvement in Choate's plans.
A 17-ft.-tall pedestrian bridge over Christian Street may be coming to Wallingford, Conn., after the town council recently gave Choate Rosemary Hall approval to proceed on the planning.
The bridge would keep students at the prestigious co-ed boarding and day school safe while eliminating traffic backups due to pedestrian crossings, providing a link between Choate's north and south campuses — namely the sports field, school representatives told CT Insider.
It is part of Choate's overall effort to reduce traffic and congestion across the center of campus. School representatives noted how they have reconfigured paths to steer away from the four-way intersection, installed flashing beacons and moved the locations of events to keep Christian Street as clear as possible.
If constructed, the bridge would span between the sports fields and Rosemary Lane, an outlet road further east along the campus, and connect the southern sports facilities with the parking lots to the north.
"Over the years, during approval processes for several recent campus projects, we have heard from the community and our neighbors their concerns regarding parking, congestion and pedestrian traffic in and around campus," explained Alison Cady, Choate's chief communications officer. "Unfortunately, the area's sight lines aren't conducive to an at-grade crosswalk. Therefore, the elevated pedestrian crossbridge is a potential solution to move pedestrians safely across the street."
Though no renderings have yet been presented, as the project remains in a preliminary stage, it is planned to be made with a hardy weather-resistant wood and be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That means there will be large ramps on either side of the bridge to allow wheelchairs to cross over Christian Street freely and safely.
CT Insider noted that if future, more detailed plans for the pedestrian bridge are approved by Wallingford's town council later this year, the construction is anticipated to take around three months.
It will give direct access to the overflow parking lot used to accommodate vehicles for nearby sporting events. That surface lot is expected to contain more vehicles following the reduction in above-ground parking as a result of the ongoing construction of Choate's underground parking garage and new admissions facility.
Council Members, Residents Voice Their Opinions About Bridge
Wallingford Town Council members generally seemed open to the footbridge project at its last meeting in July, the CT Insider reported, seeing it as a crucial step in the continuing efforts to increase pedestrian safety along Christian Street.
"I'm in favor, and I applaud you for trying to clean up that mess because it is a little harrowing trying to come through [where] you've got two teams leaving and two teams coming at the same time," said Councilor Tom Laffin. "So that's 11 to 14 kids on a soccer team, their siblings, the parents, equipment, and it just gets really crazy."
Dave Rodriguez, a local resident representing the Wallingford Soccer Club, also spoke in favor of Choate's project, saying it would clear up safety concerns along the busy road. He added that many drivers must slow down sharply when coming over the hill to avoid students and their families crossing the street during the late evening game hours.
"This access is critical," he said. "We have a situation, especially in the fall, where it gets dark at 5 o'clock, practice is let out, and there's people crossing at all angles. So, this is a huge safety enhancement I'm in favor of, and the club is in favor of."
Others encouraged more interaction between Choate and the public.
While there was recognition of Choate's value to the community, there seemed to be a desire on the part of many citizens for increased transparency about the school's plans and establishing a community authority to better discuss them.
Some even wished for the Wallingford Town Council to hinge the approval of the project on a stipulation that Choate had to become part of an authority and reach out to nearby residents with their construction plans.
Councilor Craig Fishbein, however, felt that it was not the town's place to enforce that sort of stipulation and would not be fair to the school.
While no official action was taken on the project, it is expected that Choate representatives will return in the coming months to seek the town council's official vote on the aerial easement for the bridge.
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