State, Local Approval Needed for 'Refuge' Plan at 106 and Park St.

State approvals—and then local support—still are needed to install a “refuge island” at the intersection of Old Stamford Road and Park Street, officials say.

Plans already are drawn up for the approximately $175,000, curb-height traffic island—proposed about two years ago—a measure designed to slow down motorists zipping toward New Canaan on Route 106 and then making an overly hard left onto Park Street (see video) toward Mead Park.

The plan still needs sign-off from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and then it’d go through the local approval process, which in this case requires nods not only from the Town Council and finance board, but also Planning and Zoning.

“We have the plans, it’s just a question of implementation,” said Tiger Mann, assistant director of the New Canaan Department of Public Works and senior engineer.

As we’ve reported here on Patch, the plan includes three major components: painted stripes across both Park Street and 106 for pedestrians, the refuge island itself and a change to the asphalt on either side of the island so that vehicles don’t approach it.

A “green light” is needed from the DOT because 106 is a state road. Whether and how soon funding comes depends on how town officials decide to spend money.

“It still needs to be funded, so it has to run its course on funding and the need for that has to be balanced against the need for everything else,” Mann said.  “That’s the main crux, is balancing the needs.”