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Team 04

Team Members

Faculty Advisor

Eamon Manely
Samuel Cannizzo
Francis Kocsis
Yuhe Zou

John Ivan

Sponsor

Town of Norwalk, CT

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Rowayton Village Placemaking

Rowayton village sits on the coastal region of Norwalk, CT, and is a quaint and bustling area, featuring historic districts, marinas and beaches. This project focuses on a small section of the village which functions as its entrance and is mixed use to its core. Within the project area is a park, a marina, a church/nursery, a historical cannon, residential housing and various businesses including restaurants, art centers, and a market. A community exists and our streetscape improvements seek to foster it further. The goal is not to increase the flow of cars moving through the area but to create a destination where people want to be. Currently, the corridor has cars parked on the sidewalk, highway lighting, mismatched sidewalk materials, a central crosswalk consistently blocked by cars, and an 85th percentile speed of almost 32 mph. The main intersection, on Rowayton Ave & Wilson Ave, restricts access to the village and contains a blind turn which results in many rear end crashes. Our design targets both the corridor and the main intersection. For the corridor we implemented two crosswalks with flashing beacons, one of which is raised, and curb extensions, increasing pedestrian safety. To improve the street’s attractiveness we added planters, historical lighting, brick paver sidewalks/crosswalks, and buried the utility lines. To promote economic activity and safety, we formalized on-street parking and added a seasonal parklet for people to sit and eat. For the intersection, we simplified it to a 3-way stop controlled raised intersection which freed up the space to add a plaza featuring the historical cannon and greenery. The entire project area will be eligible to be designated a "Pedestrian Safety Zone", reducing the speed limit to 20 mph. These improvements give the community what it deserves, a place where people feel safe and comfortable walking, shopping, eating and enjoying the atmosphere.