New Canaan is “actively investigating” whether it could expand commuter parking by extending two lots at Talmadge Hill into state-owned property alongside the Merritt Parkway, the town’s highest elected official said Tuesday.
According to First Selectman Kevin Moynihan, the town soon will send a letter to the Connecticut Department of Transportation “to ask for their cooperation to let us pave” the areas, which would yield some 50 additional spaces.
— A version of this article originally was published by NewCanaanite.com.
The project at Talmadge Hill is expected put a dent in waiting lists for parking permits—nearly 600 between the Lumberyard parking lot near New Canaan Railroad Station and Talmadge Hill station, as of last month.
According to a draft copy of the letter that’s addressed to DOT Commissioner James Redeker, New Canaan is seeking to expand “modestly” at Talmadge Hill into part of a 300-foot-wide Merritt Parkway easement so that it could gain about 60 more spaces.
“I would commend the first selectman for his willingness to entertain multiple options on parking in solving our parking issues,” Selectman Nick Williams said, “not just focusing on the Lumberyard and this and that, but really being open to all sorts of options.”