Sustainable Streets Norwalk

Highlights For marginalised street users mode separation is the key to human-scale movement. Streets conducive to walking and cycling have functional, safe and accessible design. Professionals must approach street design, regulation and user behaviour holistically. Combinations of influencing factors persuade people to either use or avoid a street. There are no easy fixes to the public realm that will work for all non-drivers.

"The single most important behaviour, design or regulation for creating streets conducive to walking and cycling, was physical separation between the modes"

We've got a new study out, learning from a broad mixture of street users, planners and designers

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Ned Lamont grilled by liberal group Indivisible at town hall 'I don't shout and get as angry,' the governor said at Thursday's event, hosted by progressive advocacy group Indivisible's Stamford chapter.

The message from Stamford was clear: Connecticut needs affordable, attainable housing, and we need it now. Gov. Ned Lamont’s veto of HB 5002 was a setback, but the upcoming special session is his chance to make it right.
As @mattsilber.bsky.social of @norwalkstreets.bsky.social put it... (1/2)

Hi @npr.org! We worked late tonight putting together this handy pocket guide!

It doesn't address road design issues, but if we're going to educate road users, we should include drivers.

It's the size of a folded business card. Print it, fold it, put it in your wallet!

I had the incredible opportunity to attend @yimbytown.bsky.social, the nation’s largest pro-homes conference. Every community in Connecticut is responsible for building housing that is affordable for seniors, working families and students.

A flier taped to a streetlight pole that reads: “I also have access to a printer, And I say Upzoning is cool and good and it is my friend Let ‘em build some housing! What're you worried about, people with jobs and homes using the Red Line? Atraid of density? then why did you move to the big city my good friend [emoji making a ‘this guy’s nuts!’ gesture] ‘But I wanna drive my car!’ The bus is better because you can read a book on the bus Dear ‘Save Edgewater’: If I ever see you again claming that increasing supply increases prices I will spank your bottom and enroll you in an econ class at Loyola Say YES to proposed Upzoning in Edgewater Email: Leni@the48thward.org Call: (773) 784-5277

God bless whoever put up this pro-upzoning poster in Edgewater, please put up more

👏👏👏

I get the politics and don’t want to hammer Lamont (sign the bill, please!), but uhhh

One side: unhinged NIMBYs comparing TOD to the alien attack in the movie Independence Day

The other side: people should be able to afford rent and live near train stations to NYC
ctmirror.org/2025/06/20/c...

In other news, water is wet

HELP NEEDED 🗣️ Governor Lamont still hasn’t signed HB 5002. If you want CT to address its housing crisis, call or email his office today and ask that he sign it! portal.ct.gov/governor/con...

Opinion: Housing Solutions for a Strong Norwalk | Nancy on Norwalk Norwalk has a housing affordability crisis. Despite more of our housing being capital-A Affordable units than surrounding towns and most of Connecticut, hou ...

Great article by Thomas Blyth about how Norwalk can build more housing, check it out! www.nancyonnorwalk.com/opinion-hous...

Does Gen Z want to live in CT after graduation? We asked. Connecticut is known as a nice place to settle down, rather than start out. But do members of the Gen Z labor force agree?

What would starter home reform for the next generation of Nutmeggers look like? My ideas:
✅ broadly legalize townhomes (the modern starter)
✅ min lot reform (I’d suggest “right sizing lots for today’s families”)
✅ easier lot subdivision
✅ study condo defect laws
ctmirror.org/2025/06/17/g...

Shinkansen to Norwalk when? 👀

🚨Call to ACTION🚨

Email Governor Lamont to urge him to sign HB 5002 into law! This is a much needed and long overdue step towards building more housing in CT.

portal.ct.gov/governor/con...

If you make it illegal to build today’s starter homes (townhouses, condos, duplexes, smaller lot SF), then yesterday’s become luxury properties

I think this is the first time I've lived walking distance from a grocery store and I'm out of my mind about it. I'll walk there several times a day. Oh did I forget to grab something? No big deal I'll simply Walk To The Store

crazy that an influx of dense infill housing can lower prices and make homeownership more attainable

Parking mandates stifle, if not outright prevent walkable urban spaces that all of
Norwalk already loves. Kudos to Paul Fox for his testimony and @trumbullbrod.bsky.social for the fantastic thread!

Amazing things happening just up the road in Cambridge!

Guess what, fans of CT Transit Equity? We have a Committee bill to make CTtransit fares free for high school kids, veterans and low income residents. It’s up for public hearing Monday Feb 10 at 11 am - SB1243 www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabills...

Josh Goldstein from the Norwalk Common Council sees the housing crisis firsthand. He emphasizes in his testimony on Work Live Ride that "the fact that CT has a housing problem is well-known... we need to do more... we need all the tools in the toolbox to attack this problem."

Great testimony from Emily Burnaman of the Norwalk Bike Walk Commission! She highlights that Work Live Ride isn't a mandate—it’s an opportunity to build communities where we aren’t dependent on cars for every trip! 🙌

. @tanner.dev from @norwalkstreets.bsky.social provides a key point for discussion. When a legislator asks if our population isn’t growing, why build? He says, "It isn’t growing because we are not building." A valid point of concern for anyone who wants to move to CT. 🏘🚉

Heavy tariffs on Canadian lumber are going to make the housing crisis much worse.

2️⃣ Submit written testimony
✉️ Share your thoughts, can submit before or after the public hearing:
🔗 Submit here: www.cga.ct.gov/PD/tmy.htm

Had a fantastic time at Hunter College tonight for an event with @nerd4cities.bsky.social and @thewaroncars.bsky.social! 🚉🚲

Big thanks to the wonderful folks at @norwalkstreets.bsky.social for saving me a seat and providing the company!

We have little to no control over the situation federally but you do locally and at the state level

Email your local reps and (respectfully) share your opinion about things. They genuinely like hearing from you and if you have a good idea it might actually happen! I cannot recommend this enough

Eviction reform and housing top priority list for CT lawmakers in 2025 legislative session Prioritizing new and affordable housing is on the agendas of state lawmakers during this legislative session, including limiting landlords' eviction abilities and funding homeless services.

“State Sen. MD Rahman plans to propose legislation this session to remove some of the municipal zoning regulations that prevent housing, particularly affordable housing, from being constructed, and enable the conversion of commercial property to residential.”

www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-01...

50 Reasons Why Everyone Should Want More Walkable Streets From making you live longer to making cities more resilient: If you want a reason to make your city more walkable, it's in here.

“Someone with a 1-hr car commute needs to earn 40% more to be as happy as someone with a short walk to work. On the other hand, if someone shifts from a long commute to a walk, their happiness increases as much as if they’d fallen in love.” #CityMakingMath

50 reasons to want walkable streets.

The “yankee doodle trail” is currently a weird walled off bike route along I-95 between exits 15 and 16. Perhaps they’re getting it extended to exit 17? We’re not entirely sure.

On the one hand, banning right on red is a proven way to save lives and reduce injuries. On the other hand, drivers are delayed by a few seconds. So it’s impossible to say if it’s good or not.