Western Connecticut Council of Governments

The council meeting included presentations on CTDOT Traffic Operations and I-95 Planning and Environmental Linkages Studies. Action items included a brownfield resolution for Mason Street Partners, LLC, a letter of support for the Greenwich SS4A application, auditor selection, LOTCIP adjustments, and authorizations for regional water planning. MPO-specific actions involved FY 2025 Section 5310 application rankings, and the endorsement of HVMPO and SWRMPO transportation improvement programs for 2027-2030, along with air quality conformity resolutions. Additionally, information items covered the Volkswagen NOx Mitigation Program, the regional service grant spending plan, agency budget, housing updates, and summer staffing.

The meeting agenda includes a federal certification review, various COG and MPO action items such as quarterly financial updates, office lease renewals, procurement initiatives for hazardous waste collection services, and grant resolutions. Additionally, the agenda covers information items like transportation improvement programs, long-range planning, legislative updates, and industrial zoning reports.

The meeting included a featured presentation on the Federal Certification Review and informational updates on the 2027-2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan project solicitation, ADA transition plans, traffic calming and complete streets best practices, the draft FY27-30 Transportation Improvement Program, the FY 2027 MGP 13b program, Safe Streets for All funding, and a data campaign. Action items included the approval of the FY25-FY28 Transportation Improvement Program for SWRMPO. Other business included an announcement regarding the public comment period for the CTDOT Long Range Transportation Plan.

The committee held its final meeting to review the Traffic Calming & Complete Streets Toolbox. Key discussion topics included updates and revisions to the document, such as the inclusion of local examples, project delivery and permitting procedures, and refined selection criteria. Participants provided detailed feedback on technical specifications, including CTDOT compliance for road infrastructure, lighting standards, and the integration of housing strategies into parking standards. The committee also reviewed practical applications of the Toolbox for traffic calming on specific residential and school-zone streets.

The committee reviewed the draft Traffic Calming and Complete Streets Toolbox, a resource for local and residential road design and planning. The presentation covered the organization of the document into thematic categories, such as special street types and traffic control devices, and demonstrated its application through a case study on Maple Street in Darien. Discussion topics included the potential for incorporating local case studies, the need for CTDOT coordination, the impact of Housing Bill 8002 on parking and zoning requirements, and the desire for inclusion of accessible regional datasets to support municipal decision-making.