MILFORD — If you’re headed to the Milford Public Library this week, plan on parking somewhere else.
Contractors on the city’s Founders Walk Phase 2 project were scheduled to start installing catch basins in the library’s driveway and parking area on Monday or Tuesday, according to the minutes of the project committee’s Oct. 15 meeting, posted on the city’s website.
The library has been warning patrons that parking behind its building at 57 New Haven Ave. will be “severely limited” from Oct. 5 through December because of the Founders Walk construction. It suggests using downtown municipal parking at Lisman Landing, Armory Square and the River Street Garage instead.
What the committee approved
At the same 1 p.m. meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15, the Founders Walk Phase 2 Committee voted to:
- Change the plans so a new sidewalk is moved and the existing light fixtures don’t have to be relocated.
- Accept changes and credits from contractor B and W Paving “so we can move forward on basketball court for $342,800,” in the words of the minutes.
- Pay two B and W Paving invoices, for $17,575 and $35,625.
All of the motions passed, according to the minutes. The minutes don’t say where the basketball court is or describe the work, and no further detail on the court was posted with them.
Members recorded as attending were Connie Gaynor, Rich Jagoe, James Maroney, Don Smith, Suzanne Thomas, Bob Banning and Bill Garfield, the city’s recreation director. The meeting lasted 48 minutes.
What Founders Walk is
Founders Walk is a riverwalk and park improvement project along the Wepawaug River downtown, meant to connect the library, the marina, the harbor and downtown with safer walking routes, according to the project’s website. The idea dates to 1999. Phase One was finished in 2014, and the Board of Aldermen unanimously approved moving ahead with Phase Two on June 6, 2022.
The project site says Phase Two is 100% state funded, with a total budget of $4.85 million. Its plans include about 1,700 feet of new sidewalk, six marked crosswalks, 12 accessible parking spaces, four EV charging stations and a relocated library book drop.
According to the site, work already done includes:
- Storm drainage and flood-control improvements
- A new municipal water line and fire hydrant
- Rerouting parts of Shipyard Lane
- Reconfigured parking lots with speed bumps, traffic islands and a short cobblestone stretch of road
- About 1,700 feet of new sidewalk
Still to come, the site says:
- The riverwalk along the Wepawaug River
- More traffic islands
- Reconfiguring the library parking lot, including a drive-through book drop
- EV charging stations and accessible features
- Landscaping, plus removing some invasive plants and planting a living shoreline along the harbor
The project site said work would resume Sept. 27, and that the project is expected to be finished by the end of the year. It also notes the timeline can change because of weather or field conditions.
Also on Milford’s calendar this week
- Monday, Oct. 19, at noon (Zoom): The 1 Tudor Road Building Committee, which oversees the Boys and Girls Club project, is scheduled to get updates on demolition and a change order, site work costs, and an ARPA funding plan for the city.
- Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m.: The Board of Health meets at 82 New Haven Ave. Its agenda includes a discussion of whether its meetings should be virtual, hybrid or in person.
Get Milford’s best stories first — subscribe to the free Milford Voice newsletter
Have a tip? Email news@milfordvoice.com
