Community Corner

Cos Cob's 'Highway to Hell' [VIDEO]

Residents win parking ban to foil daytime interlopers from nearby medical offices and constructions sites who pose safety hazards by obstructing neighborhood motorists' views.

To some Mead Avenue residents, the lyrics of AC/DC's song 'Highway to Hell' could well be the anthem for their Cos Cob neighborhood.

Just as actor Peter Finch goaded viewers in the 1976 movie "Network," the residents are "mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore." And the Greenwich Board of Selectmen agree.

The residents' letter writing campaign to the selectmen and parking officials has resulted in a 90-day daytime parking ban on the street and a promised watch for speeders on the popular street that connects River Road to East Putnam Avenue, across from .

Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Over the years, the three-lane road has become a popular parking alternative for visitors to a medical office building at 31 River Rd., where the parking lot is often filled, according to residents. In addition to daytime parking interlopers from nearby businesses, the problem is now exacerbated with the construction of a bank at the site of the former Bella Nonna restaurant at the corner of Mead and East Putnam Avenue. Residents say the street is choked with cars and trucks from construction workers.

Last fall, the originally rejected the proposal to build a Chase Bank branch on the site. After the landowner, Lu Door Corp. made concessions on several issues including reducing to one, the number of drive-up windows, increasing the amount of landscaping on the lot, and prohibiting left turns out the adjacent Dunkin' Donuts shop, as part of an agreement to drop a lawsuit challenging the commission's original rejection.

Find out what's happening in Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The popular Bella Nonna opened in 1998 had many fans including former New York Knick Allan Houston and his family. .

At the selectmen's Oct. 6 meeting, the board unanimously approved a 90-day trial to impose parking for residents and their visitors only - in an attempt to prevent construction workers from parking on both sides of the street, and close to driveway entrances, creating blind spots for residents trying to enter or exit their driveways. (Please see video.)

All three selectmen live in Cos Cob and said they are familiar with the traffic issues. First Selectman Peter Tesei he specifically avoids using the street because of the traffic volume.

One resident, Tara Stone pointed to a car and pickup truck - both with New York plates that were parked on the grass in front the home she's lived in with her family for 14 years. "They're disrespectful, parking on the lawns," she said. She and other residents predicted that if traffic-calming efforts weren't ordered by the selectmen, "someone is going to get hit."

The residents also said motorists usually speed through the otherwise bucolic neighborhood of older, mostly stately homes where they estimate at least 60 children live and walk to the Cos Cob School.

Allan Corry, the town's parking director, said a police survey using radar to check motorists' speeds in early September showed the average speed was less than the posted 25 mph limit - drawing sighs from residents. He said the ban probably will become effective by mid-November so that residents will be able to apply for parking permits and the town will be able to install signs of the parking restrictions.

Donald Foley, who's lived on the street for 30 years, said, "You knew there would have to be a compromise solution and no matter what they did not everyone would be happy."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here