Hey Greenwich! Did You Know ... Changes in Byram's Rules of the Road?

Today is Wednesday, May 9, 2013 and it's National Butterscotch Brownie Day.

This day in history:

In 1960, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first commercially produced birth-control pill—Enovid-10, that was made by the G.D. Searle Co.

The last original episode of the sitcom The Honeymooners, starring Jackie Gleason as Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden, was broadcast in 1971.

It was a banner day 1973, Cincinnati Reds All-Star catcher Johnny Bench as he hit three home runs in one game off All-Star pitcher Steve Carlton of the Philadelphia Phillies. By the end of the game, Bench slammed four round-trippers.

Rules of the road in Byram

The rules of the road of a popular, narrow short-cut in Byram have changed.

Motorists are now able to access New Lebanon Avenue only in a southbound direction from Delavan Avenue. The block-long street connects Delavan Avenue to Williams Street. Town public works employees have installed bright orange barriers and one-way only signs at both ends of the street indicating the new travel restrictions.

Parking spaces along the street have been restriped.

The street is used as a cut-through by drivers headed to the New Lebanon baseball field, Byram Shubert Library, New Lebanon School, and as an alternate route to avoid the traffic light at Delavan and Mead avenues.

Town traffic engineers discovered congestion problems along New Lebanon while surveying the neighborhood for sidewalks. Officials said that in addition to residents parking in the area, patrons of the Byram Veterans Club and Burgers, Shakes & Fries, often park on the street and the curb and sidewalks, reducing pedestrian access.

And at the May 10 Board of Selectmen's meeting, there are requests to approve two additional changes to traffic patterns. The town's Engineering Division of the Public Works Department is seeking to change the left-turn signal at the intersection of Mill Street at North and South Water streets from westbound (or Port Chester bound) to eastbound (or Byram bound) to reduce traffic congestion. With continued development in Port Chester, traffic volumes have increased with motorists queued up on the Mill Street bridge waiting to enter Greenwich.

According to documents filed with the selectmen, engineers say that this change is being coordinated with Port Chester traffic engineers to reduce congestion.

Greenwich engineers also are seeking approval to allow eliminate the 'no right on red' restriction on Mead Avenue at the intersection of Delavan Avenue. According to the documents, two parking spaces on the east side of Mead will be eliminated to allow for creation of a right turn-only lane. The change is proposed to reduce anticipated increased traffic flow because of the New Lebanon travel direction change.

If approved by the selectmen, the two proposals will be forwarded to the Connecticut Traffic Commission for final approval.

Meetings today at Greenwich Town Hall:

If you prefer the clicker instead of being there, there's Greenwich Community Television (GCTV) on either Fios Channel 24 or Cablevision's Channel 79.

And if you prefer movie entertainment, here's the schedule for:

*Sources: history.com