Project Alternatives

Tresser Boulevard

The Tresser Boulevard concept reimagines the corridor from Clinton Avenue to East Main Street as a safer and more comfortable multimodal connection through downtown Stamford while maintaining access to adjacent businesses and destinations. The concept balances the needs of people walking, biking, riding transit, and driving through a combination of bicycle facilities, pedestrian improvements, transit enhancements, and targeted roadway modifications. The result is a more connected and inviting street that prioritizes safety and encourages greater travel by walking, biking, and transit.

Key Elements

  • Protected two-way bicycle facility along the north side of Tresser Boulevard

  • Enhanced bus stops with in-lane boarding

  • New landscaping and pedestrian refuge islands in the median

  • Shorter pedestrian crossing distances at key intersections

  • Wider sidewalks and streetscape enhancements in select locations

  • Preservation of much of the existing on-street parking

  • Removal of channelized right-turn lanes to improve pedestrian safety and comfort

  • Coordination with other planned improvements in the downtown area

Adjacent Roadways Overview

In addition to the series of mainline I-95 concepts, this PEL Study included development of concept designs for five roadway corridors (Tresser Boulevard, East Main Street, Canal Street, Elm Street, and Washington Boulevard) adjacent to I-95 in Stamford. These concept designs may be advanced as independent projects which improve mobility within Stamford neighborhoods, with a focus on pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. These projects may proceed earlier than the highway mainline alternative.

This component of the study began with a review of multimodal conditions along these corridors and identified interventions that address safety, access, and connectivity for people walking, biking, using transit, and driving. Through a collaborative planning process, the Study Team reviewed existing transportation conditions, safety concerns, community priorities, and local planning goals to identify potential infrastructure improvements along these five adjacent roadway corridors. 

Potential improvements were then evaluated for their impacts on all transportation modes and refined through ongoing coordination with CTDOT, the City of Stamford, the Project Advisory Committee (PAC), and the public. The result is a set of five concept-level corridor plans that advance multimodal safety, access, and connectivity improvements while supporting local planning efforts and coordinating with the broader I-95 Stamford PEL Study.

East Main Street

The East Main Street concept, covering the area from Broad Street to Standish Road as well as adjacent side streets, focuses on improving pedestrian safety and access while maintaining the corridor's role as an important east-west connection through Stamford. Stamford residents and stakeholders indicated that improving pedestrian facilities and considering circulation changes should be the highest priority for this concept. The proposed concept addresses several existing challenges through new and enhanced crossings and targeted safety measures, while also reconfiguring select side streets to simplify vehicle movements, improve pedestrian safety, and create opportunities for streetscape enhancements. The concept also identifies opportunities to improve curbside access throughout the corridor. Specific parking locations along East Main Street are intended to be refined through future study and design in conjunction with City of Stamford initiatives. Designed to complement ongoing City-led improvements at several locations along the corridor, the concept creates a more connected, comfortable, and attractive environment for residents, businesses, and visitors.

Key Elements

  • New and enhanced pedestrian crossings throughout the corridor

  • Raised crosswalks at selected side streets

  • Curb extensions to shorten pedestrian crossing distances

  • Expanded streetscape and public space opportunities

  • Targeted side-street circulation improvements including:

    • A series of logical one-way pairs south of East Main Street, including Daly Street, Lafayette Street, and North State Street which preserve access to key destinations

    • Simplification of Lafayette Street and North State Street, creating additional space for on-street parking

    • Redesigned, one-way Lindale Street to improve circulation and safety

    • Maintaining the existing curb-to-curb width to allow for ongoing coordination of roadway use

    • Enhanced bicycle connections where possible

    • Widened Metro-North underpass

    • Retention of roadway capacity while improving safety and corridor character

    • Recommendation for a parking study to consider parking needs along the East Main Street corridor

Canal Street

The Canal Street concept, covering the area between Tresser Boulevard and Dock Street, focuses on improving safety, accessibility, and the overall pedestrian experience along a corridor that serves as an important multimodal gateway between downtown Stamford and the South End neighborhood. Rather than introducing major changes to the roadway, the concept builds on the existing street network through targeted operational, streetscape, and crossing improvements that enhance comfort for people walking while preserving the corridor's key role in moving traffic efficiently. The resulting concept supports a safer corridor that better balances mobility and access for all users, particularly at the I-95 and Metro-North overpasses.

Key Elements

  • Landscaped medians with pedestrian refuge areas

  • Wider sidewalks throughout much of the corridor

  • Shorter pedestrian crossings at key intersections

  • Relocated crosswalks to improve safety and operations

  • Traffic-calming benefits through use of more urban roadway lane widths

  • Widened I-95 and Metro-North bridges, enabling expanded pedestrian space and roadway improvements

  • Operational enhancements at key intersections

  • Preservation of existing roadway capacity

Elm Street

The Elm Street concept, covering the area between Main Street and Jefferson Street, enhances safety and multimodal access while preserving the corridor's importance as a connection to Downtown Stamford. This reflects outreach where Stamford residents and stakeholders emphasized the importance of Elm Street as a driving route while also expressing a desire for pedestrian and bicycle improvements. The concept introduces protected bicycle infrastructure, improved pedestrian crossings, and streetscape improvements that make the corridor more comfortable and accessible for all users. The design also supports future opportunities to improve conditions beneath the I-95 and Metro-North bridges, building on previous planning efforts.

Key Elements

  • Protected two-way bicycle facility along the west side of Elm Street

  • New landscaped medians and pedestrian refuge islands

  • Expanded pedestrian space and shorter crossing distances

  • Curb extensions and intersection safety enhancements

  • Improved access management at selected driveways to reduce curb cuts

  • Retention of existing travel lane capacity

  • Widened I-95 and Metro-North bridges, enabling wider sidewalks and bicycle facilities

  • Improved corridor landscaping and streetscape character

Washington Boulevard

The Washington Boulevard concept, covering the area from Richmond Hill Avenue to Henry Street, strengthens connections between downtown Stamford, nearby neighborhoods, the Stamford Transportation Center, and the Mill River Greenway. Proposed changes build on several recent planning efforts and nearby ongoing projects, including the STC Joint Development Project, West Side Neighborhood Connector, North State Street Multimodal Gateway, and Washington Boulevard RSA. The concept focuses on addressing the gaps between these ongoing efforts to improve safety and accessibility for people walking and biking while maintaining efficient traffic operations. The proposed improvements help create a more connected corridor for residents, workers, and visitors. As some adjacent projects are not yet complete and conditions surrounding Washington Boulevard continue to evolve, implementation of the concept will require continued coordination. The final design for Washington Boulevard may change based on the timing, outcomes, and likely impacts of these other efforts.

Key Elements

  • Protected two-way bicycle facility on the east side of Washington Boulevard

  • Improved connections to existing and planned bicycle and shared-use path networks, including a shared use path connecting to the Mill River

  • Enhanced pedestrian crossings with shorter crossing distances

  • New landscaped medians and pedestrian refuge areas

  • Wider sidewalks and curb extensions in select locations

  • Removal of channelized turning movements at Station Place

  • Improved access to transit, downtown destinations, and the Mill River area

  • Minor overall impacts to overall corridor traffic operations