The concrete barriers that made a sidewalk on Main Street look like a bunker are gone!
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see that those jersey barriers go away,” Mayor Anthony Staffieri said Tuesday.
The barriers were erected shortly after the city razed several crumbling buildings along the south side of Main Street.
In the absence of the buildings, Derby was left with a steep hill — one that the state Department of Transportation worried could destabilize Route 34, Staffieri said.
The state required the city to bring in fill to strengthen the hill — and to put in the concrete barriers so that an out-of-control vehicle cruising down Elizabeth Street wouldn’t fly off Main Street and into the Housatonic River.
City public works employees finally removed the barriers about a week ago, the mayor said.
The barriers blocked the sidewalk, and pedestrians would often walk along busy Main Street instead of crossing the street where the sidewalk was open.
It was creating a dangerous situation, a member of the public told the Board of Aldermen earlier this summer.
Board of Aldermen President Ken Hughes said he was happy to see the barriers be removed. He called their removal progress.
“The removal of the concrete barriers is a tell tale sign we are diligently moving forward with downtown redevelopment,” Hughes said.
“Not only were the barriers a danger to pedestrians forcing them to walk in the road, they were an eyesore. I’m glad to see them go. Now, with the buildings down, we have a clear view of the river,” he said.
