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The process of making Fairfield Avenue "smooth to the groove" began Thursday, to the annoyance of motorists but to the delight of residents. "Everybody's 'bumpedy bump,' now it's smooth to the groove," said Lolita Purdie, who has lived at 26 Fairfield Ave. for five years.
Fairfield Avenue, long a source of consternation because of its many potholes, is being repaved. The important artery from Connecticut Avenue to South Norwalk was closed for most of Thursday's daylight hours as crews "milled" the road, removing old pavement. That left an obstacle course of raised manhole covers all marked with orange paint but it was already an improvement, according to Hector Melendez.
"It's smoother now," said Melendez, a Fairfield Avenue resident for seven or eight years.
The work was announced about two months ago by the Department of Public Works. It is part of a $6.7 million investment by the city in repaving. Melendez said residents were told the work would begin May 23, but he didn't mind waiting. "It's awesome," said Melendez. "It needed to be done, since I can remember."
Purdie agreed. "The potholes were ugly and really bad," she said. "But now it's smooth, it's lovely. It's going to be OK, after five years. Everybody took their time going up that hill, but now it's smooth to the groove."
Purdie thought up that phrase on the spot, and she got excited and animated, using her hands to illustrate "smooth to the groove," and stepping in to the phrase.
"Everybody at 26 Fairfield Ave. is smooth to the groove," she said, smiling. "That'd be so nice because the pavement was so bad. We can groove on down."
Work continues on Fairfield Avenue Friday as the contractor is resetting structures, according to Paul Sotnik, assistant civil engineer with the city of Norwalk. "The road should not be totally closed to traffic," he said, "but there are areas due to the above mentioned work where there will be a portion of one lane closed and therefore, alternating one way traffic."
Do you think the kids will go skateboarding down Fairfield Avenue now?
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