48°
Jimmy Kyreakedes has seen some surprising business results from road construction. Years ago in Westchester, his Starlight Diner got a boost from a nearby project people sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic decided to come in for a bite.
Kyreakedes will witness the impact of another construction project as night cashier at Penny's II Diner, where he has been for eight years. The state Department of Transportation is planning to reconstruct East Avenue from 65 feet south of Rowan Street to the intersection of John Street and Raymond Terrace.
"We don't know if it will be for the good or for the worst," Kyreakedes said. "Hopefully, it will be for the good."
DOT plans to reconstruct 1,625 linear feet of road to make it a uniform width of 48 feet, with four 11-foot lanes and two 2-foot shoulders. Progress on the plans will be discussed at a public meeting 7 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.
Jonathan Maggio, owner of Mike's Deli, plans to attend, as he has for each of the previous meetings. Maggio, whose business is at the northern end of the road, has been monitoring the plans closely.
"I'm fine with the project," he said, adding that the city has made compromises to appease residents.
He said he would like to see it add to the village nature of East Norwalk. "I just hope the project will have some aesthetic additions to it, like paver sidewalks and posts, and maybe burying the utilities like they have with other projects."
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