The Ridgefield Board of Selectmen is slated to hold a public hearing and town meeting tonight on two grants for improvements in the Branchville area.  A $4.8 million grant would go toward reconstruction of the Portland Avenue bridge at the south end of the train station.  Ridgefield's share of the project cost would be about $208,000. 

The other grant is for $2 million, with a town share of $410,000, for pedestrian connectivity.  The work would include adding sidewalks and street lamps on the west side of Route 7, from the Wilton town line north past Route 102.  A pedestrian bridge would also be added near Route 102. 

The work on the Portland Avenue bridge is a bigger overall project.  Plans call for adding a traffic light on Route 7, addings a turning lane and closing the Depot Road railroad crossing at the north end of the train station.  The Portland Avenue intersection would be reconfigured to accommodate trucks. 

The meeting is at 7:30pm at Ridgefield Town Hall.