The Town of Ridgefield held a virtual public involvement meeting last night about the Branchville Transit Oriented Development and Pedestrian Improvement Project.  Preliminary designs were completed by the town.  The goal is to encourage alternative means of transportation through the Route 7 and Route 102 corridors.  The Branchville TOD study calls for creation of a continuous, accessible sidewalk down the west side of Route 7 from the bridge over the Norwalk River to the town line, and along the north side of Route 102 from Ethan Allen Highway to Florida Road.  The project also includes a pedestrian bridge over Cooper Pond Brook.  Based on preliminary estimates, the construction cost is about $2.3 million.  The project is planned for construction under the Transportation Alternatives component of the Federal Surface Transportation Program overseen by the state Department of Transportation.  The Federal Highway Administration will provide 80% of the construction cost, with the town providing 20%.