Garrett Bolella, City of Norwalk

Garrett Bolella, P.E., P.T.O.E., Assistant Director of Transportation Services for the City of Norwalk, was named one of the 2022 40 Under 40 by the Fairfield County Business Journal. On June 16, 2022, Garrett was honored at a banquet where he was presented with the General Assembly Official Citation that Senator (Majority Leader) Bob Duff read as follows:

General Assembly Official Citation

Be it hereby known to all that the Connecticut General Assembly offers its sincerest congratulations to Garrett Bolella, P.E., PTOE, RSP1 in recognition of being named an awardee of the Fairfield County 40 Under 40 . We are thrilled of your special accomplishments and thank you for your steadfast work on behalf of the people of the City of Norwalk.

The entire membership extends its very best wishes on this memorable occasion and expresses the hope for continued success.

Garrett Bolella is 34 years old and a Connecticut native. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelors in Civil Engineering and a Masters in Transportation and Urban Engineering. He is also the only licensed Professional Engineer in a Connecticut municipality with a PTOE certification and an RSP1 certification.

In 2017, Garrett applied to the City of Stamford for an opening as the  Lead Traffic Engineer under a recently created Transportation Bureau. The new Transportation Bureau’s focus on efficiency, mobility, sustainability, multi-modal transportation, safety, and engagement were all key components in filling this critical role. Garrett’s experience in consulting along with his research and studies in transportation planning, urban design, and regional planning made him an ideal candidate for the position.

Garrett entered that role and immediately became an integral part of the fabric of the Transportation Bureau for Stamford.  With only days of experience on the job, he became engrossed in the planning of new road designs and markings and with only weeks under his belt designed and installed the city’s first buffered bike lane.  As his oversight included management of the city’s Traffic Operations Department, Garrett established the city’s first design guide to standardize all the city’s signs, introduced more reflective pavement markings that increases the visibility of lines and markings, and helped formalize the city’s Complete Street design manual emphasizing the plan and purpose for improved multimodal safety.

Furthermore, Garrett oversaw several transportation and traffic projects.  Most notably is the design of the city’s first round-a-bout.  Through a series of community meetings, a design was finalized, and construction began in 2021.  With Garrett’s determination and commitment, the community with soon benefit from improved traffic flow in one of the most congested corridors in the City.  In Garrett’s relatively short time with the City of Stamford his accomplishments also include the construction and design of a traffic circle at Lione Park, the creation of Boxer Square Plaza, which won national recognition, and several traffic calming initiatives in the west side of the city, to name a few.

In February 2021, Garrett accepted a promotion to the role of Assistant Director of Transportation, Mobility and Parking for the City of Norwalk to formalize a department recently created by Mayor Rilling.  The Administration in Norwalk recognized Garrett’s many accomplishments and he now heads a team focused on traffic safety, sustainable economic growth, and community building.  In-fact, Garrett has hit the ground running yet again.   In his short time, he has partnered with the City’s Health Department and applied for and has been awarded a grant to plant street trees in an underserved neighborhood.  Garrett has also worked with neighbors to care for these newly planted street trees.

Additionally, he is now spearheading the design an estimated $12 Million Dollar investment to reclaim a busy commercial village district in what will be the model for the City’s Complete Streets vision moving forward.  There has been a desire for improvements to the Wall Street corridor for decades.  With Garrett’s vision and determination, the community’s desire for real change in the area will soon be realized.  With only a consultant selected and ideas in mind, he has already begun to secure funding to bring this vision to reality.

Garrett doesn’t accept limitations, he challenges them.  He looks to make something better, sets new boundaries, and never accepts something as simply good enough.  Stamford is a much better city with Garrett’s contributions, and Norwalk has already benefitted from his talent and expertise.  I am grateful to have him as an integral part of the team. When Garrett is not working, he can be found at his home in North Stamford with his wife Erica, their new daughter Leighton, and their two dogs – or also working as a personal trainer at CrossFit Stamford.