A decade-long vision to connect Bridgeport’s Black Rock neighborhood and Fairfield is moving closer to reality.

The Bridgeport Public Safety & Transportation Committee has approved a proposal to use eminent domain to advance the construction of a proposed pedestrian bridge over Ash Creek.

Slated for construction at the intersection of Fox Street and Canfield Avenue, the state-funded project promises to seamlessly link the two coastal communities after years of planning delays.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and state Rep. Steve Stafstrom clarified that the eminent domain filing will not displace any residents or claim any homes. Instead, the legal measure targets a commercial property owner on the Bridgeport side, forcing temporary access so crews can position a crane to install the bridge structure.

The property owner did not immediately comment on the city action.

Though critics say the nearly $4 million price tag is too costly, supporters view the upcoming walkway as a transformative safety and economic upgrade that will directly connect the Black Rock entertainment district with the Fairfield-Black Rock train station.

"It will allow people to get off the train, walk home to Black Rock, and connect both business districts," Rep. Stafstrom noted.

Local commuters and cyclists have also welcomed the project, citing the long-awaited benefit of keeping pedestrians safe from vehicular traffic.