New Haven Independent

Posted by: East Rock | June 24, 2009 8:07 AM

Edwards Street bascially serves as a pass through for New Hallville to Fairhaven. Cars fly from Prospect straight down to State street. There have been so many accidents at Edwards/Orange I have lost count.

Posted by: truthtopower | June 24, 2009 8:50 AM

When will the DOT realize that the age of the auto is over?
Spending valuable tax dollars to replicate outmoded roads shows that no lessons have been learned from $4.00 gas, air pollution levels, the increase in obesity and the consumption of land by parking lots.
People want to be able to walk, bike and take public transit, but money continues to be funneled into projects that continue the old car culture rather than a new 21st century vision.
Clearly the people are again ahead of the government on this.

Posted by: Townie | June 24, 2009 9:23 AM

Hmmm...I just KNEW that it had to be an election year. Couldn't help but notice the little bronze medallions with "Mayor John DeStefano" in prominent letters being set in the new concrete. Hubris? What's that? How about little medallions with "New Haven Taxpayers" in prominent letters instead?

This place continues to amaze me.

Posted by: City Hall Watch | June 24, 2009 9:25 AM

How is it a missed opportunity if the guidelines for the funding don't allow the changes the horse and buggy crowd want? The city could have paved that street itself, made the changes noted above, and paid for it too if Lemar and Company actually made real and significant changes to the budget in years past as well as this year. But alas, that didn't happen. This is what happens when you put the city in hock for a billion dollars, dramatically escalate debt payments and have no cash reserves or non-allocated cash to pay for street improvements. You end up being at the mercy of those with the cash. Would DOT's response have been any different if the city could have said, we'll cover half the cost or more?

Posted by: cedarhillresident | June 24, 2009 10:06 AM

Townie
your joking right???

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 10:26 AM

Much of the speeding on Whitney is caused by excessively wide travel lanes between Willow and Edwards. If the State DOT approved narrow, 10' wide lanes pretty much everywhere else on the road (e.g., around Canner and Cold Spring where there are turn lanes, around Yale and into downtown where the road narrows), why did they feel the need to keep 13' lanes between Willow and Edwards?

Moving a stripe of paint by one or two feet in order to make a "narrow lane" is not a big deal, especially if the rest of the road already has them.

They do this type of thing all the time in West Hartford and Fairfield County - not sure what is different about New Haven. The issue may be that the city didn't ask for them, not that the State DOT didn't approve them.

Posted by: Walt | June 24, 2009 11:03 AM

The number of bicyclists and walkers is miniscule when compared to motorists.
Those who declare otherwise are just blowing smoke.

Mass transit, sure, but just lessen the subsidy for the New York rail commuters, and use the money for the less affluent commuters in the bigger CT cities, and their surrounding towns

It is ridiculous that the Gov's budget proposal raises the local bus fares by 25% and the highly subsidized fares of the big bucks NYC rail commuters by only 10%

Posted by: Townie | June 24, 2009 11:03 AM

Cedarhill:

I wish I was. Check out the new concrete cross-walk aprons (as well as sidewalks on St. Ronan and Livingston from previous election cycles). You'll see those little medallions. In the "old" days, they would identify the contractor (Laydon, etc.)...not anymore.

Posted by: William Kurtz | June 24, 2009 11:09 AM

Seems like it might have been better to forgo the state funding and leave the pavement in the deplorable shape--works better than a speed bump and on the occasions when I ride my bike on that stretch of Whitney, I just exercise my statutory right to use a full travel lane and avoid the worse conditions at the edge. There's no useful shoulder anyway.

Posted by: jack | June 24, 2009 11:23 AM

Maybe it's time for some civil disobedience.Anyone willing to risk freedom and fortune to lay down some guerrilla bike lanes? The politicians only pay lip service to the concept of complete streets,in order to appear progressive.They know that 99% of voters are not getting out of their cars anytime soon,and will not tolerate any interference in the wild west traffic show they create.But we can at least show them that none of us are going away

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 11:30 AM

At least the city isn't widening the road, William.

Posted by: wimby | June 24, 2009 11:33 AM

I say we go out our way to bicycle on Whitney as much as possible. It's the presence of so many bicyclists, largely, that makes Orange Street a safe place to bicycle between Humphrey and Elm. I rode my bike very slowly down the right lane of Whitney yesterday and it worked out fine. I felt intimidated, but if we can get a critical mass of bicyclists on Whitney, we can make it a safe place to bicycle by our mere presence.

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 11:41 AM

Jack: Actually, the vast majority of New Haven's residents already do not drive alone to work every day, and that number grows each year. So I'm not sure what you mean by 99% of voters are not getting out of their cars -- unless you think that people who don't drive never vote (which is true to an extent, unfortunately: 30,000 New Haven residents are too young to drive, and voter participation in lower-income areas is often half what it is in higher-income areas).

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 11:46 AM

According to Yale, bicycle commutes doubled among its employees between 2007 and 2008, from 250 employees per day to 500 employees per day.

Does Yale have a voice in how Whitney is designed?

Posted by: Anon | June 24, 2009 12:23 PM

Does anyone know how much those little brass medallions cost? The city is claiming it costs too much to paint appropriate crosswalks on Whitney. If we could paint even ONE crosswalk instead of paying for those dumb bits of brass, we would be one intersection closer to a more civil and safe city - and we might save a life. Why should DOT respect what city government asks for when City Hall indulges itself with silly vanities and conducts spitball fights (and worse) with the state and its own community?

Posted by: eddie | June 24, 2009 12:26 PM

Walt:

Re: "The number of bicyclists and walkers is miniscule when compared to motorists."

In general, maybe (although you have to ask whether that would still be the case if we had roads that were friendlier to pedestrians and cyclists).

However, in this case, we're talking about a very specific stretch of roadway, one that gets quite a bit of non-automotive traffic.

I walk Whitney regularly from Humphrey Street to downtown and back, usually shoulder-to-shoulder with other walkers, and often we're trying to stay out of the way of cyclists who are too timid to brave the narrow shoulders and treacherous potholes on the street.

I can guarantee you there would be many more cyclists using that route if the road were safer -- when I ride, I go well out of my way to avoid that stretch of Whitney.

Cycling, walking and public transportation are the only sane options if you work downtown and live within a reasonable distance. Parking downtown costs between $100 and $150 a month.

Posted by: wimby | June 24, 2009 12:51 PM

Along the lines of Jack's suggestion, would anyone be up for a round of the intersection game at one of the unsignalized intersections (once the repaving is finished)?

http://www.diggers.org/intersection_game.htm

Posted by: East Rockette | June 24, 2009 12:52 PM

I'm with Jack. Except I'd like to see the city stand up for its own ordinances, and do the "guerrilla work" itself. Otherwise Complete Streets --and all the hard work and vision that got it through -- is toothless.

I'm just not getting how and why the state can summarily override a city's commitment to road safety, its citizens' voices, and its own research into what works in its own context! (See Whalley Ave as well).

Did the DOT spokesman really say "Typically, there are competing voices and interests and we are obliged to find some kind of compromise"? Because as far as I can see, there was no compromise whatsoever. And/or if Anon is right that the city just didn't ask about the lane widths, then there's still time for the city to politely say "Paint the lanes 10' wide and add some bike lanes, please. Because that's how we roll in New Haven."

It's not a done deal till the paint is dry on the road, surely. Who do we call?

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 1:31 PM

East Rockette - if you have a concern w/ government, you would call the typical people: Aldermen, City Transportation Dept, Mayor, City Econ Development, State Reps, State Senators, Congresspersons.

Posted by: Norton Street | June 24, 2009 1:38 PM

william kurtz: ditto. except i popped my bike tire this morning on whitney, good thing bike parts are so affordable.

walt, is that because the roads arent safe for biking or because there are too many fat people who drive. little of both maybe?

how hilarious is it that the DOT continues the traffic planning of 50 years ago by widening roads that accommodate more cars, which send more people to the hospital due to problems stemming from poor air quality and from being hit by speeding cars. Let's not forget how little exercise people who drive everywhere get which makes them obese and sends them to the hospital even more, and then when its time to redevelop something like Route 34, the only businesses looking into the space are medical related ones. So route 34 continues to pollute and cause accidents because the "planners" add another lane to the highway, which requires more health care and hospital visits, so more medical related businesses open. wow, yeah, it does make a lot of sense. gee wizz, im gunna save up and buy an SUV and move to guilford, cause im just so above the "horse and buggy crowd" (wtf?).
too bad by the time i even get over $1000 in my bank account, the route 34 medical offices will be gyms and health food stores because sooner or later people will wake up and realize all the "growth" of the last 80 years due to cheap oil has only mounted up an enormous amount of yearly fees in the form of repaving roads, building parking garages and shipping goods across country to every little tiny sprawling town in america that costs more and more each year yet somehow is ignored because of fake issues like illegal immigration, abortion and socialism. the problem is right next door in all the little connecticut towns that actually used to be little connecticut towns before they exploded into craptastic walmart parking lots and cul de sacs.

Posted by: 7 | June 24, 2009 1:45 PM

not sure if their number changed when they moved offices, but Google lists this as the ConnDOT District 3A phone #: (203) 389-3101

Posted by: Streever | June 24, 2009 1:50 PM

The DOT is a joke, & we're the punchline. This is disgusting.

Families with children walk to edgerton park on a regular basis. Zero crosswalks. That's a nice message to send to us.

Can we buy Whitney from the DOT? They clearly don't know what they are doing.

I encourage everyone to contact the DOT and let them know how you feel--and reach out to your legislators as well.

This project should be stopped.

Posted by: Streever | June 24, 2009 1:53 PM

And I'm disappointed in the city, too.

they're going to try to get off easy on this, but they've made promises verbally to our community that they wouldn't let this happen.

If you need help to fight the DOT, reach out to us. This is a shame, & I feel personally let down.

Mayor, nice work getting your name on it. I won't forget your part in this.

Posted by: Anon | June 24, 2009 2:11 PM

I'm with Jack:

http://urbanrepairs.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Streever | June 24, 2009 2:58 PM

860 594 3004 is the number to call to express your outrage over the DOT's irresponsible decision to increase traffic speeds in our neighborhoods.

City Hall should not accept the money if this is the result.

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 3:04 PM

DOT comment form:
http://www.dotdata.ct.gov/contacts/contact.aspx

Posted by: William Kurtz | June 24, 2009 3:27 PM

Norton Street: You probably already know this, but the most common way to pop a bike tire in a pothole is a 'pinch flat,' where the tire pinches against the rim and breaks the tube. It's sometimes called a 'snakebite' because it leaves two tell-tell holes in the tube. One good way to prevent it is to make sure you keep your tires at or near the maximum pressure, which generally involves inflating them every couple of days.

Good luck and ride safe.

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 3:50 PM

What about all the testimony?

http://legsvcs.cityofnewhaven.com/meetings/2008/9/882_M_Legislation_Committee_08-09-22_Journal_of_the_Board_of_Aldermen.pdf

Posted by: Chicwa | June 24, 2009 4:07 PM

Once again the DOT thumbs its nose at city residents in favor of those who travel here from elsewhere.

It really is pitiful that a major city like New Haven can have no imput into the configuration of its own streets and sadly displays the fortitude and resolve so desperately lacking in its public officials.

As for the medalions in the sidewalk. If this really is how it is described by other contributors, then this really is tantemount to spitting a big fat goober right in the face of all those in New Haven who desperately want safer streets.

This is such a disgraceful outcome, that is tragicaly becoming all too familiar.

Posted by: anon | June 24, 2009 4:28 PM

i agree chicwa... and what's the point of school reform and brand-new $40 million school buildings on whitney ave when you have vehicles traveling past at deadly, noisy speeds, forcing people to spend $$$ on their cars instead of education, & making the area unattractive to anyone who wants to invest or put down roots near there

Posted by: DingDong | June 24, 2009 5:23 PM

What a joke. So this is the City's idea of safe streets? Publicly say you support them and that's all the state's fault and then give a secret wink to the State DOT to start construction?

Posted by: facCHEC | June 24, 2009 5:25 PM

What is shameful about this annual street reconstruction project is that the board of aldermen,who bear responsibility under the charter for street maintenance, do not independently appropriate monies for the rehabilitation of the sad state of dis-repair of the entire city infrastructure.

All residents who register their car in new Haven are subject to automobile use tax, however, none of the monies raised is expended for road improvement.

The city administration recommends, and the BOA approves, year after year only the meager sum of:

$1.693M- State of CT. DOT grant.

$ 700K- city - 20 year bond funds.
(Source New Haven city budget 2009-10).

As you can see, each year there is very limited funds to carry out any real infrastructure improvements, let alone extra for widening of streets and for bike lanes.
Besides, one would be insane to ride a bike on Whitney Ave at any time of the day.

The proof is in the facts... you hardly ever see anyone bike riding on Whitney.

Moreover, the only areas/ wards that receive funding attention, lest coincidentally,are the areas represented by aldermen who "Brownie-up to the Mare, and thus receive this quid-pro-quo.
To name a recent few:

R. Lemar, S. Rodriquez, Blango, Plattus(Yale district) and Silvermen. Not only do es the city sell and give streets to Yale, it also paves the streets, even before 15 of 30 other wards even receive consideration.

Said Aldermen Lemar:(above)

"Lemar reported that the city has money in hand to repave Edwards Street between Whitney and Orange Streets. As part of the road reconstruction, the city will incorporate traffic-calming measures at Edwards and Livingston Street, a hairy intersection where a combination of high speed and poor visibility around turns has led to recent accidents".

Proof positive........!

Posted by: jo | June 24, 2009 8:10 PM

"Besides, one would be insane to ride a bike on Whitney Ave at any time of the day.."

I am just a lady who rides her bike all around New Haven. Because we are supposed to ride in the street, not on the sidewalk, I've taken the lane at lower Whitney just as Bill Kurtz describes, to avoid the dangerous ridges and crevices. Very recently some #*@%! guys in a small truck hooted and yelled at me to get out of the way, even though there are two lanes, plenty of room for vehicles, and nowhere else for a cyclist to go. I don't expect attitudes toward cyclists to change any time soon, and at least the surface of the road will be safer. But it's a crying shame that an opportunity to improve travel and safety conditions on Whitney Ave. is being missed.

Posted by: juli | June 24, 2009 9:50 PM

this is unacceptable.

the city claims to want vibrant streets, dense neighborhoods, thriving local businesses, reasons to attract tourists... it is starting to feel like i am being sold a lie.

it all means nothing if we feel like we are walking on a highway, afraid for our lives. even if you drive into the city, YOU STILL BECOME A PEDESTRIAN at some point, for some distance.

many of us have tirelessly given input into how to make our neighborhoods more livable. but the city is selling out and accepting a solution that will superficially smooth things over and lead to more problems. just because we want to get the DOT to pay for it?

if you offer to buy me lunch and i figure out it might kill me, i am no longer interested. i can feed myself.

stop selling yourself short, new haven. don't you want me to live here?

and to the DOT: do ANY of you live anywhere near this project?

Posted by: juli | June 24, 2009 9:55 PM

err, the state, not DOT, to pay for it, but you know what i meant...

Posted by: WIMBY! | June 25, 2009 12:39 AM

I'm serious about the intersection game. I want to do it. I think it would be just dangerous enough to be fun!

By my estimation, we'll need a crowd of at least 3 or 4 dozen people to effectively play the game for any reasonable length of time. Just let me know if you're interested by posting a comment and we'll figure out if we have enough people who feel strongly enough on this issue for some good old-fashioned guerrilla theatre.

Posted by: Streever | June 25, 2009 7:54 AM

The city has never prioritized infrastructure, even in boom years. I understand the current problems, but am frustrated that they didn't bother to reach out to advocates on an issue I'm sure they must know is important to us.

Regardless we have to move beyond that & try to do something constructive.

If anyone is interested in attending a community meeting to propose positive solutions for Whitney please e-mail me.
dls@davidstreever.com

Posted by: hrsn | June 25, 2009 8:59 AM

Agreed that an opportunity has been lost here for improving the experience of bicyclists and pedestrians, but...

Whitney Ave. is a major N/S traffic artery, and it's unrealistic to imagine it as a bike and ped heaven with an occasional Prius going 15 mph. Cars go faster on Whitney than they do on Orange, or State, or Prospect because it is wider and more open than those other streets, esp. north of Canner.

If anything, the speed limit on Whitney should be increassed to 30 mph, as it is in Hamden. An artificially low speed limit just encourages speeding. (The MassPike west of Springfield at 55 mph, anyone?) Set it reasonably and then enforce it vigorously.

Posted by: DEZ | June 25, 2009 8:59 AM

It's unreal that there are few crosswalks on Whitney, yet driving the connector towards the Blvd, there are lights and crosswalks aplenty. Why is this so difficult? Why was this golden opportunity shirked? Sad. Pathetic.

Posted by: stealthatidea! | June 25, 2009 9:57 AM

Streever said:

860 594 3004 is the number to call to express your outrage over the DOT's irresponsible decision to increase traffic speeds in our neighborhoods.

City Hall should not accept the money if this is the result.

YA!

We can also flood city hall. Traffic czar is Michale Piscitelli.

AT

MPiscite@newhavenct.net

jam um up!

by the way. Whitney ave is not the only place this is happening. Chapel Street is a moving nightmare. It's all over the place. Whitney happens to have a noncar clientele who knows they have rights and they speak up.

And by the way. Streever do you know anything about the public school mess we have in this city? You should consider running for Mayor.

Mayor John D. is past his prime.

I'd vote for you.

Posted by: MS | June 25, 2009 9:59 AM

I support commuting by bicycle, but why can't you just go over to Orange St? There's a dedicated bike lane there.

Posted by: Brian V | June 25, 2009 10:28 AM

How about a little civil disobedience??

Lets get a group with signs & pitchforks, get some media there, and have a "Stop the Traffic March" straight down Whitney and into City Hall.

I bet we get the attention of some of the decision makers that way- no?

Maybe an Alderman or member of the Zoning Board would be willing to help organize this.
-You know who you are.

Lets do something other than typing.

Posted by: ctscoots | June 25, 2009 10:53 AM

Wimby, the intersection game sounds like fun, I'd do it!

Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 10:58 AM

The problem with this project is really the poor pedestrians who are going to turn into smoothies on the hoods of Hamden SUVs if this gets built.

Sure, this road won't encourage more cycling, but no roads in New Haven do -- only a tiny percentage of residents cycle and they know how to ride with traffic. Most cyclists will be happy to not have the potholes here.

Posted by: nfjanette | June 25, 2009 11:14 AM

Sure, this road won't encourage more cycling, but no roads in New Haven do -- only a tiny percentage of residents cycle and they know how to ride with traffic. Most cyclists will be happy to not have the potholes here.

Does that mean they don't want to join the group with pitchforks marching on city hall? The rational, realistic position is soooo boring. Viva La Revolution!

Posted by: No thanks | June 25, 2009 11:51 AM

The bike mafia is alive and well. And now Brian "I hate the Mayor and will support anything that makes him look bad" Virtue is on board with these liberals?

Its bad enough that the otherwise rational and incredibly effective Alderman Lamar is taking up the cause for these hippies - but Rollie is the about the best damn thing to happen in East Rock politics over the two generations that I've been here, so i'm gonna cut him slack on this crazy "21st century transportation network" shit. These other Yalies with their stupid liberal ideas - go back to Berkeley you pretend grown-ups!

What's the matter Streever... your love affair with Johnny D. went bad? Don't worry, it looks loke you have the best alderman in the city in your pocket, and the administration is scared shitless of what would happen if they ever lost Lamar from their supporters. They'll try to keep him happy.

Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 12:37 PM

"These other Yalies with their stupid liberal ideas - go back to Berkeley you pretend grown-ups!"

Fortunately for New Haven housing affordability, many UConn/Yale/SCSU college graduates and other talented, productive people are moving to Berkeley - and also to the hundreds of other U.S. cities that have been rapidly embracing "21st century transportation networks." These strategies include not having 4-lane highways running right in front of where the city is trying to have expensive condos and fancy magnet schools.

Unfortunately, the New Haven real estate/homeowner/urban job creation "growth regime" has become concerned about this mass exodus of jobs, and now you're starting to see crosswalks, heated bus shelters, bike racks, and traffic calming popping up all over the city!

Keep the highways, seas of downtown parking and high asthma rates... keep our housing prices low!

Posted by: jack | June 25, 2009 2:05 PM

MS, Do you mean the Orange St. "car doored" lane? No thanks,I personally have no problem riding in traffic, I've been doing it since Billy Carter hawked his crappy beer.It was eccentric than,It's "Downtown Cool" now.Things do change for the better sometimes.Cycling is one of the last things I can do that the government's whorey claw hasn't grasped to regulate and tax, real"cowboy" stuff.If they want to take my bike,they will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands.It's going to be very interesting to see how this all turns out.Over the last 5 or 6 years City Hall has pretty much promised us the moon and the stars and now finds it's self in a real pickle.How do they go around to the other 80% of the city and say,Gee,sorry folks, but we have to cut services,close schools,and lay off teachers,but we are going to redesign all streets in the local upscale white enclave.Lets face it,outside of East Rock and Yale,there is really no interest in any of this.A glance around the local Critical Mass ride will tell you that. Anyway, I,m going to go price some stencils and spray paint.sorry I rambled on

Posted by: Pedro | June 25, 2009 2:09 PM

Whitney avenue is flanked on both sides by hundreds of housing units. It's a residential area with a wide 4-lane road going right down the middle!

Yes it's also a transportation artery, but first and foremost it's a very nice residential neighborhood where many of the residents either walk, bus or bike into work. This isn't the post road!

The big point about this is that little to nothing was done for the people who actually LIVE on whitney.

Have you ever tried to cross Whitney? Short of walking a half mile down to a light, you almost always have to jog aross!

At the very least, New Haven should enforce the 25 MPH speed limit on the street.

While I know the state DOT lives in another era, I find it sad that the city didn't have any leverage in regards to simple things like striping. Is that also 100% in the state's purview?

Is there ANY way to use legislation to force local community imput and local municipality on state DOT decisions?

There should be a way to write a law that full access state highways (as opposed to limited access thoroughfares) that are linked to local roads are treated differently than highways.

Any ideas?

Posted by: hrsn | June 25, 2009 2:49 PM

At the very least, New Haven should enforce the 25 MPH speed limit on the street.

The police were operating a big speed trap at East Rock and Whitney this noon designed to catch the southbounders.

Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 3:04 PM

"Lets face it, outside of East Rock and Yale, there is really no interest in any of this."

Clearly you haven't been around much. Try attending a few meetings in the Hill, Fair Haven, Westville, Edgewood or Newhallville.

"A glance around the local Critical Mass ride will tell you that."

What do the 50 or so people on Critical Mass have to do with making our neighborhoods more livable?

Posted by: Brian V | June 25, 2009 3:05 PM

No Thanks:

I don't have to support anything that "makes the mayor look bad". He does that himself, I deserve none of the credit- but thanks for the title just the same.

Instead of being ... anonymous, why not use your real name?
It is because you are afraid you will be recognized as one King John's appointed lackeys? One who's "love affair with mayor" is still on-going.

Oh be patient little pawn your love affair will sour some day too.

Posted by: steve ross | June 25, 2009 3:30 PM

No Thanks,

I'm glad someone else is standing up against these malevolent hippies and liberals and their pretend notions of a safe road for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Watch it! Pretty soon they'll make this city's infrastructure logical.

Stupid bike mafia and their stupid, elegant means of transportation! Curse them to the pits!

Posted by: jack | June 25, 2009 4:20 PM

Anon how many handfuls of people are you talking about? I support you 100%, but lets be realistic.There are 5 or 6 hundred people on the ECC web server,but that's out of a city population of how many hundred thousand? And of those, how many are even city residents? I would love to see New Haven turn into Portland overnight,but it's just not going to happen.At this point in time I would much rather see the focus be not so much on infrastructure,but on getting it firmly established in the general public's mind that my bike is a legal vehicle on the road,with the same rights and responsibilities as any other vehicle,and an absolute right to be there.Until that happens the bike lanes aren't going to mean squat.

Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 4:55 PM

How do you propose to do that, Jack? An uncivil environment breeds an uncivil society.

Posted by: Pedro | June 25, 2009 6:30 PM

I also think there is a non-cycling pedestrian contingent that has a very compelling argument as well.
Getting people to stop running red lights, illegally turning right on red, blowing through intersections at high speed, and most importantly SLOWING TRAFFIC DOWN IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

If all of that happened, by definition, it would ALSO be a better place to cycle!

I'm definitely a New Haven driver. I own a car (and an SUV at that.. :-O), and sometimes get frustrated at the illogical timing of lights in this city. BUT I'm also a resident, and when I walk (and hopefully soon bike) around this city, I'm amazed at how hostile it can be to pedestrians, and it simply doesn't have to be.

And a lot of this isn't ridiculous infrastructure. It's stoplights timed at 25mph, it's enforcing no right turns and aggressivly pursuing red-light, intersection running and speeding, and it's simply desinging with the belief that people who walk and bike are on equal footing (sorry) with drivers!

Posted by: anon | June 25, 2009 7:53 PM

"I'm amazed at how hostile it can be to pedestrians, and it simply doesn't have to be."

This is a widespread feeling, and needs to be addressed. Otherwise the city will continue to erode - and what's the point of all of our other spending if that happens?

Posted by: nfjanette | June 25, 2009 8:30 PM

There is currently no coordination of traffic signals with possible minor localized clusters. This is an example of the failure to properly setup and run the well-engineered infrastructure vital to the smooth running and safety for all users of the roads. Improving the existing infrastructure (coordinated lights, paving bad roads, crosswalks with safety comes) and then increased enforcement of traffic laws (for ALL users - motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians) is a rational goal that everyone should advocate. The more involved ideas suggested by the Bike Gang are not going to happened anytime soon.

Posted by: LastStraw | June 25, 2009 10:25 PM

"The bike mafia is alive and well." -NoThanks
Yes, it is. But it's not who you think it is. It's these guys.

As for guerilla crosswalks, be careful, you might get caught.

Posted by: 1554 | June 25, 2009 10:31 PM

I heard that the City got a grant from the federal stimulus package to replace the "brains" of the downtown traffic signals to allow them to actually coordinate the lights!

(Apparently they had been coordinating them with a stone-age central controller, but a couple years ago the motherboard basically disintegrated and all of the signals in downtown went completely haywire.)

Posted by: Scott | June 25, 2009 10:33 PM

You think Whitney's bad now, wait until next week when Prospect closes for A YEAR!

The sad reality is that some of us who work in New Haven live north of the city. Closing arterial streets simultaneously -- Temple and Hillhouse, and kicking CTTransit off the Prospect bridge last year; Whitney repaving the next few weeks and Prospect closed at the same time -- either someone in Transportation has it in for Whitneyville, Newhallville and Spring Glen or they're actually incompetent, not just quirky as I have always assumed. These bad decisions make commuting miserable for everyone - residents and we evil interlopers alike (regardless of whether we bike, drive or bus).

I won't ride on Whitney, I don't even like to drive it - it's a deathtrap. Seriously - apart from Prospect which won't be an option after Wednesday, how else to get downtown? Dixwell? Winchester? They put me on the wrong side of town... then I'd have to navigate the Broadway/Elm/Dixwell/Goffe/Whalley/Tower Parkway disaster area.

Time to beg for telecommuting?

Posted by: Norton Street | June 25, 2009 11:58 PM

nfjanette,
you make some valid points and they sound good. but there is really no logical argument for continuing individual, single passenger, large car commuting. it does not make sense in old, dense, northeastern urban centers. cars simply do not fit. the evidence for this is the humongous concrete parking garages, surface parking lots, and widened roads to accommodate cars that caused the demolition of irreplaceable, priceless, and culturally significant buildings. the only defense for continuing this kind of lifestyle of living far from where you work is based upon a lie that has been sold to the american public (and recently to other developing parts of the world) for the last 60+ years.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/06/new_haven_resid.php

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/health_care/study_finds_health_care_costs.php

look at farnam court, for example. its right next to 91 and it has some of the highest asthma rates in children in the state. billions devoted to single passenger automobile infrastructure makes no sense. its idiotic and it has failed miserably since its conception. cars have a place in society, sure, but their role should be minuscule.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 1:45 AM

Scott, try this route:
Leeder Hill -> Newhall -> Mill Rock -> Prospect -> Edgehill/St Ronan -> Canner -> Orange -> Downtown

Posted by: steve ross | June 26, 2009 9:16 AM

Scott, you've likely done it, and I'm unsure of what you're riding, but I find the "Broadway/Elm/Dixwell/Goffe/Whalley/Tower Parkway disaster area" pretty fun to ride. In fact, it's easy to take lanes there because you're invariably faster than the cars and, well, there's no other choice. That said, I had to 'force' myself to do it the first few times.

Posted by: WIMBY! | June 26, 2009 9:41 AM

If you're feeling frustrated about this and want to let out some of the pent-up energy, come to Critical Mass this evening, 5:30pm at the flagpole on the lower Green! We're planning to bicycle in a group up and down Whitney for as long as we feel like it.

Posted by: Streever | June 26, 2009 10:28 AM

stealthatidea:
Thanks for the support! I do know all too much about the nightmare. While our mayor was busy making enemies at the capital with his gubernatorial delusion (I'd like a count on how many urban mayors have been governor in CT in the last century. Zero.) he let the school system suffer under a system of political patronage.

We built grandiose temples to education while ignoring a system-wide failure of administration. Now, thankfully, the Mayor is back at the helm of the ship and paying attention & reforming the school system, but how nice it would have been if he remained focused on the City throughout his entire career.

Look, it's not that we need to throw the mayor out. We need to hold him accountable & responsible.

And please don't blame Mike Piscitelli. he's one of the hardest working City Hall employees with a serious head for his work.

If anything bring this up with Richard Miller, City Engineer, who made a decision to submit a plan that required no additions to DOT.

The City would love it if you'd blame the DOT & the State & have already thrown the blame at their feet, but the reality is our Engineer asked the City to do this, & the DOT is fulfilling the request we made.

It's the type of short-sighted move that is all to common in New Haven, and when called out on it, instead of admitting responsibility & coming up with a solution, the answer is:

"It's not our fault but why don't you fix it."

Posted by: Streever | June 26, 2009 10:34 AM

Corrections & comments--
Anon--
in the winter, Critical Mass is around 50 riders. In the winter. In summer it's numbers swell & regularly bust 100. I know you know that, because you used to ride it.

Brian V--I'll send you details. We've already scheduled a community meeting & are going to work to come up with a list of fixes for this stretch of road. I agree that it would be lovely if the anonymous person attacking you would reveal their identity before making such lovely statements.

1554--
long over-due & I am glad! That's the type of good work that Mike Piscitelli is doing.

Jack--
Yale Medical Campus. Yale university employees. Elm City Cycling. Friends of East Rock Park (over 1k!). East Rock management teams & block watches (easily over 1000).

These are just the groups who I've been too.

In Fair Haven an entire ward rallied behind traffic calming & elected Erin Sturgis-Pascale.

This isn't about cyclists. It's about the parents & neighbors & others who live & walk & less frequently cycle New Haven.

It's even about the people who drive cars, who would love paved roads that move traffic EFFICIENTLY.

Why do we have a road system designed to move cars QUICKLY at the LEAST trafficed hours?

Yes, you can navigate New Haven at 50 mph at 3 in the morning. However, you can't do better than 15mph average at 3 in the afternoon, and if you disagree, I'll set you a challenge to see who gets to there destination first--you in a car of me in a bike.

When you realize that the time difference of traversing the 2 miles of New Haven you are on is about 30 seconds when you speed, it becomes apparent that there isn't a real need to.

Posted by: John | June 26, 2009 10:49 AM

Last Straw in what way are "these guys" - The Scorchers - the bicycle mafia. How do they relate to this article at all? If any one group is pushing the issue it seems to be Elm City Cycling. In fact from looking at The Scorchers site you linked it seems to me that they about having fun, and don't concern themselves with the silly politics of bicycling in New Haven.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 11:31 AM

I disagree, Streever - if you go 40 or 50 mph, there are many instances where you can hit several lights and get there faster. Whitney Avenue is actually a very good example, which is yet another reason why people drive that fast on it..

Posted by: Streever | June 26, 2009 11:57 AM

During the day time? I wouldn't know--the fastest I drive in New Haven is typically 20 mph--and I encounter so much traffic that while I'm sure I COULD gun it to 50 for a second, I don't have any illusion it would get me from A to B quicker. The drivers I see doing 40 I see again--and again--and again--and typically one last time as I lock my bike up & they drive around the block for the 2nd time looking for a parking spot.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 12:16 PM

That's probably true in town if you're comparing a driver going a mile or two to a fit, 20-40 year old cyclist -- but it isn't necessarily true if you're working downtown and trying to get home to see your kids in Hamden at 6:30PM.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 1:10 PM

Agree with many of the comments above re cycling, bad streets, poor planning and the danger zone Whitney Ave represents. I live a few houses off and up from WHitney and work in an office on Whitney. At times I have to drive for a variety of reasons, the few blocks and recently it has taken up to ten minutes to get there! THe level of hostility of the drivers, the speed drivers go when there is not traffic, the level of congestion due to arteries being closed is through the roof.

When the re-paving happens, which was promised years ago, it WILL make things worse. Only a few years ago this would not have been such an issue. Now, because of parking changes along Whitney with expanded parking in front of stores, there is no sight line of oncoming traffic and one has to enter the driving lane to see, but then it is too late for drivers who routinely are going 10-20 mph over the speed limit.

As for cycling, I think only assertive re-claiming of our rights will work. I too recently--having not done it for a while--tried WHitney Ave and it was a disaster--like riding Main Street in Kosovo or something. But it is not WHitney alone, the streets up and around East Rock and the rest of the neighborhood have potholes that could swallow a mini-Cooper and would cause death and dismemberment to a heedless cyclist.

So the horrible state of repair of OUR streets, the mindless re-paving without attention to safety (and yes folks, this is all about Hooker School traffic and not for us neighborhood tax paying residents and business people) , the level of increased traffic, the hostility of drivers to pedestrians and cyclists--all result in a dramatically lower quality of life.

THis neighborhood is changing fast and for the worse. It is no longer a place where one would feel OK letting older children walk on their own to Nica's or Romeo's, the lawn club, to a friend's house or East Rock due to TRAFFIC danger.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 1:21 PM

I agree with the above anon.

Posted by: wmby! | June 26, 2009 2:07 PM

On second thought, we'll have to wait until next month to ride critical mass on Whitney, seeing as how it was just milled and so all the manhole covers are an inch and a half above the pavement level...

Nevertheless, you should come to critical mass regardless! It will be fun no matter where we ride. (and we'll end our ride at the Ideat Village Festrival on Orange Street near Chapel)!

Posted by: stealthatidea! | June 26, 2009 4:07 PM

Streevman,

"And please don't blame Mike Piscitelli. he's one of the hardest working City Hall employees with a serious head for his work."

Not blaming Mike at all - just telling noncar people that they need to be more vocal about their rights with the streets.

This is not only an issue with cyclists. It's a quality of life issue and I for one am sick of living on a 25 mph road that is treated like a freaking freeway.

Posted by: Streever | June 26, 2009 4:12 PM

Anon: exactly, that was why I said, "at 3 in the afternoon" ;-). No doubt you can drive much faster after dark when there are less cars out, but my comment is about what I perceive to be a goal to move cars as quickly as possible at peak usage times--when the roads are so cluttered already as to make it a losing proposition.

Posted by: anon | June 26, 2009 5:11 PM

"It's a quality of life issue and I for one am sick of living on a 25 mph road that is treated like a freaking freeway."

Amen. You're not the only one.

Posted by: pdh | June 26, 2009 5:23 PM

It would have been nice if the city has given advance notice to residents of its repaving plans. I subscribe to the RAG (god knows why!) and read the Independent daily. But nary a word appeared in either venue about the monstrous disruption to be visited upon us.

It is true that the repaving was necessary. Indeed, New Haven's streets generally are in the worst imaginable condition. But, our senile and corrupt leaders spend our tax dollars replacing fine old slate curbing with expensive (tire destroying) granite and sealing cracks on St Ronan St and Edgehill Road -- while potholes 3 feet wide and a foot deep can be found on almost any street in the city.

Posted by: anon | June 28, 2009 12:19 AM

Will there be a roundabout at Livingston and Edwards? Or just another one of those pedestrian signs?