Paul Bass Photo
Hausladen with Harp Tuesday.
The city’s new transit chief started his job with an appeal to the state: Help our riders keep track of your buses.
Doug Hausladen made that pitch Tuesday afternoon at a City Hall press conference, where Mayor Toni Harp named him her director of transportation, traffic and parking.
Hausladen actually doesn’t begin the $90,775-a-year job until Feb. 1. He replaces James Travers, who left to take a job with United Way.
After the press conference, Hausladen said the administration will push the state to put GPS devices on CT Transit buses so New Haveners are “able to reliably and effectively travel ” without “worry[ing] about whether the bus is on time or not.”
Yale’s shuttle system (which covers downtown and East Rock) has the devices; riders tap into phone apps for data on their buses’ locations. Shuttle ridership went up thanks to the devices, Hausladen said. He’d like to see the same happen with CT Transit buses. (Justin Elicker, whom Hausladen supported against Harp in last fall’s mayoral election, promoted the GPS idea during his campaign.)
Hausladen and Harp also spoke of pushing the state to increase bus service in general, including at night.
“How about a system that doesn’t end at 11 p.m.?” Hausladen said.
A state transportation department spokesman failed to return calls for comment before this story was published.
Hausladen, who is 31, is the current alder from downtown’s Ward 7; he will step down to take his new job. At least one candidate has already emerged to run for the alder position in an upcoming special election.
As an alder, Hausladen has been a leading proponent of “safe streets/ complete streets” campaigns to make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists, in the wake of two 2008 pedestrian deaths.
Mayor Harp and city economic development chief Matthew Nemerson cited that advocacy in welcoming Hausladen at Tuesday’s City Hall press conference.
Harp said Hausladen fits the mold of department heads she wants in City Hall: “People who will challenge the accepted way of doing things and put aside their own personal agendas”; “strong and determined managers” with “innovative ideas.” In appointing Hausladen, Harp extended her hand to supporters of the Elicker campaign, many of whom supported pedestrian- and cyclist-friendlier streets. Nemerson (at left in photo with Hausladen and Harp) called Hausladen a “fierce proponent” for pedestrians and cyclists and for better government use of technology. He also praised Hausladen’s “ability to drive everybody at City Hall nuts.”
A 2004 Yale grad, Hausladen worked in commercial real estate in New Haven for six years; he currently works for Community Alliance for Research and Engagement. He has championed public financing as an alder.
Original Story
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Thomas MacMillan File Photo
Downtown Alder Doug Hausladen is about to take a new spot in City Hall — as the Harp administration’s new director of traffic and parking, according to several people familiar with the appointment.
Mayor Toni Harp is expected to announce Hausladen’s appointment to the $90,775-a-year at a City Hall press conference Tuesday afternoon.
He will replace James Travers, who left the transit chief post this month for a new job at United Way after overseeing a flood of “safe-streets” initiatives to make New Haven more walkable and bikeable. (Read about that here.) Hausladen is pictured above at an unveiling last August of a traffic-calming “bump-out” at Whitney & Audubon, which he helped make happen.
“Doug began his political advocacy to improve the safety of New Haven streets,” Harp said Monday afternoon. “He brings unparalleled commitment to this new role. I am pleased he has chosen to serve in my administration.”
The decision to appoint Hausladen represents an effort to reach out to supporters of Harp’s opponent in the 2013 mayoral general election, Justin Elicker. Hausladen supported Elicker’s campaign, which emphasized walkable and bikable streets. This month Hausladen also told the Independent that he supports a new breakaway Board of Alders “People’s Caucus” critical of Democratic Party leadership, although he ended up not attending its first two events.
In addition to promoting traffic-calming, Hausladen has led a fight against the federal government’s extended use of the plaza behind City Hall and the courthouse as a parking lot. Click here to say why he ended up climbing on a roof as part of that effort.
Hausladen did not return calls for comment Monday. His appointment will lead to yet another special election this winter, for Hausladen’s Ward 7 seat. The Ward 3 seat opened after Alder Jackie James resigned to take a post with the Harp administration; a special election for the 10th State Senate District seat is set for Feb. 25. If candidate Gary Holder-Winfield wins that election, then a special election will take place for the seat he currently holds, the 94th State House of Representatives seat.