Safety Upgrades Eyed For Crash-Prone Intersection

Raised crosswalks, designated left-turn lanes, elevated bike lanes, and improved signaling are coming to the intersection of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and Kimberly Avenue — after that state-owned intersection saw nearly 200 car crashes in two years.

Those changes were discussed at a public informational meeting held Wednesday night at Betsy Ross Arts Magnet School, just one block away from the Hill intersection. Project Manager Michael Laurice and Property Agent Matthew Geanacopoulos, both from the state Department of Transportation (DOT), led the meeting with a room of some 20 concerned community members.

Officials decided to implement these changes after observing crash data at the intersection, according to Laurice. Between 2020 and 2022, a total of 193 crashes were recorded within the project limits, with one causing the death of a pedestrian. That’s according to an informational report presented at the meeting. 

The Boulevard-Kimberly Avenue-State Road (SR) 745 intersection was ranked in the top three worst intersections in crashes for four-leg signalized intersections in Connecticut, according to data gathered from 2017 to 2019. (Click here to read about how a nearby state-owned stretch of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard has been one of the deadliest for New Haven pedestrians in recent years.)

Part of the problem at this particular intersection, according to Laurice, is the lack of a two-way left turn lane on the side of SR 745 closest to I‑95, a street with fast food restaurants and businesses that cars pulling off of the interstate might want to turn left into. 

The road will also have elevated bike lanes in the proposed construction plan. The lanes will be five feet wide and will also be distanced from the road by a 4.5‑foot separation.

At the intersection itself, dedicated left-turn lanes will be added to the Boulevard, in both directions, while also maintaining two through lanes. Both sides of the Boulevard will be widened to accommodate the lane additions. Raised bump outs will also be implemented on SR 745, allowing for shorter crossing distances, as well as being a physical barrier for cyclists going through the intersection.

Additionally, the project extends down the Boulevard and into the intersection with Plymouth Street. As it stands now, the Boulevard is a four-lane road with two lanes in either direction. With the proposed plan, the street will be narrowed to two lanes, with one lane in either direction, and a raised crosswalk will connect Plymouth and the other sides of the Boulevard. The crosswalk will be equipped with a rapid-rectangular flashing beacon.

“Because it’s a raised crosswalk, we expect vehicles to have to slow down as they approach the crosswalk,” Laurice explained. ​“The pedestrian itself is going to be elevated, which is going to help with visibility, as well as an added layer of protection.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, Hill neighbors and interested New Haveners alike asked the state transportation planners questions, some about the traffic congestion that might come from the proposed changes. 

Hill Alder Kampton Singh expressed concerns with the potential congestion that the bump outs on Kimberly might entail. He was particularly worried about the bump outs eliminating an accessible right-turn opportunity on Kimberly onto the Boulevard, potentially increasing traffic further down Kimberly.

“This bump out is going to eliminate that completely, and that’s going to create more of a traffic nuisance to us,” Singh said.

For Hill resident Angela Hatley, driving on Kimberly Avenue at 5 p.m. is a nightmare, with cars lined ​“all the way back up the entire length of Kimberly.” 

She presumed that all of the cars leaving downtown were trying to get onto the interstate. Whatever the reason is, Hatley expressed concern that the plans doesn’t seem to directly address the traffic congestion problems of her community.

“I was really hoping to see some kind of plans there that would improve my life, because I live in this community,” Hatley said. ​“These improvements are for the people that are in the region, that come into the community to make their money and leave. The improvements are helping them get to the highway. I see nothing that’s alleviating any of my issues, but I’m going to keep an open mind.”

The construction itself is estimated to cost $7.6 million, with 80 percent of the funds coming from federal funding and 20 percent from the state. Laurice said that the construction design should be completed by winter 2026, with construction starting in spring 2027 and ending in summer 2028. During the construction itself, Laurice said that he doesn’t expect full lane closures, and foresees some night work.