Video program focuses on New Haven Safe Streets Coalition

"Perils For Pedestrians 191: New England" includes an interview with Doug Hausladen, co-coordinator of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition (and current Director of the City of New Haven's Transportation Department).

Watch the program here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpuNERhoYlo

Coalition Receives Response from Mayor DeStefano on "Progress Report" Letter

Dear New Haven Safe Streets Petition Supporters:

Yesterday, Mayor John DeStefano mailed a written response to a group of elected officials and civic leaders who represent New Haven's 12 Community Management Teams and other associations within the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition.

Following up to our larger-scale Petition drive in 2008, this core group of neighborhood leaders had recently authored a detailed "progress report" on the city's Safe Streets programs, law enforcement activities, and Route 34 designs. Please click here to read the original "progress report" letter, and list of authors: Letter to Mayor DeStefano - August 24 2011

Please click here to read the Mayor's response: Response from Mayor DeStefano - September 22 2011

Regarding these requests, the City has proposed three follow up actions:

1) The Coalition will schedule a meeting with the City's Transportation Director, Jim Travers, in order to review each of requests in our letter. Please contact newhavensafestreets at gmail.com, or call (203) 500-7059, if you would like to attend this meeting. We will share the results of this meeting with this group and on the New Haven Safe Streets website.

2) The City has invited all of us to attend and participate in upcoming public workshops and hearings on major city development projects. In particular, several meetings and public hearings will be held regarding the Route 34 reconstruction project in the fall of this year. We strongly encourage you to attend these hearings, and demand street designs that comply with city regulations by prioritizing the accessibility of walkers, cyclists and public transit users of all ages and abilities.

3) In early 2012, City Hall will make a full report to the Board of Aldermen regarding the Complete Streets program (which has been recognized as one of the nation's best, according to the National Complete Streets Coalition), including a review of all requests submitted to date using the "request form" system. Please contact us if you have any questions about how this works, or if you would like help filling out "request forms" in your neighborhood. The forms are available at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Engineering/completestreets.asp. Although we will demand that all streets be considered for improvements (and have requested next year's project schedules to help ensure this), we encourage every neighborhood and elected official to complete the official "request form," because this will help provide a greater degree of transparency.

To view a Sunday, August 28th feature story in the New Haven Register about our original letter, please visit the following article: New Haven Register: Advocates pleased with New Haven safe streets efforts, but say much work remains

Thank you again for your assistance as an author of this letter, and/or as a general supporter of the Safe Streets Coalition. We will continue to monitor New Haven's progress on the Safe Streets Petition, and look forward to additional successes in the coming years. Please feel free to forward this email to your neighbors and friends, or unsubscribe if you no longer wish to hear from us.

Best regards, New Haven Safe Streets Coalition Coordinators & CT Livable Streets Campaign Steering Committee

Updated List of New Haven Petition for Safe Streets Sponsors and Supporters

The following groups and individuals have elected to officially endorse the Petition:

12 of 12 City of New Haven Community Management Teams (CMTs):
+ Downtown-Wooster Square CMT (listserv link here)
+ Fair Haven CMT
+ Westville-West Hills CMT
+ Whalley-Edgewood-Beaver Hills (WEB) CMT
+ Hill South CMT
+ Hill North CMT
+ Newhallville CMT
+ Quinnipiac East CMT (QEMT)
+ East Shore CMT
+ East Rock CMT
+ Dwight CMT
+ Dixwell CMT (DECMT)
These endorsements per official member voting.

Advocacy Organizations and Nonprofits:
+ Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group (listserv link here)
+ Elm City Cycling / (listserv link here)
+ CT Livable Streets Campaign
+ New Haven Urban Design League
+ DesignNewHaven
+ Tri-State Transportation Campaign
+ Transportation Alternatives
+ America Walks
+ Keep Kids Alive Drive 25
+ Yale Public Health Coalition
+ New Haven Environmental Justice Network (listserv link here)
+ Connecticut Bicycle Coalition
+ Sierra Club - Connecticut Chapter
+ Safe Kids Connecticut - Greater New Haven Chapter
+ Connecticut Public Health Association

Neighborhood Associations, Business Improvement Districts and Religious Organizations:
+ Chatham Square Neighborhood Association
+ Christ Church - New Haven
+ Church on the Rock - New Haven
+ Coalition for a Livable Whalley
+ Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel
+ Edgewood Neighborhood Association
+ Edgewood Park Defense Patrol
+ First Unitarian Universalist Society of New Haven
+ Friends of East Rock Park
+ New Haven Bioregional Group
+ New Haven 828
+ Quinnipiac River Community Group (QRCG)
+ Ronan-Edgehill Neighborhood Association
+ Town Green Special Services District, per unanimous vote of Board of Commissioners
+ Upper State Street Association
+ West River Neighborhood Services Corporation
+ Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
+ Whalley Avenue Revitalization (WAR)
+ Whalley Avenue Special Services District (WASSD)
+ Yale College Council (per resolution)

Individual Residents and Businesses:
+ Over 2,000 area residents have signed the petition (paper copies also available on request), along with a number of small businesses.

Local and State Elected Officials:
+ New Haven Ward 1 Alderwoman Rachel Plattus (Downtown/Yale)
+ New Haven Ward 2 Alderwoman Gina Calder (Dwight)
+ New Haven Ward 3 Alderwoman Jacqueline James (Medical District/West River)
+ New Haven Ward 5 Alderman Jorge Perez (Hill)
+ New Haven Ward 6 Alderwoman Dolores Colon (Hill)
+ New Haven Ward 7 Alderwoman Bitsie Clark (Downtown)
+ New Haven Ward 8 Alderman Michael Smart (Wooster Square)
+ New Haven Ward 9 Alderman Roland Lemar (East Rock)
+ New Haven Ward 10 Alderman Allan Brison (East Rock)
+ New Haven Ward 14 Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale (Fair Haven)
+ New Haven Ward 15 Alderman Joseph Rodriguez (Fair Haven)
+ New Haven Ward 16 Alderwoman Migdalia Castro (Fair Haven)
+ New Haven Ward 17 Alderman Alphonse Paolillo Jr. (Annex)
+ New Haven Ward 18 Alderwoman Arlene DePino (East Shore)
+ New Haven Ward 19 Alderwoman Alfreda Edwards (Newhallville/Prospect Hill)
+ New Haven Ward 20 Alderman Charles A. Blango (Newhallville)
+ New Haven Ward 21 Alderwoman Katrina Jones (Dixwell/Newhallville)
+ New Haven Ward 22 Alderman Greg Morehead (Dixwell)
+ New Haven Ward 23 Alderman Yusuf I. Shah (West River)
+ New Haven Ward 24 Alderwoman Elizabeth McCormack (Edgewood)
+ New Haven Ward 25 Alderwoman Ina Silverman (Westville)
+ New Haven Ward 26 Alderman Sergio Rodriguez (Westville)
+ New Haven Ward 27 Alderman Tom Lehtonen (Westville)
+ New Haven Ward 29 Alderman Carl Goldfield (Westville)
+ New Haven Ward 30 Alderwoman Michelle Sepulveda (West Hills)
+ New Haven Democratic Town Committee Chairwoman Susan Voigt
+ State Senator Toni N. Harp, Deputy President Pro Tempore, 10th Senatorial District (New Haven/West Haven)
+ State Senator Martin M. Looney, Senate Majority Leader of the General Assembly, 11th Senatorial District (New Haven/Hamden)
+ Representative Juan Candelaria, 95th Assembly District (New Haven)
+ Representative Patricia Dillon, Assistant Majority Leader, 92nd Assembly District (New Haven)
+ Representative Gary Holder-Winfield, 94th Assembly District (New Haven)
+ Representative Robert W. Megna, Assistant Majority Leader, 97th Assembly District (New Haven)
+ Representative Toni E. Walker, Deputy Majority Leader, 93rd Assembly District (New Haven)

Local and State Candidates for Elected Office:
+ Katie Harrison, Candidate for Ward 1, New Haven
+ Mike Jones, Candidate for Ward 1, New Haven
+ Minh Tran, Candidate for Ward 1, New Haven
+ Justin Elicker, Candidate for Ward 10, New Haven
+ Moses Nelson, Candidate for Ward 21, New Haven
+ Lisa Hopkins, Candidate for Ward 22, New Haven
+ Greg Dildine, Candidate for Ward 25, New Haven

Additional sponsors will be posted as they are officially confirmed.

New Haven Launches "Street Smarts" Educational Campaign

As part of a community event in Edgewood Park this past Sunday, October 19 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., the city launched its "Street Smarts" educational campaign to improve safety for all road users. Excerpts from the extensive news coverage are posted below; click on the flyer to enlarge.

City to promote road-sharing efforts, New Haven Register, 10/14/08.

More than 2,000 people signed a grass-roots petition advocating for more pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly streets, and two like-minded aldermen hope to legislate the goals into law.

On Sunday, the effort will gain another partner when City Hall unveils "Street Smarts," a public education campaign aimed at enhancing road safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. Its goal is to promote road sharing among pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists in a city where about 14 percent of residents walk to work, more than any other New England city, according to aldermen Erin Sturgis-Pascale and Roland Lemar.

In September, the two proposed a Complete Streets law for the city that would, in support of the coalition’s goals, create a design and engineering manual and require any developer or contractor who builds or rebuilds a city street to comply with specific pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly guidelines.

The safe streets coalition was formed in May, a month after medical student Mila Rainoff was hit and killed on South Frontage Road and a month before Gabrielle Lee, 11, was killed on Whalley Avenue by a hit-and-run driver. Since then, more than 100 organizations, virtually every alderman and more than 2,000 other people have endorsed its goal of "promoting livable, walkable and economically vibrant streets" in New Haven.

The Police Department, under new Chief James Lewis, has made traffic enforcement a renewed priority, with traffic tickets up about 35 percent since Lewis took over in mid-July, compared to last year. Saying losing a loved one to a traffic fatality is no less painful than losing one to gun violence, Lewis said he plans to double the size of the traffic unit next year. The coalition has requested neighborhood-by-neighborhood reports of enforcement data.

Pedestrian deaths spur 'safe streets' movement, WTNH TV-8 (AP story also picked up by Boston Globe, WCBS-New York News Radio and others), 10/14/08

A series of pedestrian deaths in recent years, including those of a Yale student and a fifth-grade girl, has spawned a movement to improve road safety in New Haven.

The "Street Smarts" public education campaign launches Sunday in the Elm City. It comes after more than 2,000 people signed petitions seeking street improvements. They want New Haven's roads improved to make them safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.

The campaign gained momentum after a Yale medical student was killed in April. Two months later, an 11-year-old girl was killed by a hit-and-run driver as she entered a laundromat. New Haven aldermen say pedestrian safety is critical because about 14 percent of the city's residents walk to work, among the highest percentage of any New England city.

New Haven "Street Smarts" Campaign, WTNH TV-8, 10/19/08

A new campaign is officially underway in the Elm City and aimed at making streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers. The Elm City's "Street Smarts" campaign was sparked by a series of pedestrian deaths in recent years.

Bill Mrowka, of New Haven: "Everyday, four-to-five times, I cross this street here." Taskey: "How is it getting around?" Mrowka: "Suicide." It's a battle for 83-year old Bill Mrowka to cross the street near his New Haven home. "Even with this thing in the road (pointing to sign) I get stuck in the middle of the road and can't get to the other side," he said.

The city put up portable cross walk signs at State and Elm hoping to remind drivers to yield to pedestrians. "There's something in the middle of the road, people tend to slow down for something in the road," Ben Berkowitz, of New Haven, said. "So I do see more break lights during rush hour which is nice.

Road rules take priority in Elm City, Yale Daily News, 10/20/08

In interviews, several Yalies said they agree that in New Haven, traffic rules are little more than a formality, and that most students jaywalk to and from class without thinking much of it. Lukas Colberg ’12 said that Yale’s campus is built such that it is convenient to break traffic rules, such as on the stretch of Elm Street filled with students weaving between cars to get to class.

"Street Smarts” Drive Launched, New Haven Independent, 10/20/08

Shawn Perkins (left) took the “Smart Driver” pledge and Alexander McDonough was fitted for his first bike helmet, as officials inaugurated a traffic-calming campaign that grew out of a citywide grassroots movement.

Mayor John DeStefano called the evolution of the Street Smarts campaign a sign of vibrant citizen activism in New Haven. It grew from the grassroots. First there were the two main activist groups focused on single issues. Those groups in turn united with other grassroots neighborhood organizations with broader agendas, such as the downtown management team and Westville Renaissance. Finally, these activists found a city official, transportation czar Mike Piscitelli, who already sympathized with their cause and was eager to try out new traffic-calming ideas.

DeStefano also spoke of how New Haven’s streets were originally dominated by pedestrians and cyclists (and horses) before America became car “obsessed” in the 1940s. “We started forgetting what streets were,” he said, “wonderful places that connected us.” He urged New Haveners of all transit persuasions to “give a little” and “make space for everybody.”

City kicks off Street Smarts program, New Haven Register, 10/20/08

One reason for the awareness campaign, which employees a professional marketing firm, is because physical changes to make city streets safer cost money and take time. But getting people to be more aware of each other can start making things safer more immediately, Travers said.

“Drivers’ habits have changed over the years. What we want to do is change that behavior” to make it safer and “alert motorists that they need to be aware of the bicyclists” and pedestrians on the road, he said.

Street Smarts effort aims to make city safer for pedestrians (Op-Ed by Mayor John DeStefano, Jr), New Haven Register, 10/19/08 (excerpt)

Indeed, thousands of people walk through the downtown area, the medical district and our neighborhoods every day. For many residents and students, a bicycle has firmly replaced the car and cyclists are on city streets at every hour of the day. The combination of higher fuel prices, shifting demographic patterns and the tremendous growth in downtown all suggest that even more people will be walking and cycling on city streets in the coming years. In no uncertain terms, we must be attentive and respectful to everyone using the roadway.

The Street Smarts campaign also responds to a nationwide concern over the number and severity of traffic accidents. In the United States, a pedestrian is killed every seven minutes and another 85,000 are injured every year. These are our neighbors and friends, not just statistics.

Here, New Haven still mourns the loss of Mila Rainof, an amazingly talented student at Yale University, and Gabrielle Lee, an engaging 11-year-old school child. Both Rainof and Gabrielle died in tragic crashes this summer. Many others lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes as well.

In just a few months, the community has been galvanized through the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition of residents, civic leaders, city officials and organizations. Their advocacy has accelerated the pace of change with tangible programs sponsored by Elm City Cycling, Yale University, the Yale School of Medicine's Traffic Safety Committee, the City of New Haven and the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

Successful Public Hearing on Complete Streets Legislation

The New Haven Board of Aldermen's public hearing on Complete Streets Legislation was very well attended, with testimony received from several dozen residents and community leaders. Written testimony was also received from a wide spectrum of community groups and organizations. The Board is continuing to accept testimony on the subject this week, so feel free to submit written comments.

Please click here (MP3 file) to hear Ward 14 Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale's excellent testimony on the subject.

The event received wide coverage including being the lead story on the New Haven Register and the top story on the 11-o-clock news. Here's a rundown of some of it, and a few excerpts:

In Wake of Two Deaths, Making Streets Safer, New York Times, 10/3/08:

In a meeting two weeks ago, the Board of Aldermen’s legislation committee voted to create Complete Streets, a comprehensive blueprint of how drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and others can coexist safely on the streets of New Haven. According to the 2000 census, more New Haven residents — nearly 14 percent — walk to work than in any other New England city. And an additional 31 percent bike, car-pool or take public transportation.

“These aren’t just thruways,” said Roland Lemar, an alderman who was one of the cosponsors of the Complete Streets program. “These are the streets we live on.”

In April, Mila Rainof, 27, a Yale medical student, was fatally struck by a car on a city street. In June, Gabrielle Alexis Lee, 11, was killed in a hit-and-run accident. A group of residents formed the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, which has gathered more than 1,800 signatures in a petition calling for “immediate action to improve traffic safety within our communities — with the immediate goal of reducing traffic injuries by 50 percent by 2009, 75 percent by 2012 and 90 percent by 2015.”

The measure calls for the creation of a steering committee to come up with the details of the Complete Streets program, which would require legislative approval. Ms. Sturgis-Pascale and Mr. Lemar believe this is the first step in not only making the streets safer for walkers, cyclists and drivers but also creating streets that are economically and socially vibrant.

Residents crowded into the Board of Aldermen’s meeting two weeks ago. New Haven is made up of a series of neighborhoods, said one resident, Justin Elicker. “Why do we fear to cross Whalley? Why do we avoid the intersection of Trumbull and Orange? Because roads in New Haven are designed for cars,” he told the board.

Aldermen Working To Make Streets Safer, WFSB TV-3, 9/22/08:

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Two aldermen have come up with a plan they said will make New Haven streets safer. Erin Sturgis-Pascale and Roland Lemar said a common complaint in the city is that the streets have to be made safer. They said roughly 14 percent of people walk to work and 31 percent bike, carpool or take public transportation. 'Well, what this law does is it has this look at transportation from an access view,' said Sturgis-Pascale. 'Let’s make sure that everyone has access to goods and services. It’s not just about moving cars through the streets, but it’s about moving people.'

Panel OKs Safe Streets Law, New Haven Independent, 9/23/08:

Pascale said she’d like to see the city’s streets evaluated not by the number of lanes or traffic lights, but by other measures. “Are our streets being used for people to socialize? Are our children playing in the streets safely? Are they able to ride their bicycles? Are we welcoming people with disabilities? Are we protecting our seniors on our streets?"

Elm City Looks to Enforce Road Safety Law, WTNH TV-8, 9/22/08:

"There is a whole tool box of features that ensures that people have save and convenient access to transportation that we should be suing in a more systematic way in the city," Erin Sturgis-Pascale, of Ward 14, said.

In the past, if there were a lot of accidents at a certain intersection -- they would go out and try and fix the problem. What they are doing now is looking at everything. All the streets, the cross walks to access for wheel chairs, to streets signs and wide-enough double parking. Before lawmakers created a new ordinance, they wanted to hear from the people. At the meeting the committee heard from Alycia Santilli. She lives on Quinnipiac Ave has been a victim of unsafe streets repeatedly.

"There is constant speeding that goes on, our car has been hit about three times or more," Santilli said. "I have recently been hit by a car while biking -- so there is a lot that can be done here in New Haven regarding our streets." Santilli told the committee while in favor of new law, she wants the old ones enforced. "People are speeding all the time not only up and down on Quinnipiac Ave but other streets in the neighborhood," Santilli said. "People are blowing red lights and there is so much that can be done, we need to be smarter about the types of streets we are creating."

It's Time to Slow Down, New Haven Register, 9/23/08:

For Alycia Santilli and her husband, Ethan Hutchings, the consequences of potholed streets and inattentive, speeding drivers are not theoretical issues. Each has been hit by a car, in separate instances, while riding their bicycles; their vehicles have been sideswiped multiple times and as a public health researcher, Santilli sees a connection between obese children and the bad streets that set up roadblocks to exercise.

“We have a serious problem,” Santilli told a committee of the Board of Aldermen Monday, which was taking testimony on a proposal for a “complete streets” program that aims to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities in New Haven 50 percent by 2009 and 90 percent by 2015. ...

Enforcement of traffic violations has gone up 35 percent this year over last and the number of accidents has gone down 5 percent. Lemar and Sturgis-Pascale had high praise for city officials, and the 40 members of the public who submitted testimony were equally happy with the plan. Lemar said the city has come up with solutions for Woodward Avenue and River Street, with a proposal forthcoming to halt the drag racing on Long Wharf Drive and speeding on Route 80.

The lack of funds was paramount in the minds of all the city officials who testified, but nonetheless they felt progress can be made with police expecting to double its traffic unit next year.

Aldermen Hear Safe Streets Plan, Yale Daily News, 9/23/08:

The New Haven Safe Streets Coalition’s vision for a redefined pedestrian city moved one step closer to reality Monday evening. The Board of Aldermen held a public hearing last night on the proposed “Complete Streets” plan offered by Safe Streets Coalition’s founding members, Ward 9 Alderman Roland Lemar and Ward 14 Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale. The plan by the Safe Streets Coalition — a New Haven organization that lobbies for safer streets — calls for reducing the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities by 50 percent by 2009 and 90 percent by 2015 “while promoting streets that are more liveable, walkable and economically vital.”

Monday night’s hearing, held before the Board’s Legislation Committee, drew over 50 New Haven residents, including about 20 of Yale undergraduate and graduate students in support of the Complete Streets plan. Lemar and Sturgis-Pascale introduced the plan to the rest of the committee and were followed by representatives from several city agencies and members of the public in a meeting that ran for nearly three hours.

Piscitelli said the first stage of New Haven’s response will start Oct. 19, when the city, working with over a half-dozen community groups, rolls out a new education strategy. “We want to sensitize drivers that they are driving in an intermodal community,” he said. “At the same time, we want to sensitize cyclists and pedestrians to sharing the road and obeying traffic regulations.”

City Chief Administrative Officer Robert Smuts ’01 said the city’s plan to make streets safer involves a three-pronged approach consisting of education, enforcement and engineering. Smuts announced that the New Haven Police Department will be doubling both the size and hours of its traffic-enforcement division.

Safe Streets proponents argue that the program will promote economic opportunity while raising property values. “[Complete Streets] will upgrade our infrastructure to meet the needs of a new New Haven, and in the long run, will net the city money,” said Mark Abraham ’04 the founder of the Safe Streets Coalition. As for the meeting, Abraham was impressed by the turnout. “It shows that a lot of people are passionate about improving the safety and quality of our city life,” he said.

Initiative Aims To Make Streets Safer For Walkers, Cyclists, NBC30-TV, 9/23/08:

Glen Vasquez said the pedestrian way of life isn't any better. "It's kind of scary sometimes," he said. "I mean, you walk across the street, and people don't care if you're walking or not -- they just keep going."

Update: Please see this page on Design New Haven for more information about the legislation.

YDN Op-Ed: Mobilize tonight for safe streets

http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/25290

"Here is New Haven, the Safe Streets Coalition, a citywide coalition of students, residents and elected officials who are advocating for safer, livable streets — formed last spring after the tragic deaths of Mila Rainof MED ’08 on South Frontage Street and 11-year-old Gabrielle Lee on Whalley — has been a model of what we can do as a community. Today, at 6:30 p.m in City Hall, the Coalition will testify at a public hearing on street safety. For the good of all of us in New Haven, we hope they will succeed. ...

Now the challenge rests with each one of us to carry on the work started by the Coalition and advocate for broader change in New Haven and beyond. Even those who think that they’re invincible rely on the public protections established by community organizers, and community change requires community action."

Notice: Safe Streets Listserv on Livable Streets

We are writing on behalf of supporters of the New Haven Petition for Safe Streets. The petition has been signed by over 1,800 individuals and has been officially endorsed by nearly 100 community management teams, business improvement districts, neighborhood organizations, nonprofits, religious organizations, businesses and elected officials in New Haven.

Although this grassroots campaign is only a few months old, by working together and reaching out across the city, we have already achieved several major successes at the local and state level. We hope that you will continue to advocate for safe, livable, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly public spaces that can be enjoyed by users of all ages and abilities -- and that positively contribute to our economy, public health, environment and quality of life.

In order to issue occasional updates and critical advocacy alerts, we are inviting supporters to join a new, high-tech listserv on the Livable Streets Network. Our plan is that you will receive no more than one email per month from this site, which will replace the informal email system that has existed up to this point. We will also use this site as a repository for electronic files as the campaign develops over time.

Accepting this invitation is very simple. Please visit the following link. You simply need to create a username (any name you like) and password, and confirm your email address. http://www.livablestreets.com/projects/new-haven-safe-streets-coalition/request-membership

Our coalition coordinators would also encourage you to attend the public hearing on proposed "Complete Streets" legislation this Monday, September 22nd at 6:30PM at City Hall, 165 Church Street, New Haven. For details on the proposed legislation, see our most recent coalition update here or click here to read the full text.

Connecticut Planning features article about Safe Streets Coalition

The article contains a number of quotes from New Haven Safe Streets supporters. Link to PDF file here. See pages 10-13: http://www.ccapa.org/newsletter/ct_planning_3q08.pdf

Quinnipiac River Residents Lobby for Long-Delayed Safety Project

At its monthly meeting yesterday, the Quinnipiac River Community Group (QRCG) also voted to endorse the New Haven Petition for Safe Streets. Article here: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/09/this_is_an_emer.php

For details, please see a more in-depth article, and comments, here:
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/08/q_ave_redo_dela.php

Proposed New Haven Complete Streets Legislation

The City of New Haven Board of Aldermen will be holding a hearing on Complete Streets Legislation on September 22nd, at 6:30pm at City Hall. All are welcome to attend, and public comments and testimony are encouraged. Please feel free to copy the coalition (email newhavensafestreets [at] gmail.com) on any correspondence. Attached below is a copy of the proposed legislation, which was submitted to the Board this week.

August, 26, 2008

Honorable Carl Goldfield, President, New Haven Board of Aldermen

Dear President Goldfield:

We would like to respectfully submit to the Board of Aldermen, the attached communication, a proposed Order , which would establish a steering committee to develop a complete streets policy for New Haven, implement a sustainable complete streets program for the city, and propose complete streets legislation as an important first step toward creating a future New Haven which boasts welcoming, safe and vibrant streets and public ways.

New Haven is the regional center of south central Connecticut and the intermodal center of Connecticut's transportation system. In addition, a greater proportion of New Haven residents (14%) walk to work than in any other city in New England while another 31% of city residents bike, carpool or take public transit to work.

Recent tragedies at the Yale Medical School, along Whalley Avenue, and on Long Wharf Drive, as well as numerous other terrible accidents, have galvanized the community to form the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition. It has been found that auto traffic often conflicts with bike and pedestrian activity, thereby leading to unsafe conditions when these users do not follow the rules-of-the-road. In addition, recent studies on transportation policy in the tri-state area indicates that the economically disadvantaged, especially the African-American and Latino communities, are subject to disproportionately higher levels of pedestrian injuries and fatalities.

The Safe Streets Coalition's goal is to raise awareness of traffic safety issues and build community support for an urgent and comprehensive strategy that will reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities in New Haven by 50% by 2009 and 90% by 2015, while promoting streets that are more livable, walkable and economically vital. Streets are a critical component of public space, directly impact public health, play a major role in defining the image and identity of our city and provide the framework for current and future development.

We believe that it is crucial for the City of New Haven to make a commitment to reaching the goals identified by the Safe Streets Coalition: pursuing the development of tools that raise the quality and civility of our shared public spaces; supporting neighborhood economic development; increasing the modal split of walking, cycling and transit modes; and building a safe, efficient and equitable transportation system in the city. To that end, we ask that the Board please review and hopefully approve this Order which would create a steering committee empowered to develop a complete streets policy for New Haven, implement a sustainable complete streets program for the city, and propose complete streets legislation.

We strongly feel that this is the very important first step toward creating a New Haven which balances the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, children, adults and seniors in developing a comprehensive plan to foster a layout of our city streets and public thoroughfares that is welcoming, safe and convenient, as well as both walkable and economically vibrant.

Thank you for your consideration of this measure.

Respectfully submitted,

ERIN STURGIS-PASCALE, Alderwoman, 14th Ward, ROLAND LEMAR, Alderman, 9th Ward

---

ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN ESTABLISHING A STEERING COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY FOR NEW HAVEN, IMPLEMENT A SUSTAINABLE COMPLETE STREETS PROGRAM FOR THE CITY, AND PROPOSE COMPLETE STREETS LEGISLATION BASED ON THESE PRINCIPLES.

WHEREAS: New Haven is the regional center of south central Connecticut and the intermodal center of Connecticut's transportation system; and

WHEREAS: a greater proportion of New Haven residents (14%) walk to work than in any other city in New England; and

WHEREAS: an additional 31% of New Haven residents bike, carpool or take public transit to work; and

WHEREAS: automobile traffic often conflicts with bike and pedestrian activity, thereby leading to unsafe conditions when these users do not follow the rules-of-the-road ; and

WHEREAS: recent tragedies at the Yale Medical School, along Whalley Avenue, and on Long Wharf Drive, as well as numerous other terrible accidents, have galvanized the community to form the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition; and

WHEREAS: recent studies on transportation policy in the tri-state area are uncovering data that indicates that the economically disadvantaged, especially the African-American and Latino communities, are subject to disproportionately higher levels of pedestrian injuries and fatalities; and

WHEREAS: the Safe Streets Coalition's goal is to raise awareness of traffic safety issues and build community support for an urgent and comprehensive strategy that will reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities in New Haven by 50% by 2009 and 90% by 2015, while promoting more livable, walkable and economically vibrant streets; and

WHEREAS: streets are a critical component of public space, directly impact public health, play a major role in defining the image and identity of our city and provide the framework for current and future development; and

WHEREAS: the City of New Haven and the New Haven Board of Aldermen are committed to reaching the goals and objectives identified by the Safe Streets Coalition; to pursuing the development of tools that raise the quality and civility of our shared public spaces; to supporting neighborhood economic development; to increasing the modal split of walking, cycling and transit modes and; to building a safe, efficient and equitable transportation system in the city through implementation of a broad series of initiatives involving education, policy development, engineering practices, physical improvements and traffic enforcement.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED by the New Haven Board of Aldermen that a nine member Complete Streets Steering Committee shall be established, consisting of three members of the Board of Aldermen, three employees of the City of New Haven and three residents of the City of New Haven to guide the development of:

• a Complete Streets policy which ensures that all users of the transportation system, especially pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users as well as children, elderly, and persons with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on our city streets and sidewalks;
  
• a Complete Streets Design Manual that provides specific design guidelines for the construction of complete streets;
  
• a process by which community members are included in the planning and design processes that will result in changes to their neighborhood streets;
  
• an educational campaign; and
  
• traffic enforcement support in collaboration with the New Haven Police Department.
  
• Establish the following Complete Streets policy that: (a) requires the accommodation of the safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system using a Complete Streets hierarchy of users, which begins with pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users. These users shall be accommodated and balanced in all types of transportation and development projects and through all phases of a project so that the vulnerable - children, elderly, and persons with disabilities - can travel safely within the public right of way; (b) mandates the application of this policy, through adherence to principles of the Design Manual, to any new or improvement project affecting the public streets and sidewalks (including resurfacing, restoring, and rehabilitation projects); (c) prioritizes walkability, inter-modal transit, traffic calming and pedestrian-based urban economic development over competing goals; and (d) references performance standards, with measurable outcomes and benchmarks.
  
• Develop progressive design standards that will be incorporated into a Complete Streets Design Manual providing technical guidance on the design and construction of streets and sidewalks so that they support the underlying principles of the Complete Streets policy. Such standards will: (a) provide a definition of a street classification system; (b) increase the safety and walkability of our city streets through proven tools that slow vehicle speeds; (c) create high visibility crosswalks for pedestrians; (d) create safe, connected bike facilities for cyclists; (e) narrow travel lanes; (f) address on-street parking policies. Such design standards will address: target speeds; street and lane widths; signal timing and vehicle detection; uninterrupted block length; connectivity; transit accessibility; as well as pedestrian and bicycle amenities such as benches, bus shelters and secure bike parking. The design plan should be of a quality so as to eliminate the need for excessive signage, which has negative aesthetic impacts and reduces safety through driver distraction. These design standards will require that the target speed for streets around schools, hospitals and business districts that depend on pedestrian traffic be a maximum of 15 miles per hour. Complete Streets solutions shall be flexible to fit within the context of the community.
  
• Develop a participatory planning process whereby affected communities are given an opportunity to advocate for changes that will best serve the community's interest. Such process will include the opportunity for the participation or input from a qualified landscape architect, an economic development or public realm strategy professional, or other appropriate professional guidance.
  
• Coordinate on-going educational campaigns targeting all users of the public right-of-way on their collective rights and responsibilities, with the goal of increasing the safety and civility of the public streets.
  
• Support the New Haven Police Department's traffic enforcement efforts and partner with the department to develop benchmarks for evaluating and measuring progress.
  

BE IT FURTHER ORDERED that the Complete Streets Steering Committee will communicate the Complete Streets Policy as an Ordinance Amendment for consideration by the Board of Aldermen not more than one year after the passage of this Order, with the requirement that the principles of this policy be incorporated into all aspects of street and transportation planning projects, scoping procedures, design manual, design approvals and performance measures.

NH Register: Traffic-safety efforts gear up across city

Photo at Left: An in-street crosswalk sign used in a highly successful retail district in Downtown Norwalk, Connecticut, July 2008. It's combined with a textured crosswalk and curb bumpouts, creating a welcoming pedestrian environment and slowing traffic to a reasonable 15-20 mph pace. A group of New Haven residents observed a high rate of compliance with crosswalk regulations here, similar to the experience in dozens of other towns in the New Haven region where these signs are present. Public health authorities and traffic engineers have extensive data showing that in-street signs are highly effective at increasing pedestrian safety.

Traffic-safety efforts gear up across city

By Mary E. O'Leary, Register Topics Editor, 08/07/2008

NEW HAVEN — A push is on to slow down traffic in the city with in-street signs that would remind drivers they must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

Separately, Yale alumni have petitioned the university to incorporate traffic-calming measures as plans solidify for two additional colleges off Prospect Street, while across town, Fair Haveners will gather Saturday to continue discussions on dangerous streets in that neighborhood.

These are just a few of the many pieces of a movement to make city streets safer for pedestrians in light of several fatal accidents, as well as the increasing number of cyclists sharing the streets with motor vehicles.

The Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group, Elm City Cycling and members of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition are asking that the city consider, on a trial basis, placing yield-to-pedestrian signs in crosswalks.

Generally, the signs stand several feet high on a platform and incorporate a walking figure, a reference to "state law" and a yield sign. The devices, which are approved by the Federal Highway Administration, do not include traffic signals.

Placing the signs directly in the road is intended to get drivers to reduce their speed and alert them to the crosswalk, according to advocates, who said they have been used successfully around the country, including larger cities such as Milwaukee and Baltimore, while there are 4,500 throughout Pennsylvania. The signs also are in use in area communities, such as Milford and Branford.

Advocates said the city has been reluctant to use the signs because of potential liability if a driver hits one and concern they would simply be ignored.

Tom Harned of Elm City Cycling and Rachel Wattier of the Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group believe these reasons don't hold up, in light of safety studies conducted by Pennsylvania and, particularly, if city police enforce the traffic laws at the pilot sites.

"We believe this will maximize the efficacy of the device and increase driver awareness of its use," they wrote. They would like to see a minimum of 20 such signs throughout the city by November.

On Saturday, Fair Haveners will chalk improvements, such as islands, curb cuts and roundabouts, on the streets, as discussed in an earlier workshop with Dan Burden, the director of Walkable Communities. They will meet at 10 a.m. at Chatham Square on Clinton Avenue.

The neighborhood has already prioritized which streets it would like to see improved first; this will be their third meeting on the issue.

More than 1,600 residents and 10 community management teams have signed on to a safe streets petition being circulated in New Haven which endorses measures to cut citywide traffic-related injuries in half by 2009 and by 90 percent as of 2015.

The letter to Yale requested that streets be posted at 15 to 20 miles per hour where pedestrian traffic is heavy around the campus, as well as incorporating other physical changes.

"Curb extensions that improve pedestrian visibility, medians, narrowed, raised or marked crosswalks, in-street signage and other traffic-calming measures are desperately needed," the 16 alumni wrote.

Among them are Alderwomen Rachel Plattus, D-1, Gina Calder, D-2, and Dolores Colon, D-6.

Mary E. O'Leary can be reached at moleary@nhregister.com or 789-5731.

http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19897504&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=635057&rfi=6

"Safe Streets" City Ordinance Proposed

Reckless drivers, residents' fears prompt safe streets ordinance
By Randall Beach, New Haven Register Staff, August 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN - Responding to growing neighborhood interest in "traffic calming," two aldermen are preparing a safe streets ordinance that could lead to traffic designs to improve pedestrian safety.

Alderman Roland Lemar, D-9, said he and Alderwoman Erin Sturgis-Pascale, D-14, began drafting the ordinance after receiving considerable feedback from their respective neighborhoods of East Rock and Fair Haven. Lemar said they hope to have the proposal ready for the full board to consider in about a month.

The issue also has taken hold in the Whalley Avenue area following the hit-and-run death of Garbrielle Lee, 11, in June, as she was trying to cross that street.

The recently formed New Haven Safe Streets Coalition has been circulating an online petition advocating measures to cut citywide traffic-related injuries in half by 2009 and by 90 percent as of 2015. More than 1,600 residents have signed the petition, and 10 Community Management Teams have endorsed it.

Perhaps its strongest and potentially most controversial provision is to "re-establish and enforce a strict 25 mph speed limit throughout all streets and arterial roads in New Haven." Local speed limits also must be approved by the State Traffic Commission.

"It's exceptional that so many people in the city have signed on," Lemar said. "A broad spectrum of New Haven supports this. The city government should recognize this groundswell of interest in improving neighborhoods."

Lemar did not want to discuss the proposed ordinance in detail, but he said it would establish a traffic calming safe streets committee, as well as set aside money to make traffic safety improvements and require that new construction "passes this test."

"We've seen this work with bike lanes," he noted. "This would take it further."

Lemar said he and Sturgis-Pascale are working with Michael Piscitelli, head of the city's Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking.

Illustrating the momentum of the safety movement, city officials have created a Traffic Safety Hotline. Citizens can call 946-6956 or e-mail TrafficSafety@newhavenct.net to report a dangerous intersection or place where vehicles are speeding or not obeying red lights or stop signs.

The East Rock Management Team recently surveyed its members to identify trouble spots in that neighborhood. Members of the Ronan-Edgehill Neighborhood Association also were invited to pinpoint dangerous sites. There were about 30 responses.

The most dangerous intersection, cited by eight residents, was at St. Ronan and Canner streets, where respondents reported seeing cars speed up and down Canner Street, ignoring stop signs. A close runner-up, with seven complaints, was the intersection of St. Ronan and Highland streets.

Other trouble spots included portions of Trumbull Street, Orange Street, Whitney Avenue and State Street. An e-mail discussion group set up by RENA has been filled with complaints about unsafe motorists.

"We have a serious problem with groups of motorcyclists, four or five at a time, going up the hill at a terrifying speed while simultaneously riding only on the rear wheel," wrote an East Rock Road resident.

She added, "It happens in the afternoons and evenings when the kids and I are out walking the dog, and I am very concerned about the drivers losing control and taking us out in the process."

Bill Kaplan, who lives on Autumn Street between Canner and Highland streets, said in a RENA e-mail message that "a genuine traffic calming design" would be preferable to keeping police officers posted at the intersections.

Kaplan said he saw small traffic circles with permanent plantings slow down vehicles in his former home of Portland, Ore. Kaplan said the round fixtures are placed in the center of intersections.

"You have to slow down and steer around it. You can't blast through the intersection," he said. "They're attractive and they work day and night."

Kaplan said unless such measures were taken, the East Rock intersections would remain "a tragedy waiting to happen."

Lemar said he has also seen "Yield to pedestrian in the crosswalk" signs bolted into streets in East Haven, Hamden, Long Island towns and elsewhere. He said these could prove effective in New Haven, too.

New ConnDOT Commissioner's First Task: Community Planning Training

See post from TSTC here, related to coverage of today's Whalley Avenue public hearing and recent workshop: http://blog.tstc.org/2008/07/31/conndot-commissioners-first-task-community-planning-training/

Update: Detailed post-event coverage of the Whalley Avenue public hearing appears in today's New Haven Independent: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/08/conflicting_vis.php. An NBC local news article is posted below:

DOT Unveils Whalley Ave. Renovation Plan: Safety Coalitions Question Plan (August 1, 2008, NBC30)

A new renovation plan to make Whalley Ave. safer was met with many questions from residents and safety coalitions Thursday.

The Department of Transportation presented their Whalley Ave. renovation plan to the community after reworking the plan for years. The DOT plans to invest up to $13 million to repaint crosswalks, spruce up landscaping, fix retaining walls and create two designated lanes, which will widen the road from Emerson Street to Route 69.

“The pavement is a mess, the sidewalk is a mess and the curbing is a mess,” Jim Norman of the DOT said.

But residents and safety coalitions are unsure about whether the plan fully addresses safety issues the avenues has faced over years, specifically the 110 yearly accidents along that strip. The push for the avenue’s renovation became stronger after the hit -and -run incident that killed 11-year-old Gabrielle Lee on the avenue in June.

The Coalition for a Livable Whalley Avenue and the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition voiced their own opinions on the plan.

“The biggest concern, really, of our group-- and I think a lot of people in the room--is the speed of the traffic on the roadway,” Chris Heitmann of the Coalition for a Livable Whalley Avenue said.

Even though the DOT plans to keep the 25 mph speed limit, some don't think wider lanes is the answer.

“If speeds are increasing because you have two lanes and you have all this more distance for pedestrians to cross it seems to me that you're going to have more pedestrians getting hit,” Aric Issacs of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition said.

DOT said plan to get started on the project by the spring of 2009. That's also around the same time when the two safety coalitions said they want to see a 50 percent decrease in traffic related injuries.

East Rock CMT Supports Petition; Discussion Focuses on Traffic

Reporting from the New Haven Independent on the East Rock Community Management Team and the group's lengthy discussion with the city's new Chief of Police: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/07/east_rock.php

"East Rockers became the 10th of 12 neighborhood management teams to join a traffic-calming movement sweeping the city, while the new police chief offered manpower to help."

Petición para Calles Seguras de New Haven

Spanish translation of petition. Para firmar, visite http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/new-haven-petition-for-safe-streets.html "sign the petition."

Descripción/Historia

Petición para que la Ciudad de New Haven tome acciones inmediatas para mejorar la seguridad vial dentro de nuestras comunidades-con el objetivo inmediato de reducir las heridas causadas por accidentes de tráfico en un 50% para el año 2009, 75% para el 2012, y 90% para el 2015.

Una amplia coalición de oficiales electos a nivel estatal y local, grupos comunitarios, equipos de administración distrital, asociaciones vecinales, e individuos, ha firmado la petición y está apoyando esta campaña. Por favor chequee http://www.newhavensafestreets.org para obtener la más reciente lista de patrocinadores y proponentes.

Por favor distribuya. Envíe un correo electrónico a newhavensafestreetsARROBAgmail.com si su negocio u organización está interesada en apoyar la petición.

Petición

CONSIDERANDO QUE, violaciones de tráfico por exceso de velocidad y varias otras violaciones son un problema constante en la Ciudad de New Haven, resultando en decenas de heridas graves y heridas fatales en lo que lleva del 2008, así como cantidades medibles de ruido, contaminación, impactos negativos en el desarrollo infantil y la erosión de comunidades vecinales;

CONSIDERANDO QUE, como partidarios de esta petición, nos comprometemos a respetar todas las leyes de tráfico y advocar para la mejora de seguridad en las calles a través de toda la ciudad, con el objetivo inmediato de reducir el número de heridas y muertes causadas por los accidentes de tráfico dentro de nuestras comunidades en un 50% para el año 2009;

CONSIDERANDO QUE, calles seguras contribuyen a la percepción de la calidad de vida y de la seguridad física de residentes urbanos, empleados y visitantes; y por lo tanto son urgentemente necesarias para promover la salud pública y el crecimiento económico a largo plazo dentro de nuestras comunidades;

CONSIDERANDO QUE, el incremento de la seguridad vial es particularmente necesario en los densos distritos del centro de la ciudad, principales corredores comerciales, áreas alrededor de escuelas, y distritos en los que se ubican centros médicos con gran concentración de peatones, ciclistas, niños pequeños e individuos deshabilitados;

CONSIDERANDO QUE, límites de velocidad ligeramente más bajos y la atención a las layes de tránsito no resultan en el aumento de la duración del viaje hacia centros de trabajo, si no que por el contrario, pueden aumentar la eficiencia del tránsito vehicular, al mismo tiempo resultando en incrementos exponenciales a la seguridad pública (por ejemplo el Departamento de Transportación de Estados unidos señala que una tasa de mortandad de 5% existe cuando peatones son impactados por vehículos yendo a 20 millas por hora, versus una tasa del 40% cuando son impactados a 30 millas por hora);

CONSIDERANDO QUE, el Director de Transportaciones Michael Piscitelli ha sido un gran aliado en la promoción de mejoras al transporte que benefician a la ciudad entera y a la región, pero que pueden requerir de adicionales infraestructuras institucionales para la implementación de su visión a largo plazo;

Los que abajo firman apoyando esta petición, piden a través de la presente que la Ciudad de New Haven:

-Empezando inmediatamente, restablezca y haga cumplir un estricto límite de velocidad de 25 millas por hora a través de todas las calles y carreteras arteriales y vías primarias en New Haven, a través del despliegue constante y vigoroso de oficiales de tránsito y otros agentes;

-Empezando inmediatamente, haga cumplir estrictamente todas las reglas de tráfico relacionadas a semáforos, señales de paro (stop), carriles para bicicletas, cruces peatonales, y el uso de celulares al manejar;

-Empezando en el tercer cuarto del año 2008 y continuando cada cuarto de año, haga público un reporte a nivel de la ciudad acerca de las dos medidas mencionadas arriba, incluyendo métricas sobre las acciones que ha llevado a cabo para hacer cumplir las reglas a nivel de vecindario y la cantidad y tipo de castigos dados;

-Empezando inmediatamente, desarrolle medidas de largo plazo para significativamente incrementar la seguridad vial a través de la generación de actualizados protocolos de diseño urbano como aquellos utilizados en otras ciudades principales, y el nombramiento de coordinadores encargados de peatones y ciclistas, quienes puedan planear para tales mejoras más proactivamente;

-Para el final del 2008, establezca un estricto límite de velocidad de 15 a 20 millas por hora en todas las áreas de densa concentración de peatones y ciclistas, incluyendo las áreas que rodean inmediatamente al Hospital Yale-New Haven, el Hospital de San Rafael, y el corredor comercial de la Calle Chapel, y despliegue mejores formas de señalización peatonal, sistemas de luces y señalización dentro de esos distritos;

-Desarrolle un grupo de trabajo de alto nivel que explore la creación de un límite de velocidad de 15 a 20 millas por hora en todos los distritos residenciales de la ciudad, particularmente en zonas escolares donde niños juegan frecuentemente sobre o cerca de la calle, con un reporte a ser publicado antes del final del año 2008 y un programa de reducción de límites de velocidad en zonas designadas a ser implementado antes del tercer cuarto del año 2009;

-Desarrolle un grupo de trabajo de alto nivel que explore nuevas iniciativas de seguridad escolar y aquellas lideradas por los mismos ciudadanos, incentivos para cumplir las leyes de tránsito, y la implementación de multas más altas por violaciones de movimiento, el manejar agresivamente, y por asalto en vehículo motor, con un reporte a ser publicado antes del final del año 2008;

-Anualmente mida y reevalúe las iniciativas de seguridad vial con el objetivo de reducir el número de heridas relacionadas al tráfico vehicular y fatalidades en las calles de la ciudad, carreteras arteriales y vías principales en un 50% para el año 2009, 75% para el 2012 y 90% para el 2015.

Paul Bass video story on roundabouts

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/06/rotaries_city_h.php#comments

Register article: Traffic calming gains citywide momentum

http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNHR%2FNews%2FNew+Haven&r21.content=%2FNHR%2FNews%2FNew+Haven%2FTopStoryList_Story_2239475

The petition looks to reduce traffic injuries by 50 percent by 2009, 75 percent by 2012 and 90 percent by 2015, and begins to get at that through strict enforcement of the 25 mph speed limit.

“There is an incredible momentum on this issue. I hope everyone gets on the bandwagon and does something positive,” said Mary Faulkner, chairwoman of the Westville management group. She said traffic calming measures not only increase pedestrian safety, they enhance economic development and actually move traffic more efficiently. “We have to have more say in how our streets are designed,” Faulkner said.

WFSB-3 News Video on Safe Streets

http://www.wfsb.com/video/16658656/index.html

The news video includes a clip of a car running a red light at the intersection of Davis and Whalley, where 11-year-old Gabrielle Lee was killed earlier this month, several seconds after the light change.

Hill South and Hill North CMT vote to endorse petition

Coverage here. http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/06/hill_north_and.php

New Haven Independent: Amid Deadly Zoom, "Calmers" Petition

New Haven Independent: Amid Deadly Zoom, "Calmers" Petition

Canvassers are working to collect signatures and educate the public on the dangers of traffic safety, including recent injuries and deaths throughout New Haven. Contact the coalition if you would like to volunteer for an hour or two.