Reporting in the New Haven Independent:
An 18-year-old girl told police she was in the crosswalk when she was hit by a car on Farnham Avenue on Tuesday night. The 83-year-old woman who hit her told cops the teen wasn’t using the crosswalk.
As is often the case when vehicles mow down pedestrians, the driver was not charged. In many other countries, they would have automatically been found to be at fault by the law, unless specifically proven otherwise (given that they are operating a more powerful vehicle).
Luckily for the student who was hit, the driver appears to have been traveling at a slow speed, perhaps encouraged by the presence of an in road pedestrian sign.
Showing posts with label In-Street Crosswalk Signs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In-Street Crosswalk Signs. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Saturday, June 13, 2009
City Places In-Street "Yield to Pedestrian" Sign
Original Post, 10/17/08: The first in-street "yield to pedestrian in crosswalk" sign in New Haven was installed this week on State Street, and another "test" sign is reportedly planned for the intersection of Lincoln and Trumbull today. New Haven Independent coverage and photo here, and New Haven Register coverage is posted here.
Additional signs have been purchased, and many neighborhood groups have sent in recommendations for where they should be placed. Potential locations include Orange & Wall, Edgewood & West Rock, College & Wall, Mansfield & Sachem, Dixwell & Bristol, various intersections along Howard, State and Orange, and many others.
Click here (Word DOC file) for a copy of the original request letter, which was sent in by Elm City Cycling and the Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group and CC'ed to the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition.
Additional signs have been purchased, and many neighborhood groups have sent in recommendations for where they should be placed. Potential locations include Orange & Wall, Edgewood & West Rock, College & Wall, Mansfield & Sachem, Dixwell & Bristol, various intersections along Howard, State and Orange, and many others.
Click here (Word DOC file) for a copy of the original request letter, which was sent in by Elm City Cycling and the Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group and CC'ed to the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition.
Update: The signs have received great preliminary reviews by local residents: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/10/new_signs_of_th.php
Update 6/13/09: The signs have now been placed in crosswalks all throughout the City of New Haven. Contact the City's transportation department to request more.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
City Encourages Celebration of National Walk to Work Day: Friday 4/3
Mayor DeStefano Urges City Employees to Celebrate National Walk to Work Day, this Friday, April 3
Mayor DeStefano, the Health Department and the Transportation, Traffic and Parking Department will kick-off the Spring Street Smarts Campaign at a National Walk to Work event this Friday at 8 a.m. at the intersections of Court Street and Olive Street, and Court Street and State Street in Downtown. At this event, residents will have the opportunity to sign up for the City’s Street Smarts program, receive useful tips on becoming safer pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Also at this event, the City will unveil ten of the twenty new in-road pedestrian signs that will be installed throughout New Haven over the course of the next several weeks.
On National Walk to Work Day employees are encouraged to walk for all or part of their commute to work and to aim for a minimum 15 minute walk each way. If you take public transportation, try walking to a further stop before boarding, or getting off a stop early and walking the rest of the distance to work. If an employee’s commute is too long, they can make it a Walk to Lunch Day.
Walking for 30-60 minutes a day greatly reduces risks of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. By finding a way to make walking part of each day, experts say, you are giving yourself proven health benefits far beyond any promised by herbs, vitamins, or prescription drugs.
New Haven has the highest percentage of residents who walk to work of any large city in New England. In fact, less than half of all New Haveners take a single-occupant vehicle to work and Prevention Magazine ranks New Haven as a Top 20 "Best Walking City".
As always, employees are encouraged to practice Street Smarts. Street Smarts go beyond simply obeying the traffic regulations or driving below the speed limit. Street Smarts call for attentiveness at all times; patience with others and a willingness to share the road.
National Walk to Work Day is endorsed by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the American Podiatric Medical Association.
(text from city announcement)
Mayor DeStefano, the Health Department and the Transportation, Traffic and Parking Department will kick-off the Spring Street Smarts Campaign at a National Walk to Work event this Friday at 8 a.m. at the intersections of Court Street and Olive Street, and Court Street and State Street in Downtown. At this event, residents will have the opportunity to sign up for the City’s Street Smarts program, receive useful tips on becoming safer pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Also at this event, the City will unveil ten of the twenty new in-road pedestrian signs that will be installed throughout New Haven over the course of the next several weeks.
On National Walk to Work Day employees are encouraged to walk for all or part of their commute to work and to aim for a minimum 15 minute walk each way. If you take public transportation, try walking to a further stop before boarding, or getting off a stop early and walking the rest of the distance to work. If an employee’s commute is too long, they can make it a Walk to Lunch Day.
Walking for 30-60 minutes a day greatly reduces risks of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. By finding a way to make walking part of each day, experts say, you are giving yourself proven health benefits far beyond any promised by herbs, vitamins, or prescription drugs.
New Haven has the highest percentage of residents who walk to work of any large city in New England. In fact, less than half of all New Haveners take a single-occupant vehicle to work and Prevention Magazine ranks New Haven as a Top 20 "Best Walking City".
As always, employees are encouraged to practice Street Smarts. Street Smarts go beyond simply obeying the traffic regulations or driving below the speed limit. Street Smarts call for attentiveness at all times; patience with others and a willingness to share the road.
National Walk to Work Day is endorsed by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the American Podiatric Medical Association.
(text from city announcement)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Woman Killed by Hit and Run in West Haven
WTNH TV-8, 9/25/08: West Haven, CT: A 74-year old woman died at an area hospital after being struck by hit- and-run driver this morning in West Haven. Anna D'Agostino was struck around 6:15 a.m. near 2nd Ave. and Beach Street, near Captain's Galley Restaurant. Becky Shutle knows the area in which D'Agostino walks and says drivers aren't always cognizant of walkers. "In the summer, police put out signs saying pedestrians have the right of way but even then the drivers rarely stop," she said.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Yale Daily News Op-Ed: Do not delay safer streets
http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/25009
... To where, then, should the administration turn its immediate attention? Here are five areas of concern:
1) Trumbull and Prospect, arguably the most terrifying intersection at Yale, is a disaster waiting to happen. Vehicles zoom around the bend with minimal regard for students, even though hundreds pass through on their way up or down Science Hill. The University promised to add a crosswalk here, but this improvement should have been completed before the school year began. For now, confusion reigns.
2) The stretch of Elm Street between Howe and College should be marked as a pedestrian-priority zone, and crosswalk indicators should be added to the intersection at High Street, between Old Campus and Rose Walk — one of the most frequented intersections on campus.
3) Although Mila Rainof MED ’08 died after a collision at South Frontage Road and York Street, danger still abounds around Yale-New Haven Hospital.
4) The stretch of Grove Street between SSS and Payne Whitney should be rethought. Cars move quickly, and pedestrian visibility is dim: curb extensions and crosswalk signs could do the trick.
5) Other intersections that need in-street crosswalk signs include Mansfield and Sachem, Hillhouse and Trumbull, Whitney and Trumbull, and Whitney and Audubon.
... Waiting could prove a fatal error. Improvement should — no, must — come this month. Anything less at a university of Yale’s standards and wealth is unacceptable.
Also see yesterday's news article: http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24990
... To where, then, should the administration turn its immediate attention? Here are five areas of concern:
1) Trumbull and Prospect, arguably the most terrifying intersection at Yale, is a disaster waiting to happen. Vehicles zoom around the bend with minimal regard for students, even though hundreds pass through on their way up or down Science Hill. The University promised to add a crosswalk here, but this improvement should have been completed before the school year began. For now, confusion reigns.
2) The stretch of Elm Street between Howe and College should be marked as a pedestrian-priority zone, and crosswalk indicators should be added to the intersection at High Street, between Old Campus and Rose Walk — one of the most frequented intersections on campus.
3) Although Mila Rainof MED ’08 died after a collision at South Frontage Road and York Street, danger still abounds around Yale-New Haven Hospital.
4) The stretch of Grove Street between SSS and Payne Whitney should be rethought. Cars move quickly, and pedestrian visibility is dim: curb extensions and crosswalk signs could do the trick.
5) Other intersections that need in-street crosswalk signs include Mansfield and Sachem, Hillhouse and Trumbull, Whitney and Trumbull, and Whitney and Audubon.
... Waiting could prove a fatal error. Improvement should — no, must — come this month. Anything less at a university of Yale’s standards and wealth is unacceptable.
Also see yesterday's news article: http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/24990
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Response from Mayor DeStefano on In-Street Crosswalk Signs
http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/traffic-safety/2008-August/000033.html
Hello everyone, Recently our group joined with Elm City Cycling to write to Mayor DeStefano requesting use of in-street pedestrian crossing signs in New Haven. Below is the Mayor's response and the original letter. I have to give most of the credit to Tom Harned and the folks at Elm City Cycling who have been pushing for these signs over the past few years and put in the work to write a well-researched proposal. Please send me an email if you would like to see a picture of the signs we are talking about. Rachel
-- August 8, 2008 Elm City Cycling c/o Thomas Harned Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group c/o Rachel Wattier
Re: In-Street Unsignalized Pedestrian Crosswalk Signs
Dear Mr. Harned and Ms. Wattier:
Thank you for your letter of August 5, 2008 concerning the use of
in-street, unsignalized pedestrian crosswalk signs. The City has
reviewed your letter not only from the perspective of increased
pedestrian safety, but also from a broader mission to create liveable
streets and to develop a cultural "share-the-road" mindset in New
Haven.
In regard to the specific request of your letter, the City's
prevailing concerns about in-street signs do not relate to liability
or effectiveness. In fact, the Transportation, Traffic and Parking
Department - following meetings with you and others - has reviewed
this technique and concurs there is merit to this technique. Our
prevailing concern is related to maintenance and this is an issue that
can be addressed.
With that in mind, my staff will arrange for the two of you to meet
with city staff and develop a pilot program for implementation at
once. We will look for opportunities based on accident criteria and
road condition and then implement accordingly. Longer term, we
continue to work on the broader mission and this includes
outreach/educations, new thinking on physical improvement and
systematic traffic enforcement.
Thank you again for your time and detailed research. I encourage you
to continue to work closely with City staff on the other major
projects in this fiscal year. These include the Union Station
Interconnect of bike route (s) / bike parking connecting Union Station
with four city neighborhoods; the proposed Complete Streets
Resolution; the various ongoing traffic calming improvements; and a
new education / outreach effort. Our collective effort will indeed
result in a more sustainable transportation system here in New Haven.
Very truly yours,
John DeStefano, Jr.
Mayor
City of New Haven
August 5, 2008
Mayor John DeStefano, Jr.
New Haven Mayor's Office
165 Church St # 2
New Haven, CT 06510
Re: In-Street Unsignalized Pedestrian Crosswalk Signs
Dear Mayor DeStefano:
We have prepared this letter on behalf of Elm City Cycling, the Yale
Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group, and numerous members and
supporters of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, formally
requesting that the city of New Haven permit and pilot the use of
in-street Unsignalized Pedestrian Crosswalk signs on public roadways.
We will outline the purpose and proper use of the devices, the
perceived barriers that have prevented the use of these devices in the
past, and offer supporting evidence outlining the safety and efficacy
of the devices.
In light of the recent tragedies that have occurred on New Haven's
roadways, numerous community groups have taken up the cause of traffic
calming and the need for streets that are safe for all roadway users
whether they be pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists. Many of these
groups have assembled as the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition. While
we, Elm City Cycling, Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group and
various members and supporters of the New Haven Safe Streets
coalition, believe that major changes in roadway design and
enforcement of the traffic laws are necessary to achieve streets that
are safe for all citizens, we also believe that there are
cost-effective short-term solutions available.
Chief among these is the in-street Unsignalized Pedestrian Crosswalk
sign, or the Yield to Pedestrian in Crosswalk Device (YTPCD). A
photograph of several variations of the device is shown in Figure 1 on
the following page.
Figure 1 – In Street YTPCD Devices
The YTPCD is a standard roadway sign used by municipalities across the
state of Connecticut, as well as major cities throughout the country.
Its purpose is to signify to drivers that state law dictates that
motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Placing the sign
in the roadway serves to alert drivers to the presence of the
crosswalk and in doing so creates a safer environment for pedestrians.
Additionally, the presence of an object in the roadway tends to cause
drivers to reduce their travel speed thereby producing a traffic
calming effect, which yields safety benefits to all roadway users.
The device is outlined in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD), a publication produced by the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) of the United States Department of
Transportation (USDOT). This is the manual used by transportation
professionals throughout the country and spells out the standards by
which traffic signs, road markings and signals are designed,
installed, and utilized. The in-street YTPCD has two variations in the
MUTCD: R1-6 and R1-6a. A copy of the portion of the MUTCD describing
this device is enclosed.
Elm City Cycling, the Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group and
numerous members and supporters of the New Haven Safe Streets
Coalition have frequently expressed interest in the potential
deployment of this device. However, the city of New Haven has thus
far declined to utilize it, citing several objections.
The first of these objections is the issue of liability. City staff
has, in the past, expressed concern that the city could be held liable
if a driver struck a YTPCD that had been placed in the street. While
we understand the city's concern, we feel that it is largely
unwarranted. As noted before, the YTPCD is an established sign listed
in the MUTCD. As such, assuming it is installed and utilized properly
within accepted traffic engineering practices, the city's liability is
limited, if not eliminated. To give an example, the Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has installed 4,500 such signs
since 2001. According to PennDOT officials, to date, the state has not
been sued by a motorist who struck a sign.
The second objection, often heard is that the sign would not result in
increased safety for pedestrians. It has been argued that it would
simply be another sign largely ignored by motorists. This objection is
a justifiable reaction, as many traffic signs are indeed ignored by
motorists. This is precisely why we are requesting the use of the
in-street YTPCD. Motorists in the United States are largely
unaccustomed to objects placed in the roadway. Therefore, when signs
are placed in the roadway, they tend to attract the attention of
drivers. In fact, a study by PennDOT confirms this. A safety
evaluation of PennDOT's yield-to-pedestrian devices revealed the
following results:
The likelihood of the first motorist arriving at a crosswalk yielding
to a waiting pedestrian increased 30-34 percent at intersections and
17-24 percent at midblock
crosswalks;
The percentage of pedestrians who yielded to motorists decreased 11-16
percent at intersections and 8-13 percent at crosswalks – PennDOT
concluded that this result suggests increased pedestrian security at
crosswalks.
A copy of the full PennDOT report on the efficacy of YTPCD can be
provided to the city upon request.
The third objection that we have heard from city officials and police
in the past is that while the YTPCD is utilized successfully in dozens
of other communities in Connecticut, the political and cultural
realities in New Haven are sufficiently different, such that the
successes realized elsewhere could not and would not be duplicated
here in New Haven. While it is true that New Haven is in many ways
very different from the suburban communities that surround it, towns
and cities of all sizes have realized the benefits of the YTPCD.
Provided below is a partial list of towns, cities, and states that
currently utilize the YTPCD:
Rocky Hill, CT
Winsted, CT
Windsor, CT
Washington, CT
Salisbury, CT
Kent, CT
Norwalk, CT
Milwaukee, WI
Baltimore, MD
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The YTPCD is a standard traffic control device that is approved for
used by the FHWA, and utilized throughout the country to improve
pedestrian safety. The reasons given by city staff in the past for not
using the devices are not supported by the experience of other cities,
and do not agree with relevant studies on the matter.
In light of the significant benefits to pedestrian safety that could
be realized through use of the YTPCD, as well as the minimal cost of
the device when compared to other safety improvements, we strongly
urge that you work with the appropriate city staff to allow for the
pilot implementation of a minimum of 20 Yield to Pedestrian in
Crosswalk Devices throughout the city no later than November of 2008.
Additionally, we recommend that the pilot implementation be
coordinated with the New Haven Police Department to include increased
enforcement of existing traffic laws at the pilot locations selected.
We believe this will maximize the efficacy of the device and increase
driver awareness of its use.
Finally, we respectfully request a meeting with representatives of all
relevant city departments to discuss the details of such an
implementation. Issues to be discussed include: scheduling, potential
pilot locations, design standards such as minimum street widths and
device placement, as well as any additional concerns or questions that
city staff may have.
If you have any questions, or need any additional materials, please
contact Tom Harned of Elm City Cycling.
Very truly yours,
Tom Harned, representing:
ELM CITY CYCLING
85 Avon Street, Apt. 2
New Haven, CT 06511
Rachel Wattier, representing:
YALE MEDICAL CAMPUS TRAFFIC SAFETY GROUP
382 Whitney Ave., Apt. 10
New Haven, CT 06511
CC:
New Haven Board of Aldermen
Michael Piscitelli, AICP, Director, Dept. of Transportation, Traffic &
Parking, City of New Haven
Robert Smuts, Chief Administrative Officer, City of New Haven
Lt. Joseph Witkowski, New Haven Department of Police Service
State Senator Toni N. Harp
State Senator Martin M. Looney
State Representative Juan Candelaria
State Representative Patricia Dillon
State Representative Bill Dyson
State Representative Robert W. Megna
State Representative Cameron Staples
State Representative Toni E. Walker
Dixwell CMT (DECMT)
Downtown-Wooster Square CMT
Dwight CMT
East Rock CMT
East Shore CMT
Fair Haven CMT
Hill North CMT
Hill South CMT
Newhallville CMT
Quinnipiac East CMT (QEMT)
Westville-West Hills CMT
Whalley-Edgewood-Beaver Hills CMT
1000 Friends of Connecticut
America Walks
Cedar Hill Blockwatch
Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance
Chatham Square Association
Church on the Rock - New Haven
City Point Hist. Dist. Neighborhood Assoc.
CitySeed
Coalition for a Livable Whalley
Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel
Connecticut Bicycle Coalition
Edgewood Neighborhood Association
Edgewood Park Defense Patrol
Elm City Cycling
Friends of East Rock Park
Friends of Edgewood Park
Grand Avenue Village Association
Hill City Point Neighborhood Action Group
Historic Wooster Square Association
New Haven Bioregional Group
New Haven Environmental Justice Network
New Haven Urban Design League
Quinnipiac River Community Group
Ronan-Edgehill Neighborhood Association
Safe Kids Connecticut - Greater NH Chapter
Town Green Special Services District
Transportation Alternatives
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Trowbridge Square Renaissance
Upper State Street Association
West River Neighborhood Services Corporation
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
Whalley Avenue Special Services District
Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group
Yale Public Health Coalition
Thursday, August 7, 2008
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
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
Sunday, August 3, 2008
"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.
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.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Chicago Crosswalk Sting and "Drive With Care" Program
CROSSWALK STING: CHICAGO TRIBUNE UPDATE
Police officers in plainclothes targeting drivers who don't yield to pedestrians, By Melissa Patterson, Chicago Tribune reporter, June 9, 2008
The Chicago police had announced what they were up to: a sting to nab drivers who don't yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. They even disclosed the when and the where. It was in all the papers—on Page One.
Still, when Officer John Porter stepped cautiously into the crosswalk at the busy intersection of North Lawndale and West Belmont Avenues on Monday, he put himself in harm's way, time after time.
In just two hours, with Porter as their lone decoy, police pulled over 101 drivers, issuing them warning citations.
While motorists in some other towns may stop, smile and even wave to pedestrians, that doesn't seem to be the Chicago way, officials said.
Announced last week, the sting was a joint effort by the Chicago police, Chicago Department of Transportation and the driving-safety campaign, which is run by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. Part of a larger awareness effort incorporating marketing, enforcement and street design, the campaign is funded through a traffic safety grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Leaders of Northwest Chicago Drive With Care eventually hope to expand the program citywide and statewide. Pedestrian rallies, a 30,000-signature Drive With Care pledge and a yard-sign awareness campaign are a few of the events planned for later this year, Mihalic said.
Police officers in plainclothes targeting drivers who don't yield to pedestrians, By Melissa Patterson, Chicago Tribune reporter, June 9, 2008
The Chicago police had announced what they were up to: a sting to nab drivers who don't yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. They even disclosed the when and the where. It was in all the papers—on Page One.
Still, when Officer John Porter stepped cautiously into the crosswalk at the busy intersection of North Lawndale and West Belmont Avenues on Monday, he put himself in harm's way, time after time.
In just two hours, with Porter as their lone decoy, police pulled over 101 drivers, issuing them warning citations.
While motorists in some other towns may stop, smile and even wave to pedestrians, that doesn't seem to be the Chicago way, officials said.
Announced last week, the sting was a joint effort by the Chicago police, Chicago Department of Transportation and the driving-safety campaign, which is run by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. Part of a larger awareness effort incorporating marketing, enforcement and street design, the campaign is funded through a traffic safety grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Leaders of Northwest Chicago Drive With Care eventually hope to expand the program citywide and statewide. Pedestrian rallies, a 30,000-signature Drive With Care pledge and a yard-sign awareness campaign are a few of the events planned for later this year, Mihalic said.
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