Description
Neither we nor our neighbors can currently cross safely to Edgerton Park and Saint Thomas Church on the other side of the avenue. Cars are driving too fast for this residential area (no one is respecting the 25 miles/hour speed limit) and the next pedestrian crossings on East Rock road and across from the Eli museum are too far and no one uses them as a result. We have two children (2 and 5). We see old people, families, people with strollers and dogs cross all the time at this dangerous juncture. We very much hope the city can install a pedestrian crossing and slow down sign for the safety of all. Thank you.
181 Comments
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Sean (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
jff (Registered User)
Barbara (Registered User)
Barbara Hill
Steve B (Registered User)
This is an important issue. Living on Cliff St., I have thought about it for a long time and feel bad that so far I have done nothing about it. Cars face no traffic light for a long stretch and then come barreling over a hill into New Haven on Whitney going 50 mph. It is terrifying for pedestrians. Whenever an NHPD traffic unit sets up on this stretch, they can issue as many tickets as they like on any day, but it doesn't seem to help. A recent street re-striping is nice, but it helps only a bit. This intersection connects the densely populated side of Whitney to a church and elementary school as well as an important city park. In addition, this is the entryway to a pedestrian filled neighborhood, and it would be good to mark it at the start.
Seeclickfix is a good start for this issue, but can we do more? How do we file a "safe streets proposal"? The presence of an elementary school might help quite a bit.
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Garrett (Registered User)
Lauren P (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
BG (Registered User)
FairHavenRes (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
Thanks for supporting our cause. I just want to report that the alderwoman representing our neighborhood Anna Festa in on the case too and so we just need to keep the momentum going. Please keep spreading the word and getting us votes!
On a completely unrelated note, a non-collared medium-sized grey dog walked in on our front yard this morning. He seemed lost and was at risk of being run over by cars so we took him in. Attached is a picture. I have now reported him to the authorities. We are awaiting the legitimate owner! Please spread the word too.
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
ZB (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Nantle (Registered User)
Bron (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Lauren P (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Research from London (UK) department for transport shows the following relationship between the speed and fatal injury for pedestrians:
20mph impact speed = 0.8% fatal injury
30mph impact speed = 5.5% fatal injury
40mph impact speed = 30.3% fatal injury
50mph impact speed = 78.3% fatal injury
60mph impact speed = 98.2% fatal injury
Analysis based on Bayesian approach using OTS and police fatal file dataset, for more details check: http://nacto.org/docs/usdg/relationship_between_speed_risk_fatal_injury_pedestrians_and_car_occupants_richards.pdf (data was taken from page 38, and attached picture from page 39)
Looking at this data I am even more convinced that we must to something to improve safety. It is unacceptable that average speed of 50mph is tolerated in 25mph zone, and this research shows that.
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Accidents keep happening (and as Barbara mentioned there was even a fatality). When are city authorities going to do something about this?
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Regards,
Anna Festa
Alder Ward 10
Avi (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Becky (Registered User)
lofernande@gmail.com (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Since other researches showed reduction in crashes by 5% for every 1mph of speed reduction, combination of radar feedback sign, pedestrian safety island and HAWK beacon would make this crossing very safe indeed.
Anna Festa, from what I can find on the internet, I see that the price for installed HAWK beacon is more than ten times the price of a radar feedback sign (traffic lights are even more expensive). Do you know what is the correlation between a cost for the project and a chance of the project being implemented? I would like to see at least some solution, so please advise us what can we realistically aim for, and we will adjust our request accordingly.
Darko (Registered User)
Sean (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
lofernande@gmail.com (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
EW (Registered User)
Often when I cross there are others coming from the east side of Whitney to walk their dogs in Edgerton park. It looks like an accident waiting to happen. Any or all of the solutions proposed in the article (linked above) would help.
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
dan (Registered User)
The speeding problem exists all along Whitney Avenue from Whitneyville in Hamden south into New Haven. It is particularly dangerous at the Whitney/Cliff intersection because a) so many people, often with young children, cross there to gain entrance to the park; and b) children and adults often cross there on their way to and from the day school associated with the church.
I have personally seen class groups trying to cross Whitney while on their way to The Eli Whitney Museum and Water Center, and the lack of courtesy and common sense of drivers who don't slow down creates a dangerous situation for all concerned. Also, equipment such as soccer balls that the children use during recess occasionally go over the playground fence into the street. While the kids aren't allowed to leave the playground, it is a dangerous proposition for the adults to cross the street to recover the equipment.
As others have mentioned, strict enforcement of the speed limit and the installation of a crosswalk would help to make this intersection safer for both pedestrians and drivers. Additional traffic calming measures, as local government resources would allow, would be a wise investment for the safety of all concerned.
Sean (Registered User)
Has there been ANY progress on this issue over the past year?
I think this neighborhood deserves an explanation.
Darko (Registered User)
Hi Sean. I was hoping some of the officials will answer, but since they didn't let me do it instead.
On June 9th city transit chief Doug Hausladen replied to my email stating: "We are in process of designing a number of projects, and this one is a priority for both the Alder and the neighborhood. More will be forthcoming on design progress through the Alders and CMT’s –" . In the same thread State Representative Michael D'Agostino offered his help in interfacing with DOT.
So things are looking good, but we are still missing exact dates.
Sean (Registered User)
Hi Darko. I was hoping some officials would respond too! But thank you for the update!
It does sound promising; I'll look forward to hearing more about the plans when they are available!
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Catherine (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
It is mid September 2018. Honestly I feel it's despicable that nothing has been done, that this has not been addressed as an urgent matter by the city . Schools , church and park goers, children , dogs , parents , commuters on bikes or foot, all with their lives in danger. 66 comments so far....Two years and ongoing........
Active citizen (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
the last post was a yer ago. I hope these posts motivate neighbors to continue posting to make this active again. Another school year has begun.
EW (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Closed Manager of Operations, Process Improvement - Transportation, Traffic, & Parking (Verified Official)
Reopened Darko (Registered User)
Lea (Registered User)
It would be wonderful if somebody would actually take into consideration all these comments! I think we need to do more to alert the drivers that it is necessary to slow down to the posted speed limit of 25 mph.
There are many possible solutions to this: 1) adding additional pedestrian crossing closer to the Edgerton Park (Cliff Street), 2) making the speed limit sign more visible to the drivers, 3) adding additional traffic signaling, 4) installing speeding cameras and increasing the presence of the police in the area.
This area is full of children! There are 2 elementary schools on the Whitney Avenue between Cliff St and Huntington St.
We are a family of 3 and we live close to the intersection of Whitney Avenue and East Rock Road.
We love to walk and use the pedestrian path along the Whitney Avenue!
Steve B (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Best,
Anna Festa
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Maria (Registered User)
Transportation, Traffic & Parking Department Notifications (Verified Official)
Acknowledged Transportation, Traffic & Parking Department Notifications (Verified Official)
JM (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
I really can't believe this.
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
New Haven Resident (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Sean (Registered User)
EW (Registered User)
Monica M (Registered User)
Many good comments here in this feed. I am in complete support of Darko’s suggested pedestrian safety island and crossing. It is way too easy to absentmindedly pick up speed through this area and for people crossing back and forth across the Hamden line, it hasn’t historically been easy to know and see the speed limit. I know before Hooker building on Whitney was complete, I had no idea what the speed limit was supposed to be. I cross over at willow anytime I leave my house to go to the Park to avoid having to cross that stretch of road and it seems ridiculous for the amount of foot traffic that there isn’t a safe place to cross near the park.
Would like to see TTP provide regular updates to these people that took the time to provide feedback and express concerns.
Johan (Registered User)
If I was a politician in a position to influence this situation, I'd be smart.
Coming from the north this is the first intersection going into the city of New Haven from the north.
If you can get cars to slow down there, you will benefit from lower speeds further all the way down Whitney Ave.
Using the Cliff st. intersection as an early sign to tell drivers they're now entering an area with pedestrians and bicycles, schools and kids – will not only serve the immediate neighborhood but, in fact, all that part of Whitney Ave.
It's not about this one intersection – it's half a mile of fewer accidents due to lower speeds coming in.
I'd say it's the smartest investment you could make to produce a safer Whitney Avenue.
In other words – use Cliff st/Whitney Ave. to reduce speeds early on and benefit from it all the way into town.
I think we'd be surprised by the effects that would have for a reduction in speed along a good part of Whitney and, hence, fewer traffic accidents not only around this one spot but over a much larger area.
I'm assuming it's common sense for traffic management and they just didn't look into it properly yet.
For once, here's an opportunity to make a serious difference with a minimal investment.
lcomita (Registered User)
Megan7 (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
R (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
gbgb (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
New Haven Promises Roundabout to end traffic issue next to Yale Bowl
NEW HAVEN — Jory Harris estimates there’s a fender bender once a week at the intersection of Yale Avenue and Chapel Street near where he and his wife have lived for two years. “In our first month …
full article...https://www.ctinsider.com/nhregister/
https://www.newhavenct.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=23184
New Haven complete streets design Manuel..
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Steve B (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Dear “Newhavenresident”. If you take a look at the research posted on 08/27/2016, and look at the measured speeds posted on 07/18/2016 and 06/11/2019 the effect of radar feedback sign is exactly aligned with results in the research. This measure, according research added in the comment on 08/20/2016, would reduce chance of fatal accident by 50% (actually more as probability for accident to happen in the first place is lower at lower speed). Adding pedestrian safety island with appropriate signalisation (the same as on few other places in the city, such as Olive st, Temple St, Prospect St, Audubon St, etc…), according to research posted on 10/01/2016 would result in 97% drivers compliance.
Complete elimination of speeding and complete drivers compliance did not happen in any study that I am aware of. If you are aware of any, please let the city officials know. Help us resolve this particular issue by having realistic expectations (aligned with multiple researches), and staying focused on safe pedestrian crossing towards Edgerton Park. More general and more complex issue that you are trying to solve is better aligned with issues #3724998 and #4496582, so please raise your concerns there, and please don’t derail the resolution of this particular issue when finally something started to happen.
Lynn (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
coco (Registered User)
Justin (Registered User)
Doug Hausladen (Registered User)
Good afternoon. Alder Festa requested the department re-engage on this issue on SeeClickFix. As of this moment, there is no design nor construction approved for Whitney Avenue due to limitations in staff and budget. Alder Festa has requested that representatives from Engineering and TT&P attend the October East Rock CMT meeting to discuss the corridor.
The departments are in construction season and in design on a number of projects, and the City Engineer marked Whitney Avenue as a State funded project which funds would become available in 2021.
I look forward to receiving folks' remarks and comments at the upcoming East Rock CMT meeting. Giovanni Zinn, the City Engineer, will be in attendance.
Darko (Registered User)
Doug Hausladen (Registered User)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/696613120446762/
I have 10/28/19 at 7pm as the next meeting (4th Monday of every month)
Darko (Registered User)
This is not a big project. Driver Feedback Sign cost $ 2,720, and according to Federal Highway Administration a median price for pedestrian crossing island is $10,460. In 2017 State Representative promised that he will help resolving this issue. On June 9, 2017, in email addressed to you and me, State Representative Michael DAgostino wrote that you should not hesitate to contact him to resolve this issue. Yet, four years will pass between that email and the time when funds will become available. Would you mind clarifying why?
Doug Hausladen (Registered User)
Good morning - here is the list of speed signs we have unresolved before moving into a new batch of speed signs:
1. Dixwell Ave both sides at Argyle
2. Winchester SB at Read St
3. Olive NB b/w Greene and St John
4. Front Street both sides at Chambers
5. Chapel St EB at Wooster Place
6. Wintergreen SB Common Ground and Job Corps
7. Edgewood EB near Ellsworth
8. Quinnipiac SB north of East Grand
9. Burr Street - towards east haven before Dodge
235 Kohary Drive SB
These were ordered for install in December of 2018. We are out of speed signs, and about out of money for the next two years. Therefore, 2021 funding will begin to be available -
There is another batch of signs ordered already, however due to funding and staffing, we are still unable to complete work orders placed about a year ago. I hope this helps -
I do not have a relationship with the Hamden State Rep. Thank you for your interest in this issue. The City Engineer will be at the CMT meeting in October where you can request additional information on curbing and islands.
Darko (Registered User)
If speed sign on Whitney Avenue was priority for both the Alder and the neighbourhood in June 2017, how come it was not on the list of list of speed signs that were supposed to be installed in December 2018? Please clarify?
Our first email discussion regarding pedestrian crossing on Whitney Avenue towards Edgerton Park was on June 24, 2015. More than four years passed since then. A lot of promises were made in the meantime, but nothing has been done.
Please clarify what is the average time for a priority project (as you stated yourself) to be implemented in this city?
Engineering Department (Registered User)
Thank you to everyone who was at the East Rock CMT meeting yesterday evening. As discussed, we will be installing a speed sign as soon as we have new signs in stock which we are ordering shortly.
More importantly, we are slated to receive $1.2 Million in state money through the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP) for Whitney Ave to address traffic calming through the entire corridor and create a street that serves all users of the road, in particular pedestrians.
We thank you for your patience and advocacy, which has lead to this substantial funding for Whitney Avenue. While the construction funding will be available in 2021, we will be starting a community input process in 2020 for this project and hope that you all will be part of it! Once specific dates/times are set we will publish through the CMT and the alders.
R (Registered User)
This is great news and thanks for keeping the community updated!
Closed Manager of Operations, Process Improvement - Transportation, Traffic, & Parking (Verified Official)
Helene (Registered User)
Monica M (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
Steve B (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
105 citizens that voted to resolve this issue receive email updates when comments are posted on this thread. Number of them are for sure still eagerly waiting for an answer from your boss, Director of TTP Douglas Hausladen, why nothing has been done for two and a half years since this project was announced by Hasuladen himself to be priority for the neighbourhood. Please clarify why erasing 125 existing comments that were gathered over the last three and a half years is "the best way for it to be addressed".
Reopened Manager of Operations, Process Improvement - Transportation, Traffic, & Parking (Verified Official)
Hi Everybody,
Thanks for the constructive feedback! I completely agree, this request should not have been closed and we’re re-opening it. This request is exceptional among the closed historic requests in that there is a robust dialogue that should be continued and not restarted. Please be aware that a change to the status of a request does not remove or delete any of the comments ever. The benefit of the re-implementation mass closure of outstanding requests older than 2 years is that it helps identify concerns that still require our attention. If you see any other legitimately outstanding requests that were erroneously closed please feel free to email them to me directly. It was our hope that the closure would highlight issues created prior to 2018 that still needed addressing, and this is a great example of it doing so. Thanks for working with us on this!
Ray Willis
Manager, Operations Process Improvement
Department of Transportation, Traffic, & Parking
City of New Haven
RWillis@newhavenct.gov
Active citizen (Registered User)
Helene (Registered User)
R (Registered User)
If nothing can be done to solve the problem, can the speed awareness trailer that was up for a week or two last summer come back, and stick around? It made a noticeable difference in reminding folks that it's 25, not 55.
Citizen of New Haven (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
Steve B (Registered User)
Citizen of New Haven (Registered User)
Newhavenresident (Registered User)
R (Registered User)
The work is to decommission? rebuild? the UI? station near the eli whitney museum, I think? I remember getting a mailer about it sometime in the last couple of months.
Reiterating my ask, since it'll be 2021 before anything gets done on this (per the funding note above), can the speed awareness trailer make a showing for a few weeks? Park usage is WAY UP (which is good) but means families are playing Frogger on a daily basis while cars clip by...
Pavla (Registered User)
Active citizen (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
coco (Registered User)
Sean (Registered User)
Join us on Wednesday February 10 at 6pm for a public input session on creating a safer, more connected Whitney Ave! The City of New Haven is starting design work on a re-imagining of Whitney Ave that is safer for all users of the road (particularly vulnerable users) and encourages active forms of transportation. Please join us to brainstorm ideas with your neighbors on how to improve Whitney Ave! Link to Zoom webinar: https://bit.ly/39NznJY
Darko (Registered User)
"I just wanted to reach out to make sure you were aware of our meeting on Whitney Ave redesign tomorrow 2/10 at 6pm. The zoom link is: https://bit.ly/39NznJY This first meeting is for soliciting input. While we have received much input in the past as well and will be including it, we want to have a formal input meeting specifically for this project. We will then follow up with another meeting in a couple months with a concept design. I hope you are able to join us. Thank you for your advocacy on this issue."
I think this is an excellent news and everyone with a good and feasible idea should use the opportunity to point-out at dangerous portions of Whitney Avenue and present their solution (preferably a budget friendly one, I would assume)
Darko (Registered User)
Vote on: https://rebrand.ly/Whitney1 and feel free to add additional proposals for safer Whitney Avenue. This is the last step in this effort to resolve the problem, so please spare 1 minute of your time, vote, and share with anyone interested.
coco (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Barbara (Registered User)
25 Burns Street resident
Darko (Registered User)
Hello everyone. The issue is fixed. Please go to: https://rebrand.ly/Whitney1 and vote (actually like with a small heart). At the moment proposal for this issue is on the top of the list, so should be easy to find. Otherwise one can search by zooming in on the crossroad and pressing the dot.
Once again the link is: https://rebrand.ly/Whitney1
Active citizen (Registered User)
Crosswalks (fading, raised crosswalk needed, new crossing needed, etc.) example this one...The ones with a lot of writing I am having a problem with..( the most important ones)
KathleenC37 (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Please join Street Plans, CARE, and the City of New Haven for the first (virtual) public workshop for the Safe Routes for All Citywide Plan on Wednesday, March 24th from 6:00-7:30pm. This active transportation plan will create a roadmap for citywide improvements, enabling residents and visitors to more safely and conveniently walk, bike, roll, and ride! The plan will build on previous studies and plans, and create a comprehensive set of priorities and recommendations to set the City on a path to implementing safe routes for all New Haven residents.
During the first workshop, attendees will hear about the consultant team’s data collection effort, and initial conclusions as to where improvements to streets and sidewalks can be made citywide. Attendees will be encouraged to provide the team with additional feedback, like particularly challenging locations and the current state of their streets.
Zoom Meeting ID: 948 7519 5028
Password: 67608179
Please note that our proposal "Complete solution: PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISLAND + FLASHING PEDESTRIAN CROSSING INDICATOR + DRIVER SPEED FEEDBACK SIGN" got 52 votes in https://rebrand.ly/Whitney1 survey, while the next most voted proposal got 37 votes. This is very strong indication that people want the issue of crossing Whitney Avenue to Edgerton park resolved. Thank you all for voting and encouraging others to vote.
Darko (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Join us on Thursday October 21 at 6pm for a second public input session on creating a safer, more connected Whitney Avenue! Based on your input, the City of New Haven has completed the first phase of design work on a re-imagining of Whitney Avenue that is safer for all users of the road (particularly vulnerable users) and encourages active forms of transportation. At this meeting, we will be sharing a concept design we hope addresses many of the concerns you raised in our first session. Please join us to provide feedback with your neighbors on how to improve Whitney Ave! Registration link for Zoom meeting: https://bit.ly/3j1YLj4
Darko (Registered User)
Anna (Registered User)
Join us on Thursday January 6th at 6pm for a third public input session on creating a safer, more connected Whitney Avenue! At this meeting, we will be reviewing feedback and answering questions about the concept design presented at our second meeting on October 21st. Please join us to provide feedback with your neighbors on how to improve Whitney Ave!
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Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Who makes these decisions?
Darko (Registered User)
Since clearly this is way higher priority (as the cost is significantly higher) than safety for all the pedestrians crossing to Edgerton Park - city officials please provide the explanation why tax payers money are best spent or resurfacing Cliff St, Edgehill Rd, and St. Ronan streets.
Darko (Registered User)
XYZ (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
Lynn (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
Lea (Registered User)
Thank you, City of New Haven, for installing speed bumps on the neighboring streets! This was much needed. As someone pointed out in an earlier post, I hope similar improvements will follow on Whitney Avenue, especially near our beloved Edgerton Park.
Happy New Year everyone!
Darko (Registered User)
Pedestrian safety island and radar feedback sing in 2017 "for sure": https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/article/whitney_avenue_traffic/
Then again in March of 2021, on Safe Routes for All Citywide Plan meeting, pedestrian safety island towards the Edgerton Park got the most votes out of all proposals for pedestrian safety in the neighborhood.
So, that's minus seven years since "for sure", and minus three years since it was democratically decided that the pedestrian safety island is a priority for the neighborhood.
BenHV (Registered User)
BenHV (Registered User)
Post it here?
BenHV (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
newhavencitizen (Registered User)
Darko (Registered User)
hward (Registered User)
You can see the final design for the changes planned on Whitney here
https://www.newhavenct.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/20994/638403993476839151
You can see in the last image that a crosswalk at Cliff is part of the plan. My understanding is that construction of these changes is supposed to start in 2025.