Stand in Support of Safe Streets: Board Committee Calls for Safer Streets at Route 34

Original Post, 10/12/11: Below are two urgent action items from David Streever regarding tomorrow's meeting of the City of New Haven Board of Aldermen. We apologize for any cross-postings. Link to the resolution under consideration: http://blog.tstc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/route34resolution.pdf

1. Stand in support of safe streets!

5 pm, in front of city hall, this Thursday, October 13th. The Community Development Committee will meet tomorrow night at 5:30pm in City Hall (165 Church Street) to deliberate on the resolution asking the city to design the new Route 34 project to knit the city together and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

There will be NO testimony at the meeting. We would like to show up just to show support for the resolution. The meeting will be short, and we will simply be standing in the background (with signs) to show the committee how many citizens care about this. Please come to City Hall AT FIVE PM! on Thursday.

2. A 30 second phone call can shape history!

As soon as possible, please call the following alderpersons on the Community Development Committee to highlight how important it is to make the project more pedestrian and bicycle friendly: Marcus Paca: 203-507-7892, Greg Morehead: 203-507-7766, Arlene DePino: 203-467-9306

This project has the potential to completely reshape our city--for good or for ill--for the next 60 years. Not sure what to say? The crucial thing is to share your experiences with dangerous traffic, and how scary it can be to get from point A to B especially around Route 34. Remind them that the plan as stands calls for WIDENING the highway.

In spite of the advocacy of thousands of residents since 2006, this project may not be built in a way that is consistent with the city and state's award-winning 2008 and 2009 "complete streets" laws. For example, some pedestrian crossing distances may be significantly widened in areas that are already perceived by many local residents and workers as "death zones," and bicycle infrastructure may be limited or nonexistent in areas. According to the City, many if not most of the "Stage 2 bike/pedestrian" improvements are planned to be left to a future phase of work that is currently unfunded and may not happen.

Tell them that you agree with the spirit of the resolution, which makes no demands, but merely urges the city to design the road in a way that will increase safety. If you have extra time please also contact other local elected officials, work colleagues, or leaders within your community.

Background

Thursday's Board of Aldermen agenda: http://legsvcs.cityofnewhaven.com/meetings/2011/10/1553_A_Community_Development_Committee_11-10-13_Agenda.pdf

Some coverage of the resolution:
+ http://blog.tstc.org/2011/09/06/new-haveners-worry-route-34-removal-will-be-less-than-transformative/
+http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/contentious_meeting/

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Update 10/20/11: The resolution mentioned above passed the Board of Aldermen's Community Development Committee by a vote of 4-3, and now goes to the full board. Congratulations to the sponsors and everyone who lobbied for this! Whether or not the resolution in its current form passes the Board, a significant victory has been achieved and our coalitions have brought increased local and national attention to the project.

Press Coverage:
+ Atlantic Cities, October 20, 2011: In New Haven, Debating the Best Road Forward http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/10/new-haven-debating-the-best-road-forward/328/
+ New Haven Register, October 14, 2011: New Haven aldermanic committee OKs Route 34 redevelopment resolution http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/10/14/news/new_haven/doc4e97a8ee5e411510221999.txt
+ New Haven Independent, October 14, 2011: Panel Urges Downtown Crossing Re-do http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/split_panel_urges_downtown_crossing_re-do/
+ Yale Daily News, October 14, 2011: Pro-bike resolution passes http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/oct/14/pro-bike-resolution-passes/
+ Congress for the New Urbanism, November 4, 2011: News from New Haven on the Oak Street Connector (Route 34) http://www.cnu.org/cnu-salons/2011/11/news-new-haven-oak-street-connector-route-34