Posted below is the monthly newsletter of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition. The update is also posted online, along with other relevant files, at http://www.livablestreets.com/projects/new-haven-safe-streets-coalition/safe-streets-update-040109. Help advocate for safer streets in New Haven: please join the group online to receive future newsletters, about once every 4-6 weeks.
***LOCAL COALITION ACTIVITY***
___Upcoming Events___
+ Route 34 Corridor West - Thursday, 4/2, 6:00PM, 200 Orange Street Room G2: The city scheduled an additional public workshop after neighborhood concerns were voiced about the corridor's transportation and urban design. Please see http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/03/route_34_going.php and http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/03/hearing_set_for.php for details. All are welcome to attend on Thursday and participate in defining one of the City of New Haven's most significant developments.
+ Human Centered Design Event - Thursday, 4/2 (two public events): The Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group has invited Jeff Rosenblum, Transportation Planner for the City of Cambridge, MA, and Christopher Hart, Director of Urban and Transportation Projects for the Institute for Human Centered Design. Widely known experts in the field, Jeff and Chris will share many words of wisdom about making streets safe, accessible to all, and designed to promote health. Please feel free to share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested.
- 12:30 pm: Lunch talk with Jeff and Chris Harkness Ballroom, 367 Cedar Street, Lunch will be served.
- 8:00 pm: Community-wide event Hall of Graduate Studies, Room 119, 320 York Street, Refreshments will be served.
+ National Walk to Work Day: New Haven Celebration, Friday, 4/3, 8:00AM: 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.
___Recent Events and Updates___
+ Quinnipiac Avenue Community Meeting 3/23 Coverage: http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/2009/03/public-approval-for-quinnipiac-avenue.html
+ Hill Complete Streets Community Meeting and Workshop 3/30 Coverage: http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/2009/03/complete-streets-experts-and-fourth.html
+ City Complete Streets Steering Committee The city has almost finished appointing members to the Steering Committee. Their report is expected to be submitted to the Board of Alderman for ordinance approval in August. See past updates for details on the city's Complete Streets Legislation, passed unanimously by the Board of Alderman in October 2008.
+ NHPD Traffic Enforcement Unit - latest statistics and update The new traffic unit has been issuing more tickets and has the goal of issuing 20,000 MV infractions this year, up from 10,000 in 2007. See http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1233 for an example of a recent report. Also, Lt. Witkowski announced that the NHPD has "incorporated a bicycle law component into the department’s inservice training. This consists of a review of bicycle-related statutes that pertain to both motorists and cyclists, including the recent 3-foot passing standard. Between now and June, all sworn personnel will have undergone this training."
+ Elm City Cycling Bike Plan A working group has begun updating the city's 2003 bike plan. Please contact join the "ECC Bike Plan" Google Group to participate in the planning effort.
***STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY***
The update below is from the CT Livable Streets Campaign, which is coordinating statewide lobbying on livable streets issues. Many supporters of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition serve on its Steering Committee. Both pieces of legislation below have advanced to the floor of the Connecticut General Assembly, but lobbying is needed to get them through this year. If you support the items below, please call your local legislators and ask them to support legislation that will promote safe, livable streets.
+ SB149 AN ACT CONCERNING THE INSTALLATION OF RED LIGHT CAMERAS.
This legislation, originally meant to allow for statewide installation of cameras, has been modified to allow the City of New Haven to install red light cameras for a two-year pilot program. Enforcement of red light running is crucial to creating a safer community by reducing the likelihood of fatal crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, red light running caused 200,000 crashes, 150,000 injuries, and more than 1,100 fatalities in 2001 alone. In addition, in 2002, the Federal Highway Administration estimated that the cost of red light running to the public was $12 billion per year. Local municipalities will treat unpaid red light infractions like unpaid parking infractions, thus, keeping these cases out of court.
Senator Harp is tentatively supportive; if you live in her district, it would be helpful to urge her to support this bill at Harp@senatedems.ct.gov. So far, more than a dozen members of the New Haven Board of Aldermen have sponsored a resolution in favor of this bill, and a public hearing is scheduled within the next few weeks. Contact your Alderperson and encourage them to support the bill, or plan to submit testimony at the hearing.
+ SB735 AN ACT IMPROVING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS (Complete Streets).
This bill will enhance nonmotorized transportation alternatives, promote healthy lifestyles, encourage smart growth and reduce congestion by adopting a complete streets policy, establishing a permanent bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, and devoting a minimum percentage of *existing* funds to programs that improve bicycle and pedestrian access.
Here are a few reasons why so many coalition members and others support this bill:
- Complete Streets is not a radical idea, it has one principle in mind: that our transportation system should work for everyone, not just those who drive cars. This helps the 30% of the population that cannot or does not drive (this figure is much, much higher in cities like New Haven).
- What Complete Streets does is put equity and accountability back into transportation decision making by requiring that the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians be considered in all transportation projects.
- Provision of bicycle and pedestrian facilities will not add to the cost of ongoing projects, but will insure that new projects consider the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians. This bill will create at least 1% of dedicated funding from existing funding, not new funding. NO NEW FUNDING IS NEEDED.
- This will reduce traffic congestion, improve our environment and spur economic development. Improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure will allow children to lead more active lifestyles and reduce obesity rates. The state will not be able to achieve the goals of its adopted Climate Change Action Plan without safe facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Complete streets will make our state’s transit systems more effective. State and local investments in transit improvements will not realize their promise if safe and efficient access to transit stops and stations is not also provided. Safe access to schools is also critical.
- Complete Streets has been adopted in various forms by states and municipalities and a federal bill is making its way through Congress now. Over the past few years the CT Department of Transportation has shown some sensitivity to the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians, but this bill is the next logical step in institutionalizing those gains.
***NATIONAL ACTIVITY***
Complete streets national legislation, and CLEAN TEA transportation reform bill, were introduced last week in Washington. visit T4America for more information. Contact us (or T4A directly) if you would like to be involved in our ongoing lobbying efforts and meetings with elected officials.
***CONTACTS AND PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS***
For previous monthly updates, visit http://www.livablestreets.com/projects/new-haven-safe-streets-coalition/project-home
* New Haven Safe Streets Coalition: newhavensafestreets (at) gmail.com, 203 500 7059, http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/
* City of New Haven Transportation, Traffic & Parking Department: 946 8078
* City of New Haven Traffic Safety Hotline: trafficsafety (at) newhavenct.net, 946 6956
* New Haven Board of Aldermen: http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/aldermen/index.asp (look up your alderperson here)
* SeeClickFix (please report nonemergency issues such as potholes here): http://www.seeclickfix.com/