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-070909. Help advocate for safer streets in New Haven: please join the group online to receive future newsletters, roughly once every 4-8 weeks.
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***LOCAL ACTIVITY***
+ July 19: York and Cedar Street Community "Intersection Repair!" Project
Come paint the intersection!! On Sunday, July 19th from 10 am - 2 pm we'll be turning the intersection at Cedar and York Streets in New Haven into a beautiful community space. We'll be painting an elm leaf design right in the middle of the intersection. There will be food & music and no artistic talent is required! Rain date: Sunday, July 26 (10 am - 2pm). Questions? Contact paintelmcity (at) gmail.com.
+ July 9: Future of Whitney Avenue: Neighborhood-Wide Meeting
Thursday, July 9, 7pm, Wilbur Cross High School Cafeteria, 181 Mitchell Drive, New Haven
From Justin Elicker of Friends of East Rock Park: "Whitney Avenue is thankfully being paved as many of you have noticed. That said, there has been great concern among residents that virtually no additional pedestrian, bicycle or traffic-calming infrastructure has been included in the plan. As such, Roland Lemar, David Streever and I are hosting a meeting open to all concerned residents. The meeting will focus on creating a vision for the future of a Whitney Avenue that is safe and community-friendly. I urge you to attend this meeting to highlight the level of concern by residents. If you are unable to make it but wish to be heard, please respond [directly to Justin, or to newhavensafestreets at gmail . com and we will forward your email to him] and I will make sure to voice your concerns at the meeting."
For coverage and links to background articles on the repaving of Whitney Avenue, please see http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/2009/06/whitney-avenue-paving-everything-youd.html.
+ NHPD Enforcement Activity Continues to Increase, New Reporting System In Development
The NHPD issued nearly 2,200 M/V enforcement moving violations in May 2009, compared to roughly 1,000 in May 2007 and 1,200 in May 2008. NHPD Chief Lewis has said that he intends to continue this throughout the year, with a goal of "well over" 20,000 tickets this year (about double the 2007 figure). Based in part on the advocacy of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, the city is also currently working on a much more comprehensive system for evaluating crime, crash and enforcement activity by neighborhood -- which will help our communities work with the city to target traffic safety issues more specifically.
+ City Reports Increase in "Smart Driver" Pledges and In-Street Crosswalk Signs
The City of New Haven has collected over 1,100 "smart driver" pledges as part of its ongoing program to educate road users. Also, over 30 "yield to pedestrians in crosswalk" signs are currently deployed at various crosswalks in the city (compared to 0 signs in July 2008), and more are on the way. These signs function as a traffic calming device and have been proven to be highly effective. Tens of thousands of these signs are currently being used in other states and cities around the Northeast; please contact the City if you wish to request them in your area.
+ Local Candidates Sign Safe Streets Petition
Additional candidates for local office have joined over 2,000 individuals and all 12 New Haven Community Management Teams in signing the New Haven Petition for Safe Streets. Please see http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/2008/06/updated-list-of-petition-sponsors-and.html for an up-to-date list, and encourage your local candidates to lend their support.
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***STATE ACTIVITY***
+ It's the Law: SB735, An Act Improving Bicycle and Pedestrian Access
The bill has adopted a statewide "complete streets policy," created a bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, and required that a minimum of 1% of state and municipal transportation funding is devoted to programs that improve bicycle and pedestrian access (e.g., bikeways and sidewalks with curb cuts or ramps). An 11-member Connecticut Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board will report to the governor, transportation commissioner, and the legislature’s Transportation Committee on actions, policies, and procedures that improve the bicycling and walking environment in Connecticut. This legislation is a first step towards encouraging non-motorized transportation access for users of all ages and abilities, which promotes healthful lifestyles, smart growth, and reduced road congestion.
This bill made it through the Senate by a 31-4 margin, and the House, 123-20, and was signed by Governor Rell in July 2009, taking effect immediately. The Governor's press release on the bill is available at http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?A=3675&Q=442950. Congratulations to the Central CT Bicycle Alliance, Connecticut Commission on Children, Sierra Club, 1000 Friends of Connecticut, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Elm City Cycling, CT Livable Streets Campaign and everyone else who lobbied in support of the bill!
Additional policy-level changes, including some suggested in coverage by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign at http://blog.tstc.org/2009/07/07/gov-rell-signs-complete-streets-bill-into-law/ are still needed to ensure the success of this effort. Although SB735 gives advocates powerful new tools for creating "complete streets," local organizing efforts in cities and towns across the state will continue to play a crucial role.
+ SB149, An Act Concerning the Installation of Red Light Cameras
Despite a large amount of positive testimony from New Haven citizens, local and state elected representatives, city public officials and law enforcement officers, the bill to create a pilot program within New haven did not advance to a vote during this year's busy legislative session. Please contact us if you are interested in working on the issue prior to next year's legislative session.
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***NATIONAL ACTIVITY***
The Transportation for America (T4A) Coalition (see http://t4america.org/who-we-are/ for a list of coalition partners) continues to lobby for change in Washington, DC. New Haven Mayor DeStefano was the first elected official in Connecticut to sign on as a partner in the group's platform for reform, which proposes a 21st century transportation network including strong accountability measures for reducing traffic injuries and fatalities.
Please contact us, any of the T4A coalition partners, or T4A directly if you wish to become involved in ongoing lobbying efforts.
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***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/
* CT Livable Streets Campaign: http://www.ctlivablestreets.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 and dangerous public space conditions here): http://www.seeclickfix.com/