First Student Inc.

This intersection needs major work. Narrowing the travel lanes by reducing pedestrian crossing distances would be one of the most effective ways to permanently reduce speeds. The city could also consider raised intersections and roundabouts, as they have in other neighborhoods.

Chris Heitmann wrote:

Cars don’t look like that when crashing at 25mph, which is what the posted speed limit is here and throughout New Haven. On neighborhood streets like Central and Willard, it arguably should be slower, more like 20mph. While the NHPD has done an excellent job of stepping up traffic enforcement in the neighborhood, enforcement will only get us so far. Similarly with education: it’s needed, but will have a very limited impact (no pun intended). The third “E” - Engineering - is where the city can really improve safety here. As Pedro suggests, this intersection is an excellent candidate for a small roundabout (not as big as on West Park, for which there’s no room here). Other alternatives would be bumping out the sidewalk at all four corners, thus narrowing the street and reducing crossing distances, raised crosswalks, and/or pedestrian refuges/planted medians leading into the intersection. The city needs to really study what the BEST solution would be here, and to consult with neighbors throughout. My concern with the idea of another traffic light is that cars would arguably speed more in order to make the light. The solution needs to SLOW PEOPLE DOWN, which would make this safer for cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and the kids who cross and wait here for the school bus every morning.

Thank goodness no one was seriously hurt yesterday and that no pedestrians or cyclists without 3000 pounds of steel to product them were in the intersection when this happened. A big thank you to the NHFD for a job well done and to the Independent for bringing attention to this sadly ongoing yet preventable issue.

A few other residents wrote:

- I live a few houses down on Willard, and that intersection is horrible. You have to pull out almost into the middle of Central to see past the street parking, and people fly up and down Central. It’s the only big intersection in the area without a 4 way stop.

- I was almost involved in a serious accident in high school right at this intersection. A guy in a Camaro was flying down central, and I pulled out from willard not seeing him (since he was so far down the street) and he slammed his brakes hard and just missed me. While I was the “cause” of him stopping, it was the fact that he was going about 60 down central that would have caused the accident.

- Central is a nice long straight run through Westville and people use it as a speedway to cross over New Haven all the time since it links Rt 34 to Whalley. The minimal cost of stop signs at all of the unsignaled intersections would greatly reduce the speeds on this street.

- Thank God no one was killed last night. That is without question one of THE WORST intersections in New Haven. Speed on Central Ave combined with poor visibility from Willard is a recipe for casualties.

See http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/grand_am/

I often see, or hear, the big blue and white Yale school bus flying up Bishop Street with the pedal to the medal. The bus screams by, both in speed and sound, revving its engine flying up to Orange Street as if it was heading to YNHH with someone in labor. If a child or person who'd been drinking too much happened to wander into the road, ferget it! Two points for that driver. I tried to tell a cop who was parked on Bishop when I got home tonight, but no one was in the cruiser at the time. I think NHPD oughta park themselves with a speed detector and ticket whoever's racing up and down our streets.

It seems that when the changeover to the new traffic signal on the corner of Chapel and James Streets happened, the timing for the light changes was also changed. Now it takes an excessively *long* time for the light to turn green for James Street drivers. This is particularly problematic because there are TWO SCHOOLS on James Street right near this corner so that at drop off and pick up time, traffic-- including school buses and families picking up and dropping off-- becomes extremely backed up on James, well past Saltonstall and in front of the Martinez School.

This morning, we actually thought the light was broken as we waited, and waited, and waited on James-- the longest we have ever waited in the five years we have worked in this neighborhood.

Please, please-- is there someone from the City, Transportation, Traffic, & Parking, that can come down to see this corner *in person*? Ever since the work began here last spring with the new electric box, pedestrian cross, etc., this corner is a mess, including serious wheelchair accessibility issues as the pedestrian cross pole was put in the middle of the sidewalk. Thank you.

If you are going to speed anonymously through New Haven, don't do it with your employers name plastered on your bright yellow bus. I've been home for 3 weeks now and have watched First Student Buses speeding well over 25mph posted limit both north and south on Front Street. 8:55-9:20 heading North, 1:30 ish, heading South, late afternoonish heading north. Our houses are built on SAND. Speeding over potholes and manhole covers causes them to BOUNCE and SHIFT. Craziness. I'll get video this week.

Transformer for new traffic signal placed right at bus stop and right near front door of school. Obstructs school bus stops! Sidewalk completely crowded with old and new traffic signal equipment.

Cars on Townsend speed all day and night long, as do SCHOOL BUSES and CT TRANSIT

Since the new School of Management building opened, there have been increased and routine car/bike/pedestrian conflicts, especially during morning rush hour, evening rush hour lunch hours, and periodically with class times . The signaled pedestrian phase is helpful but many problems at the intersection remain. Problems include:

A. Frequent pedestrian crossing against signal into fast-moving traffic
B. Illegal right turns against the light from Sachem to Whitney, endangering pedestrians
C. Inadequate bike parking (<10 spots); bikes are affixed to street signs and sometimes interfere with vehicle lanes on Whitney.
D. Pedestrian/bike conflicts; new bike path to Pearl St requires riders to use sidewalk for ~30ft stretch, most do not dismount.
E. Elementary school groups visiting Peabody often crowd the northwest corner and endanger children, especially when school buses are parked on Sachem.

This problem extends the existing pedestrian/car conflicts south of Trumbull (e.g. 55 Whitney). Traffic calming seems to be increasingly importantly along this stretch.

Whitney is narrow and fast at that intersection, so bump-outs are not feasible. Solutions could include:
A. Better defined pedestrian crosswalks (like Chapel/York)
B. Traffic calming measures north of intersection, like "Reduce Speed Ahead" signage
C. Enforcement of no-right-turn-on-red rules
D. Increased bike parking at School of Management
E. Segregate bike path from footpath
F. Require alternative parking for school groups at Peabody, possibly in the Humphrey lot.

I'm not sure refuge islands are possible along Whitney, but they would usefully signal to southbound traffic that Whitney is becoming increasingly pedestrian-heavy.

Killer school bus (No. 848) tailgated me on Orange St. (bet. Hall of Records and Corner Deli) this AM. Driver was threatening and blew horn. Slowed the car to protect me and pedestrians. Who runs these nuts?

Sound School just started today and the parents, school busses, and city busses are already speeding down Sea Street. This is a residential neighborhood! Have tried talking to the principal who is not interested in resolving the problem - same thing every year.

Yesterday morning, September 26, at 7:55 a.m. a school bus ignored the two-way stop sign at Yale Avenue and Central Avenue, causing my husband to stop suddenly, slide and fall to the ground injuring himself, our scooter, smashing his helmet, and has suffered temporary loss of memory. I am now out a deductible because he was unable to identify the bus as he was lying in the street injured. The bus DID NOT stop.