New Haven Independent

Posted by: fairhavendoc | October 15, 2008 3:09 PM

"The only thing it does is slow down cars," Brooks said.

What kind of statement is that? Is that such a bad thing?

That, along with the other statement about the 'average bike rider' makes it apparent that this traffic commissioner seems totally out of touch with what is going on with 'traffic' in New Haven. Does he not know that people ride bikes for transportation?

Posted by: eastrocker | October 15, 2008 3:11 PM

no offense to the traffic commissioners but it doesn't seem like they're very educated about cycling or cycling issues - how about getting some more cycling representatives on this commission?

Posted by: Mr. Stephen Peter Ross | October 15, 2008 4:17 PM

I ride Sherman on occasion. That's not to say that I have any sense or anything.

Posted by: anon | October 15, 2008 4:56 PM

Good to hear that the bike lanes passed. It's a great thing that Mike Piscitelli was there to allay the Commissioners' concerns. Otherwise we would have a real problem. Mike is very knowledgeable and an incredible asset to the city, so let's hope that he stays around for a while.

Unfortunately, New Haven will have a new transportation director one day and Mike won't necessarily be around to educate this group of commissioners. That's why pedestrians, cyclists and transit interests should be immediately represented on all city decision-making bodies having to do with development, transportation, zoning and city planning, and others. Also, neighborhoods immediately bordering on these decisions should have their say. So often, the concerns of people who actually live here are completely overlooked. I'm sure the people who live on this street wouldn't mind slightly slower traffic and more orderly streets that they could actually enjoy walking around on.

How can any city have a traffic commission and not have those concerns represented? Especially in this era, when more than half of us use alternative modes of transportation to get around our city, when every year we send overseas almost $1,000,000,000,000 dollars of precious American household earnings just to buy gasoline for our cars (even as the bridges here crumble to pieces), when we're caught up in a $4 trillion war over oil resources in Asia, when families are unable to heat their homes, when buses and trains are overcrowded and have ridership growing by 10% per year, when 2 million people are being injured in traffic incidents each year (costing all of us hundreds of billions of dollars in annual health care expenses and lost wages), and when the enormous social and health problems directly resulting from so few people feeling that they can safely walk or bike have been so well documented for decades.

Posted by: Ben | October 15, 2008 5:26 PM

Nice job Mike!

Posted by: DingDong | October 15, 2008 8:45 PM

Who are these commissioners? How are they selected? It seems odd that with the burgeoning safe streets movement in New Haven that they are so suspicious of a bike lane. They seem neither very representative nor very expert.

I respect that not every commissioner has to support bike lanes (though they should!) but for there to be uniform suspicion among suggests that something is just plain wrong here.

Posted by: Bill | October 15, 2008 10:22 PM

The traffic commission is a joke. Their only goal seems to be to expedite the flow of traffic at the expense of public safety and public sentiment. People who live on Sherman Avenue don't want cars to go any faster, they want more varied forms of transport, and traffic calming. Painting bike lanes is one way of achieving these goals.

Just imagine, if you have a family on Sherman Ave., is slowing down traffic really going to upset you. On the contrary, families and citizens of all ages want nothing more than a safe neighborhood where you can cross the street without fear of being run over. The only people concerned about increasing the flow of traffic are those that speed through neighborhoods they do not reside in.

Keep up the good work Mike. The traffic commission needs to get in touch.

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 16, 2008 1:09 AM

I hope the city engineers read this, and no, I'm not roasting them. I want to try and explain a couple of things, which I'm sure Mike Piscitelli has tried to say to the board/department. You're not putting bike lanes in to slow down cars, or because the street is too wide -- you're putting them in because bicycle infrastructure has been flat-out ignored for years. Giving cyclists a network of safe roads is long overdue, and everyone who has any ties to city road engineering should be absolutely embarrassed that Connecticut recently ranked 42nd out of all U.S. states in bicycle-friendliness in a ranking by the League of American Bicyclists. I'm sorry, but that's a disgusting rank for such a progressive state. And for any people who say "Well, there are very few cyclists out there", I'll give you one guess why that is -- especially in such a flat, compact city like New Haven.

Yes, that's exactly right -- for at least fifty years, every American taxpayer has been forced to (and continues to be forced to) subsidize the building and repair of roads that were designed solely for motorists in cars, in the form of tax money being applied to almost completely car-centric traffic engineering policies. Now, instead of going on an idealistic tirade, I'll offer a suggestion or two. The VERY LEAST you can do is design at least one or two routes per neighborhood in this city where cyclists can get through while both feeling and actually staying safe from motorized traffic. The BEST POSSIBLE thing you can do is to work very, very closely with cycling activist groups and the community at large to create a rich network of cycling routes, both on- and off-road, to offer cyclists an equal (if not better) level of safety as is afforded motorists on public roads and an opportunity to fully take advantage of a multi-modal transportation system (bike, bus, and God willing, streetcars and light rail in the future).

Let's please hold ourselves to a higher standard than just working within the status quo, and try to appropriate some earmarks for improvement of bicycle infrastructure. Don't think of it as a waste of resources -- think of it an an investment in the quality of life of New Haven. As you build more cycling infrastructure, you'll get more and more riders, not to mention that these are the kinds of amenities that attract the middle class back into the city instead of the suburbs, which boosts the tax base. Make people feel completely safe and they will start cycling in droves (even more so than the droves you see now, with bikes locked up all over downtown). The bicycle revolution is happening now, not ten years from now. (We'll need the infrastructure when gas prices get up to $10-$15/gallon, by the way, which shouldn't be far off at this point.) So please work with us. Cyclists don't bite. Let us help you plan for and design roads that are safe for everyone. We have great ideas for the whole city, and we'd love to hear all of the city's engineering department ideas as well. Let's work together and get cycling infrastructure to where it should have been years ago, before Detroit forced America to rip up the streetcar lines and pushed their cars on us with clever marketing and false promises of how the automobile would cure all ills.

Wow, I'm sorry I wrote a small novel, everyone... and I hope some of you out there agree with some of my points. I just get a little passionate about this cause while writing. :)

Posted by: laststraw | October 16, 2008 7:32 AM

""The average bike rider is not going to be riding there if he has any sense."
You're telling me, Commissioner Brooks, that I would be safer along Dixwell? Or are you just telling me I shouldn't ride a bicycle in that neighborhood? I challenge you to visit New Haven sometime. It's a great little city.

""The only thing it does is slow down cars," Brooks said."
I'm confident, Commissioner Brooks, that cars are traveling a bit too fast in New Haven. Again, I invite you, Mr. Commissioner, to visit New Haven sometime. You apparently don't get around much.

Posted by: Lee | October 16, 2008 8:17 AM

Hey DingDong,

Assuming you are a resident of the City, the Traffic Commission needs you. Call the Mayor's Office 946-8200 and ask for Patti Lawlor. She can outline the responsibilities and let you know when there will be a vacancy on the commission. . There are also other commissions, more info on the City website. Let's move the complete streets agenda forward by doing more than talking, let's participate in making New Haven the city we want it to be.

Posted by: wes on wooster | October 16, 2008 4:25 PM

I take issue with Piscitelli's statement "Sherman was one of the last roads that is wide enough for a bike lane that is still without a bike lane". New Haven has far too few connected bike lanes for this to be one of the last eligible streets.

A thorough and detailed look at the configuration and performance of every street in the downtown and greater New Haven area will yield many more opportunities for safe and marked bike routes and lanes. When considering the Complete Streets initiative (and approved Aldermanic Order), it requires the formation of a steering committee to "develop progressive design standards that will...slow vehicle speeds, create safe, connected bike facilities for cyclists, narrow travel lanes, and address on-street parking policies..." among many others. This seems to require the scrupulous consideration AND appropriate subsequent action to make the streets safer and more accessible by pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and motorists- in that order.

The approval of the order (to form a complete streets steering committee) is the first step to amend City policy incorporating the stated principles of the order.

Mr. Piscitelli should understand that much work is to be done and we are not even close to striping the last bike lane in the beautiful Elm City.

Posted by: Alphonse Credenza | October 16, 2008 4:27 PM

More guerilla ops and a small victory achieved by the revolutionary bikist underground.

The RBU would have a separate lane created on the FREEWAY if it could manage it.

Make streets safer. GET BIKES OFF THE STREET and ONTO THE SIDEWALK WHERE THEY BELONG!

Posted by: runmedown | October 16, 2008 7:01 PM

Hey Alphonse,

In many parts of the country one is allowed to ride on the shoulder of the freeway, for example, Interstate 280, South of San Francisco (it's part of the "gay agenda" - to convert all freeways into bicycle lanes, after we learn how to steer hurricanes and give all Republicans bad hair), also in many parts of the Midwest too. Please change your underwear, and move out of your mother's basement. Get a bike!

Posted by: Mr. Stephen Peter Ross | October 16, 2008 11:08 PM

Alphonse,

Your one man action committee seems to be doing a wonderful job! For its service in bolstering our Redvolution, we of the Revolutionary Bikist Underground would like to commend you for your tireless advancing of more inane and unreasonable demands.

First step, bikes. Second step, ______!

Posted by: William Kurtz | October 17, 2008 6:52 AM

Hey, I never thought of that. A bike lane on the FREEWAY! Thanks for the suggestion, Alphonse. Viva la Revolucion! (Hey NHI, where's the accent mark widget?)

Posted by: anon | October 17, 2008 10:50 AM

Wes, you are absolutely correct - there are many, many, many more streets that could be eligible for bicycle "facilities" like lanes and sharrows.

The City of New Haven has over 200 miles of roads and no more than a few are currently striped with any kind of bicycle lane.

Unfortunately, people don't seem to get the cost-benefit analyses when it comes to providing interconnected, safe bike routes for everyone. Just think if each New Haven resident replaced just one car trip per month with one bike trip. That adds up to an enormous of money staying within the local economy (probably in the form of rent checks) instead of going directly to Saudi Arabia never to be seen again.

Posted by: robn | October 17, 2008 1:24 PM

If a driver (auto or bicycle) is late for work, that doesn't mean that they were driving too slow, it means that they didn't wake up early enough.

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 18, 2008 12:14 AM

"But are they riding bikes on that street?"

...

Who are "they", Mr. Brooks? Why does everyone try to pigeonhole cyclists into a single group? Contrary to what some people might think, it's not just Elm City Cycling members and Yale students out there on the road. People riding bikes are young, old, middle-aged, rich, poor, and of every race and nationality. The average person is starting to pedal to work more and more, and to the grocery store, to the deli, to the cafe down the street, and to run all the errands they used to run in their cars before gas got way too expensive for us to ever trust the gas/oil companies ever again.

Commissioner Brooks, the day will come when gas is so ludicrously expensive that, yes, even you may wake up and choose to ride a bike to work, because you'll be so sick of the oil companies and the auto industry siphoning your money away every single day of your life. You'll be glad to get outside and get some exercise. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment when you get to work and get home, and your car will thank you for saving wear and tear on it. And, when that day comes, you'll especially be glad you installed more bike lanes to help keep yourself safe. That is all.

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 18, 2008 2:31 AM

By the way, I forgot to thank Mike and the rest of the board. This is a big step in the right direction for cycling in New Haven, and if no more streets are wide enough for bike lanes, I hope some meetings of the minds from ECC and the City can come up with some really creative solutions so we can keep cycling infrastructure moving forward. I don't generally ride north/south much (more east/west between Westville and Downtown), but I'm sure a lot of people in other neighborhoods do. These bike lanes should be a godsend to those in the Beaver Hills, Dixwell, West River, Edgewood, and Hill neighborhoods. Well, it'll benefit the Hill people if they don't get smushed going across North Frontage and Legion Ave, anyway. It looks like cyclists will be fairly safe from car doors as well. Bravo, it seems we're learning from our mistakes in other neighborhoods. Keep up the good work. :)

Oh, and Alphonse, you should look up the bike paths between Hartford and Manchester. I believe there are already bike paths next to a good part of the freeways up there. Charter Oak Greenway, I think? Come to think of it, people are trying to fight for bike paths along the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways... now that would be cool. Then I could go visit my mom in Milford by bike! :)

Posted by: Edward_H | October 18, 2008 5:05 PM

Alphonse

Make streets safer. GET BIKES OFF THE STREET and ONTO THE SIDEWALK WHERE THEY BELONG!

Your idea sounds great until some old lady gets knocked to the ground by a bike rider and gets her skull split open.

Posted by: ap34 | October 19, 2008 1:28 AM

Hey, I live on Sherman Ave and ride my bike to work. The new bike lanes - or the approximation of new bike lanes roughly painted with the recent paving- are brilliant! I had been thinking, "man, this street should have bike lanes." Now, how about Whalley Ave? Is that too much to ask? And can we keep the people on bikes off the sidewalks? They're not helpful there. Sidewalks are for walking.

Posted by: David Streever | October 19, 2008 4:07 AM

"Make streets safer. GET BIKES OFF THE STREET and ONTO THE SIDEWALK WHERE THEY BELONG!"

Unfortunately, the evidence shows an overwhelming increase in fatalities/accidents when bikes are on sidewalks.

This from many nations, many studies, which take into account ALL riding over a significant time period.

Chance of accident ranges from a 5 to a 24 time increase, and never loewr, in any published study to date.

Alphonze,

wake up dude :D

Posted by: Edward_H | October 19, 2008 8:01 AM

Josh Smith

Who are "they", Mr. Brooks?

Replace the word "they" with cyclists. What is the big deal about the word "they" these days?

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 19, 2008 6:47 PM

Edward, thank you kindly for trying to explain that, but I knew that "they" meant "cyclists" in his quote. The point of my questioning who "they" were (and maybe I should have hinted more strongly at this, I'm sorry) was to get people to think about who cyclists are, and my answer to that is: The way things are going, it could be anyone right now. It used to not be that way, but a lot of people are looking for ways to get out of their cars (if they have them), for one reason or another -- high gas prices, environmental concerns, getting regular exercise, nonexistent or inconvenient bus schedules, and so on.

The cyclist demographic in the city is always changing, and what's more, you can't just ask, "Are they riding there now?" Cyclists may not be riding there today, and they may have not ridden there for a day, a week, or a year, but they may want to ride there tomorrow, or next week, or next year. You shouldn't base your engineering decisions on whether or not someone is currently using the roads. You should base them on potential use of the roads. Thinking a bit further will tell you that if you make the road feel safer for cyclists, that road will become a preferred route. Just look at what happened on Orange Street with that (albeit badly-designed) bike lane. Cycling is through the roof over there, and it's creating more of a cycling culture. I see people riding there all the time -- the proof is in the pudding. Go see for yourself how many people commute to work and school using that route, and the Farmington Canal Trail.

The bottom line is that people want safe routes through town to ride. Start with crosstown routes, then move on to intra-neighborhood routes -- that would be my suggestion. I think most of us can handle ourselves on most local roads once we're in the neighborhood, but the thing that's lacking is safety during the long haul across town, where everyone is trying to be the first one across the city. The Sherman bike lanes, combined with the bike lanes on the Boulevard north of Whalley, are a good first step in defining a good, safe north/south bike route on the western side of the city. Much more work needs to be done on making other routes safer, and I'm sure the city will continue working with cycling advocates to make it happen.