New Haven Independent

Posted by: cedarhillresident | October 28, 2008 3:26 PM

I remember years ago my daughter's friend was hit in that very spot right after a school field trip, she was hurt really badly. I am glad that this was placed their and I am glad to see it is working!

Posted by: Carole | October 28, 2008 3:40 PM

We should have these all over town. Even many well-intentioned drivers don't know the law, or simply forget to look for pedestrians where there is no traffic signal. These signs are a great reminder for people who want to drive safely. For the drivers who don't care about safety -- Chief Lewis, we're waiting for that promised crackdown. It'll be a much better use of police power than ticketing bicyclists for non-safety-related technical violations.

Posted by: pedro | October 28, 2008 4:04 PM

These signs are G R E A T, and should rolled out as soon as possible!
Court street and Olive is a no-brainer to put one!
I think it also encourages pedestrians to cross at the walk and not dart across the street.
This is just the lowest of the low-hanging fruit to increase walkbility, but it's a great start!

Posted by: anon | October 28, 2008 5:34 PM

These are great to see, and I hope the other 20 requested signs will be installed citywide this year. See http://www.newhavensafestreets.org/2008/10/city-places-in-street-yield-to.html for the letter of request that neighborhood groups sent in on this. It's a really nice document with a lot of fun facts.

They have signs like this on very busy roads in Cambridge Massachusetts, on roads exactly like Whalley Avenue (4 lanes). That would probably be the next logical place to put them. We also need some traffic "stings" against dangerous driver behavior, which will help remind drivers that they need to stop at the signs.

In Greenwich, CT and other towns, they not only have these in-road signs, they also use huge "STOP FOR PEDS IN CROSSWALK" signs affixed to just about every single stop sign/intersection with a crosswalk.

If we don't remind people of the law, we can't expect our city to become more walkable.

Posted by: write&wrong | October 28, 2008 9:45 PM

this is great. i travel up state street about 4 times a week in morning rush and i can see the impact this sign is having. One thing that needs to be done is some education on folks using these crosswalks. I know that sounds funny, but I cannot tell you how many times someone is standing near the zebra and looking like they want to step in...but hesitating. they need to fully step off the curb and look both ways for the drivers in both directions to stop, then proceed. I know that sounds over simplified.
How much do these suckers cost? i will be the first to donate. pedro.... i feel the same way about olive and court. i try to avoid that intersection by car, by foot, by bike and even by train whenever possible. Please put one there! Too many close calls...and accidents.

Posted by: V | October 29, 2008 12:01 AM

I stopped for a woman pushing a baby stroller across Chapel St in West Rock on a Sunday morning. Then a car passed me on the right going 35-40 mph. I felt nearly responsible for luring those two to their death. I hate New Haven drivers.

We need signs like this everywhere, and speed bumps in between. They´re cheap and they work.

Posted by: Josh Smith | October 29, 2008 3:18 AM

Mr. Appel,

Just a quick correction to the article: The name of our organization is "Elm City Cycling", not "Elm City Bicycle Coalition". Thanks in advance for the correction.

Posted by: sjbj | October 29, 2008 10:12 AM

Really need one on Willow, near Archie Moore's. Willow is awful--drivers come off of 91 and drive on Willow like they are still on 91.

Posted by: anon | October 29, 2008 11:12 AM

I agree, SJBJ! Also in front of Wilbur Cross HS near where yesterday's major crash was would be great, assuming that the faded crosswalks there get repainted (with the # of pedestrians there, I could never understand why the city let crosswalks in front of such a huge school decay to that extent).

Given their low cost and demonstrated effectiveness, these signs should really be placed at just about every crosswalk in the city.

Posted by: David Streever | October 29, 2008 12:45 PM

3 cheers for Thomas Harned on pushing this with the City, and special thanks to Mike Piscitelli for being so supportive of walkers, bikers, & even drivers.

Posted by: Court & Olive | October 29, 2008 1:00 PM

Court & Olive would be perfect. As would the crosswalk right in front of Center Church on the Green; nobody even seems to know that this is a crosswalk.

Posted by: anon | October 29, 2008 3:58 PM

The best thing to do on the Green would be to rebuild that crosswalk entirely, since it's not even visible to drivers. Currently, it is not a safe crosswalk.

Here's a good model for what it could be:

https://www.amherst.edu/offices/facilities/capital_projects/project_archives/crosswalks_college

"The project used designs that have been tested in several cities and includes: in-pavement lights that flash to warn motorists of pedestrians in the crosswalk, ramps to slow traffic down generally, and brick paving within the walk itself. Additional site lighting was added to make pedestrians more visible at night. Lighted signs, at east and west approach to the four crosswalks, warn motorists of the crossing zone. Other features include reflectors in the pavement and painting that reminds motorists they are approaching crosswalks."

Posted by: jackie | October 29, 2008 6:26 PM

man, that amherst crosswalk is nuts, and actually kind of weird to drive over. it might be a little much for every intersection---and it helps if you have an endowment to pay for it. hint, hint.

Posted by: JackNH | October 29, 2008 8:58 PM

Look, what are thinking about, you "hope" one will go here, go there. These things are dirt cheap! They should go EVERYWHERE. I'm sick and tired of feeling like a target every time I cross a street in New Haven.

Posted by: anon | October 30, 2008 8:05 AM

These signs are already everywhere except New Haven. It kind of makes you wonder if a New Havener's life is worth two hundred bucks.

This is probably a union labor issue like everything else in the city. If so, I hope we can get past that ASAP and install these at every intersection.

Posted by: anon | October 30, 2008 8:52 AM

"it helps if you have an endowment to pay for it."

It also helps if you think someone's life is worth a few thousand dollars.

It also helps if you think of the millions of dollars of medical bills we'll have to share each time someone is hit and paralyzed.

The State of CT apparently doesn't think of those things.

Posted by: westvillegirl | October 31, 2008 10:32 AM

I hope that Ina Silverman persuades the powers-that-be to install these signs on Edgewood Ave and on Chapel St. at Alden Ave. Drivers go close to 50 mph between Forest and Central Aves and there are no stop signs or any type of signage to slow these folks down. I noticed they recently installed those silly mph trackers on Edgewood near Edgewood School but they don't seem to help slow down drivers.

To sum up: More in-road pedestrian signs in Westville!