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Downtown Late-Night Taxi Stand Proposed

by Caitlin Emma | Feb 22, 2012 2:06 pm

(6) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Transportation, Downtown

New Haven’s bar and club patrons might soon find a guaranteed ride home downtown—for a price, of course.

Thomas MacMillan PhotoWinfield Davis, the deputy director of public space for New Haven’s Town Green Special Services District, said a plan to place a taxi stand downtown is in the works. The taxis would line up on the street similar to the way they do outside Union Station, on Crown Street between Temple and College streets.

Davis discussed the idea Tuesday night during the Downtown/Wooster Square Community Management Team meeting at City Hall. The idea for the taxi stand has been on the Town Green District’s Nightlife Committee agenda for a little less than a year now, he said.

Caitlin Emma Photo The inspiration for the taxi stand came from a lack of available cabs and public transportation downtown for New Haven’s late-night bar patrons. If the taxi stand gets full approval from all the necessary city departments, then the service might discourage bar-goers from driving home drunk, Davis (pictured) said.

The taxi stand would start at about 10 p.m. and run until 2:30 or 3 a.m.

Downtown Alderman Doug Hausladen praised the idea.

“I think it’s a terrific idea because unfortunately, public transit ends too early for bar patrons,” he said.

He added a couple caveats.

“For one, you’ll have a lot of drunk people congregating in one place,” he said. “The idea will also need some marketing. Maybe a flyer campaign and placing flyers in bars, for example.”

So far, the idea has gained preliminary approval from most of the necessary city departments, like police and fire.

“This is a lot of city departments working together to make this happen,” he said.

The Town Green District’s Nightlife Committee meets again on March 1. It’s possible the taxi stand might start within the next 30 days, Davis said, but not in time for the big upcoming drinking holiday, St. Patrick’s Day.

“That would be wishful thinking,” he said.

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posted by: westville man on February 22, 2012  2:58pm

Great idea that’s long overdue.  We’ve had our daughter and friends take cabs for years from downtown.  Now that there will be a central location, more people will use it since it will be more accessible and convenient.
I am more likely to use it as well.

posted by: Irish Loop on February 22, 2012  5:42pm

Love the idea.  Intoxicated people are already gathering in that location anyway.  Maybe having the cabs within their field of vision will lead to some wise decision-making.  I really can’t see the downside.

posted by: robn on February 22, 2012  10:35pm

Alternatively titled, “Hurtling breathlessly into the 17th century, New Haven installs taxi stand.”

posted by: Mister Jones on February 23, 2012  1:00pm

Isn’t there a taxi stand already on College at the corner of Chapel [Bishop Tutu corner] in front of the Anchor Bar and InfoNewHaven?  It’s just never used, except to generate parking tickets to others who park there.  That spot is also right across Chapel from where the Q-pac bus makes its pickup after last call.

posted by: David S Baker on February 23, 2012  10:21pm

I fail to understand why hailing a cab from curbside is still not legal except in designated areas.  A cabbie once told me this was a safety issue but could not elaborate on whether it was because of dangerous riders, narrow streets, quality of life issue, etc…

Part of me wonders, if people knew cabbies were cruising downtown in a situation where they could hail one from from almost anywhere at any time; would they be more inclined to visit and do things like: go shopping, hit a restaurant, see a show, set up an office/small business, etc…?  A cab ride from downtown to almost anywhere in New Haven proper is still cheaper than paying to park for six hours. 

I am sure there is a reason we don’t do this, but it isn’t super obvious to me and I would love an explanation.  Anybody?

posted by: SteveM on February 23, 2012  11:36pm

Good idea on the taxi stand.  Two thoughts:
1-  I think there already is one at the Omni Hotel nearby.
2-  Promote both Taxi Stands; the one at the Omni and the new proposed one.  But, have the new one one block further away on Crown between Temple and Church.  This closer to Ninth Square and would encourage the drivers to park there, but away from any direct contact with huge crowd which might discourage the drivers from parking there.

Also, is there anyway to ensure that cabs would be there during those hours?

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