Thomas Breen file photo
Looking west on Chapel from College: Still one way, for now...
For the second meeting in a row, city traffic commissioners voted to hold off on converting a downtown stretch of Chapel Street from one-way to two-way traffic — after expressing concerns around public safety and insufficient community outreach.
That was the result of the latest city Traffic Authority meeting, which took place Tuesday night online via Zoom.
The commissioners, who are responsible for reviewing and voting on “lawful regulations” that govern city roads, voted to table the proposal to convert Chapel Street between College and York streets from one-way to two-way vehicle traffic. That vote mirrored the one they took at the commission’s last meeting in May.
The commissioners voted to table the matter after hearing from Yale Police Chief Anthony Campbell and Frank Biceglia, head of security at the Yale Art Gallery, about their discontent with not being included in the planning process — and their skepticism that this change will make the university-adjacent roadway safer for pedestrians.
“We just want to be sure that everyone is aware, knows how to manage it, and that people remain safe,” said Evelise Ribeiro, the traffic authority’s chair. “That includes pedestrians, bicyclists, [and] the students.”
The city Department of Transportation, Traffic, and Parking (TT&P) had requested the rescission of the current one-way westbound traffic operation between College Street and York Street in favor of establishing two-way traffic. The proposal has been in the works for a decade. The Elicker administration had initially hoped to put this change into effect by late May.
These three blocks between College and York will cost around $550,000 in state funds to complete. This is part of a larger, $11 million project that will see Chapel Street converted from one-way to two-way traffic all the way out to Ella T. Grasso Boulevard. It’s also one of several downtown two-way-conversion projects City Hall has been working on for years.
Although the proposal was briefly removed from the table for discussion Tuesday, commissioners ultimately voted unanimously to return it to the table until critical questions could be addressed.
Commissioner Darrell Brooks led the push for discussion, emphasizing that commissioners had requested specific traffic analysis and documentation during the May meeting but had yet to receive it. “I’m not sure that the information has been received by this board to even consider taking this really off the table and moving it forward,” Brooks said.
Although city transportation director Sandeep Aysola delivered a presentation outlining the historical rationale for two-way conversions and their potential benefits — including reduced emissions, improved safety, and economic accessibility — several commissioners pushed back.
Commissioner Tracey Meares noted that the city’s presentation focused too heavily on general benefits rather than localized analysis: “We had some of this information presented to us last time. The specific question we asked was not whether it was useful as a general matter, but whether there had been any ascertainment of these particular benefits in New Haven and for this particular stretch of road.”
The block in question is a narrow and frequently congested portion of Chapel Street, situated between Yale University buildings, art galleries, and other high-traffic institutions. The proposal raised alarms among public safety officials and Yale representatives, many of whom said they had not been consulted.
Campbell, Yale’s police chief, voiced surprise that his department had not been engaged on the proposal, despite the location falling within their patrol area. “I know that no one from my department was ever reached out to [to] discuss the public safety aspects, especially given that Vanderbilt Hall, the British Arts Center, and other Yale University buildings are affected,” Campbell said.
Similar concerns were raised by the head of security at the Yale University Art Gallery, who highlighted logistical issues for school groups and buses. “It’s tight and narrow now, and making it two ways presents a huge challenge,” Biceglia said, urging the city to include institutions like the Art Gallery and the British Art Center in future planning.
Despite claims from city officials that they conducted extensive public engagement dating back to 2023, commissioners questioned the quality and reach of that outreach. They requested a list of dates, locations, and feedback from community meetings, as well as direct confirmation that relevant department heads — including the fire and police chiefs — had been consulted.
Mike Piscitelli, the city’s economic development director, attempted to ease tensions by explaining the city’s broader vision. “We want to get this one right because it’s an extension of an existing two-way. We’ve got bigger ones coming on the horizon,” he said, referring to planned conversions on Elm and Church Streets.
In the end, the commission voted to re-table the proposal, pending further analysis and follow-up. The clearest takeaway: while the long-term goal of improved traffic flow and accessibility remains popular, commissioners remained firm that the safety and voices of residents, students, and first responders must come first.
“Addressed doesn’t mean necessarily you’re gonna be able to do what they want, but the fact is that it’s being considered and there’s a response to it, which I think is important,” Ribeiro said.
The item is expected to return to the agenda for further discussion later this summer.