Orange, Minus Cars

I wrote about this exact idea for College Street two years ago on BetweenTwoRocks.com: https://betweentworocks.com/no-cars-college-street/

Orange St. probably makes more sense, as it's less of a thoroughfare and probably has easier access to truck deliveries, which was one of the complaints I heard from people.

But yeah there should be AT LEAST one pedestrian-only downtown area. It works in other cities. It can work here.

New Business is what is going to save Orange Street -- not closing down the street.

Nine on Nine is a little puff of manufactured community that does not exist in it's own right.

In fact, closing down Orange St. would be a MAJOR INCONVENIENCE to anybody already doing business in this corridor, or anybody that wants to 'move in'

Access to needed parking would be adversely impacted as well.....

Many other cities are doing this--creating a cool public place (water park and playground for kids) there would be great!

best of both worlds: the Shared Street.

https://globaldesigningcities.org/publication/global-street-design-guide/streets/shared-streets/

Wasn't the now defunct 'Live Work Play' development supposed to have a "Pedestrian Mall"?

Seems like an idea that is easier to plan into a new 'development' than to 'patch' into an existing infrastructure....

The Ninth Square is currently 'bleeding'..... address the real issue, not the political, feel-good window dressing.

Face it, the best Pedestrian Mall in town would be the Broadway Retail District.....
Let's do a multi-million dollar study to find out why it can't happen!!!!!

A great idea whose time has come! Thanks Caroline!

Hey. If they can limit Place de La Concorde in Paris to pedestrians and bikers only, why not do it in New Haven?

Many cities in Europe have "walking streets" and I always look for them when I am there.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/08/paris-mayor-anne-hidalgo-plan-restrict-traffic-pedestrianise-city-centre-france

Boy, Bill Saunders REALLY doesn't want to lose his parking spot. I'd hate for drivers to have to walk a couple extra blocks, accidentally get a little cardiovascular exercise. Or Heaven forbid, use public transportation. A car for every man, woman, and child, that's the real American dream!

This idea makes no sense at all. Between Elm and Chapel are 2 little buildings, the Hall of Records and the Federal Building, which these foolish people seem to think are less important than people walking and riding bicycles. And trying to compare this to Yale trying to close Wall and High St, which is in the middle of there campus and has very little effect on the community at large is totally ridiculous.

So how will this 'reinvigoration' affect Phase II o the Downtown Crossing project which involves reconnecting Orange Street with South Orange Street? The traffic that would have just gone straight across will now have to 'go around to either State or Chapel? If they do that, they may as well just keep going. I think this needs to be rethought.

Between 2 Rocks,

I do not own a vehicle, and am a tried and true pedestrian in this town!

The fact of the matter is I already consider New Haven an incredibly walkable, pedestrian-friendly town, and I exercise that reality on a daily basis.....I do not need any extra-encouragement or 'infrastructure' to make that happen...

However, street closures for Community Events are inexpensive and viable -- I would like to see more stuff like that... building community starts now!!!

(btw B2R -- I have closed off Orange Street TWICE in conjunction with the former fringe festival, Ideat Village -- $50 Bucks!!!!! Ironically, I just wanted to close off the small section between Court and Chapel, but Traffic and Parking was worried about Tractor Trailers turning left onto Court, so they issued a street closure between Elm and Chapel -- much too much space, and mostly the 'government center', which is dead area off hours, and not the best 'attraction' to draw people into the area.)

This idea has been around for decades. As downtown density increases, Orange, Crown, High, Wall should be closed to traffic (except delivery vehicles) or made into a "shared space" with traffic greatly restricted, traffic lanes converted into parklets, maximum traffic speeds of 5 miles per hour, etc. It already works fine on much of Wall Street.

This would make a green loop around downtown that would be more desirable for local businesses/restaurants. It would also enable comfortable two-way bicycle traffic throughout, which is important if we want all people ages 8 to 80, not just able-bodied people, to feel comfortable riding bikes to get around.

https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2017/08/09/dots-new-flatiron-shared-space-a-rarity-or-the-first-of-many/

Closing streets for pedestrian access only can work in some places, but not it all situations. Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade (https://www.santamonica.com/santa-monica-neighborhoods/downtown-santa-monica-third-street-promenade/) has been through a few different iterations, with the most recent one seen as a huge success.
Providence, Rhode Island experimented with closing a Downtown street to vehicles in the 1990s, but ended up re-opening the street to cars after it did not become the pedestrian-filled promenade it was envisioned as.
I suspect that Cove'd suggestion of a shared street, or woonerf, might work well for Orange Street.

I actually think that there should be a new street built between Orange and Church Streets where people can easily walk through the parking lots that are currently there. I personally don't think that closing down Orange Street permanently is the right answer for the Ninth Square. Honestly, I think what would be better would be to build either a new street or a pedestrian alleyway that also gives access to bicyclists and then just make that area denser by building new apartments, (maybe some office buildings), but definitely more retail space for more small businesses that decide to come to Downtown. That would be a perfect example of future-oriented development for New Haven.

Okay, Bill, I take it back! You're a true pedestrian for sure. I was mostly poking fun.

I still think it would be great to have SOME street pedestrian-only, though. It creates a vibrant atmosphere. If you look at Burlington, VT, they have a great area, Church St, which is massively popular and includes no cars (except through the one intersection) and it's wonderful.

This is a terrible idea. There is a dialysis unit at the corner of Orange and Center streets. Patients, staff, and (especially) emergency vehicles need a direct route to the unit. Closing Orange St between Elm and Crown cuts off access to that building. Even if Center St were made into a two way street, there is still not enough access to the dialysis unit under normal, let alone emergency conditions.

Smith approaches the issue from two perspectives: As the chair of the Downtown/Wooster Square Community Management Team. And as a longtime "safe streets" and bicycling organizer, including serving as a driving force behind New Haven Bike Month.She recommended closing Orange between Elm and Crown, with cars being able to cross Orange at Chapel. She said she got the idea from seeing the success that "On9" Fridays and similar events have had in drawing diverse crowds of people onto Orange by closing it off.

It's gentrification at its swiftest.Again the Cyclists and the HIPSTERS are taking over.Look at what happen In Brooklyn.

PHOTOS OF BROOKLYN BEFORE AND AFTER THE HIPSTERS

https://www.wired.com/2015/09/photos-brooklyn-hipsters/

Looks like they are trying to turn Down Town Into A Dumbo

DUMBO, BROOKLYN: YOUR GO-TO-GUIDE TO THIS HISTORIC HIPSTER 'HOOD


https://www.bestproducts.com/fun-things-to-do/a2022/guide-to-dumbo-brooklyn/

That stretch of road is very well used.
Let's focus on converting our streets back to two way which will calm traffic considerably and make it a much friendlier place to visit.

Great idea, Caroline. I love it. That section of town is up and coming and thankfully still cute. Coffee shops, art supplies and toys, restaurants, Elm City Coop, Devil's Gear, Rendezvous, PCX, Salsa lessons, great wig and jewelry shop run by 2 nice ladies, and much much more

I like the idea, but to do it right, you need to go all in. Think how Boulder and Burlington do it. You'd need a stone/brick walk and significant improvements in lighting and streetscaping. You have to make it attractive and inviting enough that people want to go out of their way to walk it. In other words, it would be very expensive.

Why not start simply with better lighting and some beatification. The dim streets in that area are creepy at night and not at all inviting. It's a vicious cycle as a lack of foot traffic makes it feel even more dangerous.

Speaking of one way streets, what ever happened to that expensivs study started years ago? It's kind of absurd not one street has been converted since. Wake up, Mayor Harp and city gov!

BtR,

Btw,
Closing College street between Chapel and Crown makes some sense, on a limited seasonal basis.
It would finally get the 'outdoor seating' out of the Parking Places!!!!!!!

But again, this is something that can be done through existing permit processes....
What is lacking is the vision........

Caroline Smith is being propped up as a new progressive voice.

While I do not doubt her sincerity, she is also young, naive, and inexperienced, as is shown in her proposal highlighted in this article by this 'paper'..

I am sure she will be sucked into the Harp Administration soon......

Personally, I would like to see her resist those allures, and challenge Alder Aaron Greenberg in the next Alder Race.... SMITH 2019! Probably, she will just be an unopposed ward replacement......

This is feasible. Orange in that area is not a big route for through traffic. Changes could be tested cheaply at first to see how traffic patterns may alter. Blocks that have parking garages/lots could be made into 5mph shared streets or allow emergency vehicles only. Others could become ped/bike (and even perhaps transit) only or shared-street. Assuming the testing is a net positive (it likely would), a more permanent design(s) could be put in place. This all comes down to further improving the attractiveness of the area, making it more inviting, and trying to induce vibrancy through increasing foot traffic.

BTR, the one exception I would make is for people with mobility handicaps. Walking a block or so is not a big deal for you or me. For someone in a wheelchair or on crutches it is.

Cove'd, Court between Olive and Wooster Square Park is a de facto shared street that seems to work well.

6 1/2 Avenue in Manhattan is somewhat like quinnchionn's proposal https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/6½_Avenue.

Here's a wild idea - how about surveying the merchants on those blocks to see what they think of the suggestion? I'll bet they would love a chance to explain the realities of business in a small city to those with new urbanist dreams. As for a "shared street", in what way is it not shared now? There are nice sidewalks for pedestrians and a street for motor vehicles and cyclists.

The city has had problems keeping spaces on this section of Orange Street since well into reign of the DeStefano administration. Closing the street might make Caroline Smith, the hipsters, and the like feel good about themselves, but it won't solve the real problem, which is keeping tenants there long term. They city has tried and failed to lure "high end" businesses, when they should have been pursuing the types of businesses that you'd find in a pre-gentrified Astor or St. Mark's Place.

Naturally though, the city did everyone bass ackwards. For years the area around the Coliseum looked like Stalingrad during the seige, and then when 9th Square finally started to get built up the Coliseum was torn down. For a town that supposedly prides itself on restaurants, you had a building that would bring thousands downtown for events, and nothing around it to benefit from those crowds.

You don't need more high end jewelers, art galleries, or dress shops. You need stuff that people use every day. Book stores. Delis. Bars. And not everyone is a hipster or a 60 year old art teacher. You need stuff for us "norms", too. You need to make it less Brooklyn, and more Uptown.

Bill, I was once young and inexperienced - I suspect this is true for you as well. Caroline is actually less naive than many people twice her age.

I fully agree on the need to convert one-way streets, which would benefit pedestrians and cyclists as well as drivers. But I doubt Orange Street will be converted because of the parking that would have to be eliminated to accomplish this. If memory serves, Phase II of Downtown Crossing keeps this stretch of Orange as one-way. Converting it to a shared street is a possibility. But this would require a substantial education and traffic law enforcement program. And reducing the speed limit below 20 m.p.h. might require a change in state regulations.

Wesunidad, an example closer to home are the pedestrian plazas near Times Square.

3/5 th's thanks for the link on Brooklyn.It reminded me of a family business that specialized in amazing custom cakes and cupcake.I do not remember the exact year,maybe a decade ago,but the family gave up.
They were not told to leave but the new landlord raised the rent.

Rev Ross-Lee,

For the 3rd and final time, no proposal, either original or otherwise, was suggested to give me power to remove board members. That suggestion was utterly ridiculous. And again, it shows that you never read the actual document. I even made it easy for you and provided the letter quote and the verbiage from the actual document, and clearly uiundisnt wven bother to read that. No matter how many of you repeat that lie doesn't make it any closer to being true.

It's already been said but we all know if we are going to close a street, the correct street is College st between Chapel and Crown

@KevinMcCarthy

Exactly. I think it would be nice to have a North-South pedestrian avenue from Chapel down to George Street between Church and Orange. It's a great idea because it really wouldn't take nothing away from drivers, it would bring more businesses to the area and it would make the Ninth Square even more walkable. It's a genius plan if you think about it.

Pretty much everyone that knows me knows I am an advocate of anything that brings people into, as well as betters businesses, in our city. Long have I, as well as several of other commenters hereto, actively pursued, endeavoured and striven to better our city... often to our personal detriment.
Several times in the past decade Orange Street, between Elm and Chapel has been closed to vehicle traffic for events held at Pitkin and Federal plazas by Ideat Village and the defunk Bru Cafe. More recently Court Street was similarly closed for a few hours as a street celebration.
So really closure of street isn't all that new. Rather this idea has been spawned from the work of others who actually made Orange Street a destination. (SEE. New Haven Independent Articles relating to Bru Cafe, Ideat Village, William Saunders, me). Additionly Christys, Devils Gear, Corner Deli, Mediterranea, Blossom Shop, O'Tooles, Old School (subsequently, Trinity and Regal Beagle) were all important in making this area super cool. Adding the Beer Collective, G Cafe Tikaway and Duc's makes us hyper cool.
So I find it sad, that persons such as the author of this article and Doug Hausladen now think it would be just great to close Orange Street permanently to vehicles.
As usual Mr. Hausladen, like he did with the bike lanes, is trying to make this seem like it's his own original idea. Doug has never had an original thought of his own and I am personally dismayed that he has recently Tweeted this inference after the publishing of this article. (@doughausladen).
This idea goes back a ways. Long before the author of this article was at the Independent and certainly long before Doug Hausladen was on the scene.
While I don't condone full closure of Orange Street permanently. I do agree that perhaps nights and weekend closure of Orange from Wall Street to Chapel would be kinda awesome for the city.
Btw Doug, where are the parking vouchers you promised us at the meeting where you got this "idea" from?

Robot: Bookstores? The NYT just did an article on how Manhattan has only six independent bookstores left, and, of course, the brick and mortar chains are also going under. Orange Street has suffered from loss of parking beside the Federal Building, and closing the street would make going to the Federal Building or Hall of Records even harder than it is now. Do we really want to make our government offices harder to access? If, the answer is yes, we need more residences built nearby. BTW, just visited Ottawa: pedestrian mall on Sparks Street was dead, especially at night, while Bytown Market, with lots of parking, was hopping with bars, restaurants, and shops. Retail needs either (a) parking, (b) or nearby, dense residences. Orange Street has neither. BTW, what do the developers of the old Webster Bank think of this idea?

It's ironic Curtis....

You are one of the tried and true supporters and visionaries that helped make Ideat Village successful!
Will see you in Court next Monday.... it is ironic that it looks like the Trial of Ideat Village vs. NHPD will be happening at the Courthouse at 235 Church Street on the first day of Arts and Ideas!...
A Free Event in a new venue!!!!

Ideat Village XVIII!!!!!!