New Haven’s downtown streets are soon changing direction. Some streets that have been one-way for decades are now going to be two-way streets.
Doug Hausladen, the city’s director of transportation, said it’s going to make streets much safer.
Hausladen told WNPR’s Where We Live that city engineers used to focus on efficiency for cars. But the focus now is on other modes of transportation -- protecting cyclists, pedestrians, and people using public transit.
"For us, here in New Haven, we’re really concerned with the amount of traffic that’s spent circling, trying to find parking spaces," Hausladen said. "There’s an old saying in New Haven – one way in, no way out, because it is very confusing for visitors, for guests, and for residents, trying to make their way downtown."
According to a study the city conducted, the streets to convert to two-way in the short term would most likely be:
- Dwight Street
- Howe Street
- Park Street
- York Street
- College Street
- Church Street
- Hillhouse Avenue
- Wall Street
- Grove Street
- Crown Street
- George Street
Along with the conversion to two-way streets, 15 downtown intersections will also get new traffic signals.
Hausladen said the conversion will help slow traffic for the better.
"The driving speeds are the biggest problems for bike and pedestrian safety," Hausladen said. "At 20 miles an hour, there’s a five percent chance of death for a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. At 30, it’s 45 percent, and at 40 miles an hour, it’s 85 percent likelihood of death. So, number one, we have to be able to smooth and calm our traffic."
Plans are still taking shape, but the city aims to convert several streets within a few years.
Hausladen said the total project cost may be anywhere between $10 and $50 million.
