West River Watershed Coalition 333 Sherman Avenue New Haven CT 06511

DouglasHausladen DepartmentofTransportation,Traffic&Parking 200OrangeStreet NewHavenCT06510 February19,2014 DearMr.Hausladen, PleasefindattachedaCompleteStreetsProjectRequestFormsubmissionfortheintersectionofElla GrassoBoulevardandDerbyAvenue. SincerelyYours, WestRiverWatershedCoalitionsteeringcommittee _____________________________ Aaron Goode Christ Heitmann Frank Cochran Lynne Bonnett Kathy Fay Stephanie Fitzgerald Stacy Spell Frank Panzarella Maria Tupper Mary Mushinsky Martha Smith Kim Stoner Joel Tolman Billy Bromage Toshi Karato

ProjectName:DerbyAvenue/EllaGrassoBoulevardComplete StreetsIntervention
Contact:AaronGoodeaaron.goode@gmail.com ChrisHeitmannchris.heitmann@westville.org StacySpellstacy.spell@gmail.com BillyBromagebilly.bromage@yale.edu FrankCochranfbcochran@comcast.net

ProjectLocation:11001128EllaGrassoBoulevard,a.k.a.DerbyAvenue/EllaGrassoBoulevard intersection,41.310454,72.953692 BriefDescriptionofProject:Shortterm:Lengthenpedestriansignaltiming[seeSeeClickFixticket #849132]tightenturningradiusofeastboundDerbyAvenueontoEllaGrassousepaintand/orbollardsto createpedestrianrefugeonEllaGrasso. Mediumterm:CreategradeseparatedtrafficislandaddbicyclelaneonEllaGrassoimprovesidewalk conditions. Longterm:Createpedestrianbridgewithfullpublicaccessfullyprotectedbicycleinfrastructureaspartof WestRiverGreenway. ProjectImpetus:TheimportanceoftheWestRiverasanopenspaceandcommunityassetisincreasingly beingrecognized.Avarietyofcommunitydrivenprojectsreflectthatgrowingrecognition:FriendsofWest RiverMemorialParkwasformedtopromotefosterpublicsafetyandstewardshipinthepark.WestRiver WestRiverMemorialParkrecentlybecameaNationalWildlifeService"UrbanOasis."AnannualWater FestivalhasbeenheldthelastthreeyearsatWestRiverMemorialParkinJuly.RecentlytheWestRiver WatershedCoalitionhasbeenworkingonaddressingcombinedseweroverflow(CSO)pollutionandcleaning uptheWestRiverinordertoenhancerecreationalopportunities.Unfortunatelythesegrassrootseffortshave notbeenmetwithsupportfromtheCityofNewHavenorStateofConnecticuttoimprovethebuilt environmentaroundWestRiverMemorialParkinwaysthatenhanceaccess.Itremainsdifficultand hazardoustoaccesstheareafromtheadjoiningneighborhoodsexceptbyautomobile.Furthermore,the connectionbetweenEdgewoodParkandWestRiverMemorialParkiscriticalinestablishingtheWest RiverGreenwayproposedintheCity'smostrecentComprehensivePlan[seeappendix].Unfortunatelythe pedestrianbridgeconnectingBarnardSchooltothenaturecenterinWestRiverMemorialParkisonlyopen toschoolaffiliatesandnottotheneighborhood,makingtheseopenspaceconnectionsdifficulttoachieve. The2004ComprehensivePlanidentifiedthefollowinggoalsforthisarea[seeAppendix]: AcknowledgeandenhanceexistingextensivetrailnetworkinCitysparksalongtheWestRiver MaketheWestRiveraccessibleatlocationswherepublicaccessisdifficultorimpossiblebecause ofnoncompatibleuses. ExtendregionalRegicidesTrailtoNewHavenHarborwithconnectiontoproposedHarborsideTrail.

Webelievethisprojectmakesmeasurableprogresstowardsachievingallthesegoals. In2008theSouthCentralConnecticutRegionalCouncilofGovernmentsRoute10CorridorStudy.This studyfoundinadequatepedestrianinfrastructurealongmuchofthecorridor[seeSection2.1.6].Thestudy identifiedanumberofproblemswiththesectionofRoute10betweenColumbusandDerbyAvenue, includingfewvisualcueswithintherightofwayorbeyondtheedgeoftherightofwaythatimpartthe multiusefunctionofthestreet.Thestudyrecommendedanew12footlandscapedmedianthatwouldserve asatrafficcalmingmeasuretomitigatetrafficspeedsthroughthisareaandprovidingstreettreesalongthe

corridortoprovideenclosureandvisualcuesthatthestreetisnotanextensionoftheinterstatehighway systembutastreetthatservesneighborhoodsandparks.Furthermorethestudyrecommendedprovidinga 10footsharedusepathadjacenttoWestRiverMemorialParktoaccommodatepedestriansandbicyclists [Section4.15]. In2014,constructionwillbeginonreconfiguringExit45ofI95.Thisprojectwillincludeimprovementstothe sectionoftheEastCoastGreenwaythatconnectstheCityPointneighborhoodwiththeKimberlyAvenue Bridge.ThisraisestheexcitingpossibilityofusingbicycleinfrastructurealongRoute10toconnecttheEast CoastGreenwayatExit45withtheexistingbicyclelaneonEllaGrassoBoulevardnorthofWhalley Avenue. ProjectGoals:Thegoaloftheprojectistoimprovethesafetyofthisintersectionforpedestrians,cyclists, andmotorists.Accomplishingthatprimarygoalwillhelptoachievethesecondarygoalofenhancingpublic accesstotwoofthecity'sprimerecreationalassets.Inturn,thiswillimprovethequalityoflifeandproperty valuesintheadjoiningneighborhoods. Cost:Leastexpensiveoption:$10002000mostexpensiveoption$200,000 FundingSources:Weareconfidentthisprojectcouldbefundedthroughparticipatorybudgeting,should theCityadoptsuchaprocess.Foramoreexpensivetreatmentwewouldrecommendincludingthis completestreetsinterventionwithinalargerprojectintheareathatisalreadyfunded,e.g.improvementsto Route10orRoute34. DescribeProjectContext:Nearbyareaschool(Barnard),nursinghome(UniversitySkilledNursing),and lowincomeresidentialneighborhood(HillNorthandWestRiver).Route34Westisintheprocessofbeing redevelopedintoamixedusezone,potentiallybringingmorepedestriantrafficintothearea.Theresidential areasareseparatedfromtwoparksofhighrecreationalandscenicvalue(WestRiverMemorialPark, EdgewoodPark)byEllaGrassoBoulevard. Classificationofaffectedstreets:BothDerbyandEllaGrassoaretwowayarterialstatehighways. SafetyandSlowvehicleSpeeds:Projectwouldenhancebothpedestrianandtrafficsafetybyslowing vehiclespeeds. Connectivity:ConnectivitywouldbeenhancedbetweentheresidentialWestRiverandHillNorth neighborhoodsandmajoropenspaceassets.Connectivitywouldbeenhancedbetweenexistingand proposedGreenwaysystems.ConnectivitywouldbeenhancedforbicyclesalongRoute10corridor. HumanHealth:Enhancingaccesstoparksisapublichealthgoal.ResearchhasshownWestRiver neighborhoodhashighratesofobesityandobesityrelatedillnessandinsufficientaccesstoopenspace [seeappendix]. Livability:Enhancingaccesstoparksimproveslivabilityinadjoiningresidentialareasandimproves propertyvalues. Context:Majortransportationcorridorbutalsoaresidentialareawithschools,churchesandseniorcitizen housingwithinmile.Thiscompletestreetsinterventionwillmakethetransportationcorridorlesshostileto theresidentialsetting. Equity:WestRiverandHillNortharelowincomeresidentialneighborhoods,whilemostoftheautomotive trafficintheareaisthroughtrafficoriginatingfromoutsidethecity.Improvingthepedestrianclimateinthe areawillenhanceequityandbenefitNewHavenresidents. Aesthetics:Positiveimpact.PlantingsinWestRiverMemorialParkcouldenhanceparkaestheticswhile

alsoservingasatrafficcalmingdevice. EconomicDevelopment:Positiveimpact.Acompletestreetsinterventioninthisareawillimprove conditionsformixeduseeconomicdevelopmentalongRoute34corridor. Environment:Reducingtrafficspeedswillhaveapositiveenvironmentalimpact.Reducingimpermeable roadwaysurfacewithamedian/pedestrianrefugewillreducestormwaterrunoff.WestRiverhasthehighest concentrationofCSOrunoffofanywaterwayinNewHaven.

APPENDIX:

Figure1.UrbanWildlifeRefugePartnershipdesignationeventinWest RiverMemorialPark,October2013.Thisareaislocatedlessthan 100yardsfromtheEllaGrasso/Derbyintersection.

Figure2.IntersectionisadjacenttothenewlydesignatedWestRiverMemorial ParkUrbanOasisArea.BicycleinfrastructurealongRoute10(Ella GrassoBoulevard)wouldhelptoconnectthetwofocalneighborhoods oftheUrbanWildlifeRefugePartnership.

Figure3.WestRiverGreenwayproposalcontainedin2004ComprehensivePlan.

Figure4.PedestrianbridgeconnectingBarnardSchoolwithWestRiverNature CenterandMemorialParkisnotpubliclyaccessible.

Figure5.ChildrenplayinginWestRiverMemorialPark.Carattopleft isexitingontoDerbyAvenueattheonepointofvehicleaccess.Despite pooraccess,theparkisusedforrugby,basketball,birdwatching andotheractivities.

Figure5.Existingroadwayconditions,from2008SouthCentralRegionalCouncilof GovernmentsRoute10corridorstudy,Section4.18.

Figure6.Recommendedroadway,from2008SouthCentralRegionalCouncilofGovernments Route10corridorstudy,Section4.18.Note12landscapedmedianandsidewalks.

Figure7.Useofbollardsandpaintasaninexpensivetrafficcalmingdevice.

Figure8.TheWestRiverWatershedCoalitionisoneofmanygroupsthathavebeguntotakean interestinprotectingandpromotingthewatershedasarecreationalasset.

Figure9.WestRiverneighborhoodsuffersfromhighlevelsofobesityandlackofexercise.