Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - By Anonymous - 2 comments

The Crosswalk Conundrum

If you've walked near the corner of Audubon and Whitney in New Haven this week, you may have noticed a crafty crosswalk appeared in the chaotic intersection. According to The New Haven Independent, a group of well-intentioned citizens spray painted the makeshift pedestrian crossing in an intersection well known for dangerous conditions.


Since SeeClickFix launched in 2008, pedestrians in New Haven have reported their concerns about this particular location.  Take a (clearly marked) walk down memory lane and revisit the SeeClickFix history of this infamous intersection.


Issue # 145 - Pedestrian traffic light missing - Posted almost 3 years ago
there really should be a traffic light for pedestrians here. You can count hundreds of people trying to cross the street here at lunchtime on any given day.
The first SeeClickFix issue about this chaotic crossing. The short report was viewed over 500 times with 5 votes to fix.


Issue # 1729 - Unsafe pedestrian crossing - Posted over 2 years ago
I've been risking life and limb for years crossing Whitney Ave at Audubon Street. I need to get across there to an office, so going all the way to the end of the block to a crosswalk isn't viable. In fact I've seen MANY New Haven cops cross here, not to mention families going to CAW, ACES, and NMS. This intersection needs a crosswalk at minimum, an extra stoplight would help, and most of all, NO MORE DOUBLE PARKING on Whitney Ave.
As SeeClickFix continued to grow, so did concerns over the dangerous intersection. With over 2400 views and 23 votes to fix, this issue was the first to become a hub for discussion and information about what the City of New Haven was doing to fix it.


Issue #6884 - Dangerous crossing - Posted almost 2 years ago
Because of the set up between Whitney Ave and Audubon Street, there pedestrians are constantly dashing across Whitney Avenue - frequently while holding small children. We need a crosswalk!
Issue #6884 was officially acknowledged by the City of New Haven around one year ago. The Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking changed the status from open to acknowledged, giving the nearly 40 people who voted some hope that a fix was on it's way. 

Issue #54756 - Crosswalk Needed - Posted 8 months ago 
A cross-walk is needed before a parent and child or someone gets hit by a vehicle. There is a pre-school, a high school, CAW, New Haven Ballet and more -- all generate plenty of pedestrian crossings at this intersection. It's very dangerous
After 32 votes and 1272 page views, this issue was closed yesterday, accompanied by a picture of the DIY signage. However, SeeClickFix user Pedro was quick to re-open the issue, noting that New Haven would soon be clearing the crafty crosswalk.

The DIY crosswalk at Audubon and Whitney
These developments have reignited the conversation about how to fix this safety concern once and for all. The New Haven Independent reported city officials are well aware of the problem and are working together towards a safe solution. The fight for a crosswalk continues, on the streets and on SeeClickFix!

2 comments:

  1. Emma thank you for posting this. I posted much the same on the Indy without realizing you'd already done the heavy lifting :)

  2. Anonymous says:

    I'm glad to do it, David! Clearly this crosswalk is an important issue for residents in New Haven. The more places we can spread the word, the better!

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