Anonymous commenter -- Can you post your suggested route?

A number of people around the city, and from Yale, are working on this issue, and would love to hear your suggestions.

Also, I disagree that mass land purchases are necessary to make a usable bike facility for users of all ages and abilities. It's typically much easier than that and is just a matter of rethinking a few policies and priorities.

I brought this subject up in a meeting (I currently ride my bike to work, at the central campus, but my job might be moved to the West Campus, [aka - the prison camp]). The people responsible for making the transit decisions told me that they were not considering opening the Morgan Lane entrance (which would shorten a bicycle commute) to bicyclists/pedestrians. One of the managers asked me why I would even consider riding my bicycle to work; at least they acknowledged that the West Campus is NOT pedestrian friendly... (big eye roll).

I agree, Makemedrive. It's too bad that this didn't become an immediate policy direction as soon as the "prison camp" West Campus site was purchased by Yale.

I'd strongly recommend forwarding it to your colleagues at Yale so that they can weigh in. There's one thing we can be sure about: if enough people vote on this issue, action will be taken more quickly.

See http://www.yale.edu/westcampus/ for more about the site.

Given the obvious potential benefits with nearly 2,000 daily bicycle commuters in the region (according to the Census ACS), perhaps West Haven's economic development department would be interested in pushing our regional leadership about this issue?

Eric Triffin emailed in to say:

What keeps them from biking? The roads are there, bike lanes would be best but that doesn't stop me from biking! I do believe that connecting the Farmington Canal Trail to Long Wharf and eventually around to West Haven is in the longer range planning and will be a wonderful asset for all when we do get that far. I agree that for all of your reasons and for the exercise, reduced pollution and aesthetic advantages I would support this all the way from my public health standpoint.
Yours in health,
Eric Triffin, MPH

I think Kimberly>1st Ave>Beach>Cpt Thomas>Ocean>New Haven>Anderson could totally be improved to make it amenable to bicyclists of all ages and abilities. The hardest part will be the Kimberly Ave bridge, since it is on the town line between West Haven and New Haven. Otherwise, it's just a matter of lobbying for West Haven for bike lanes. Once they get the message, they will apply to grants—I'm sure Yale can help w/ this—and in the end the State will probably pay for some of it, New Haven will probably pay for some of it, and West Haven will pay for the rest. We'll have to convince a few dozen home owners to give up on-street parking, but for the most part, they never use it anyway. The whole process will take 5–10 years, but it's really just a matter of getting it started, so we might as well get it started. The biggest thing to work on is figuring out how to get people on board from the beginning who will eventually have to take one for the team (West Haven residents who will lose their on-street parking). Let me suggest from the outset that we should tolerate brief breaks in the bike lane (1–2 blocks) in order to accommodate sticklers and/or businesses who depend on on-street parking.

Brian do you have a map showing that?

Eric Triffin emailed in to say:

Well thought and well construed...I would direct your comments to Eileen Buckheit who is in charge of Planning and Development 937-3583 and Ron Quagliani the Chief of Police as being the top players in this. You can count on my support (for what it's worth) from the Public Health side of the picture. Thanks for helping spearhead this issuer forward for the good of all concerned (and every reduced car use helps prevent asthma too!)
In health,
Eric Triffin, MPH

If you go to google maps, it's pretty much the most obvious route. Plus it is flat and scenic. I can put together a quick google map if you really want me to.

I think ECC had developed a route map at some point, and maybe Yale has too... but not sure if they are the best routes.

Aren't they planning on building a train station at West Campus? Once that is complete, you could simply ride your bike to Union Station and hop on for 1 stop.

There may be plans to build a train station at the West Campus, but will the station be built within the next thirty years? Anyone have a spare $100,000,000?

Well, the state has already received partial federal funding and an environmental assessment has already began for the project. The remaining funding has already been approved by the state bond commission with the design work almost done and construction to begin in the fall of 2010. Maybe you should do some research before you put out false information.

Are you confusing the West Haven station, which has received funding, with a proposed station (to be built by a private developer and leased back to the state) in Orange? They are two different locations.

Here's the article that was published in mid-December in the New Haven Register:

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/12/16/news/metro/b1-retransportation.txt

The West Haven station is approximately 1.5 miles from the West Campus. If West Haven makes some minor road improvements, the bike ride from the station to the West Campus (Morgan Lane entrance) would be a relatively easy (some uphill) ride, though with the increased car traffic - there is a lot [pun] of parking at West Campus which Yale as been touting to potential West Campus employees, the ride might be less pleasant.

Let's all try to meet somehow online or in person and make this route between our cities safer for all the obvious reasons. A route over Kimberly Ave Bridge (via the grasses area that I posted last fall http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/9034) down along the shore and then up Lake St. to Morgan up to the Yale Campus and then another loop down Frontage through the center of West Haven would give great options for a more direct route to the campus and a more scenic route home along the shore.

If we pool our efforts and work together maybe it can get done much quicker. West Haven has no sharrows, no signage for cyclist at all. People associate bicycle riding in West haven with the boardwalk. As we all know that is not where bicycles should be.

chris
christreat@comcast.net

I echo your thoughts on this Chris, and would meet with you but I am leaving West Haven at the end of this month to start a television show (aong other things I hope). I value the Boardwalk as one of West Haven's great public health assetts and a separate bike route as you described would be another wonderful benefit to our city and everyone in it.
I always say that we should be compensated as a city for keeping the beaches non-commercial yet public, no other town in the Northeast has done anything close to 4 miles of public beach!
I also wish we could put a waterpark near Chick's with slides and swimming pools and even a wave machine so we could make headlines: "West Haven Makes Waves on Long Island Sound!" The city residents could use it for free and then others would pay, giving the city and its taxpayers some real financial relief. And the State should pay for the project as an offset for us keeping so much prime (taxable) property open space and for providing a great opportunity for exercise as well as peaceful respite.
I hope these projects get more airplay, go viral and become real, why not?!

Check out what I just had forwarded to me:

“The City of New Haven invites you to participate in an important meeting relating to the development of a Concept Master Plan for Long Wharf Park. This planning effort, and construction of the resulting recommended improvements is funded by ConnDOT as part of the mitigation plan for the I-95 corridor improvement project.

As you know, Long Wharf Park serves many functions: it is a critical link in New Haven’s waterfront trail system, a marine and environmental education resource, a veterans memorial site, a local park for the Hill and City Point neighborhoods, and an important environmental coastal resource. We hope that you can join us in a discussion of the park’s issues and opportunities as we embark on the development of a long-range vision and for this important New Haven asset.

Our presentation and workshop will be held Thursday, June 17, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM in Meeting Room #2, 2nd floor of City Hall, 165 Church Street. A light dinner will be provided.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts about the future of the Park. Please contact Donna Hall at dhall@newhavenct.net or 203-946-7842 to let us know if you plan to attend.”

Hi: Send me your name,address and phone # for MY RECORDS ONLY and I will investigate your gripe.
Eleanore Turkington
Gripe Vine
West Haven Voice

Hi,

Does anyone know if there has been any progress on this issue in the two years since the last comment? My job is moving to West Campus this summer and I am really eager to bike to work in a safe manner. Does anybody have a suggested route they use?

Thanks!