MNHGA: Farnam Drive is the major road through the park, and I don't advocate closing that. Here I'm talking about the short road that goes from the end of Livingston Street to Whitney. (See map.) And you're right—this road gets stuff dumped on it all the time.

This issue was recategorized from Traffic/Road Safety to Parks Request.

All due respect to Transportation/Traffic/Parking: I have to wonder, given the nature of the problem here, whether there's a chance this particular issue can be categorized doubly? The road through the park itself is, no question, a problem (according to those who go on it -- I am not one of those people personally because I'm too scared of being hit by a car on it) -- but the intersection of the road at Whitney is also part of the problem. That is to say, it's both a "Parks" issue and a "Traffic" issue.

I'm just trying to say I want as many people as possible to be part of the dialogue here.

Mark: I live in the neighborhood of East Rock Rd and the section that you reference is used as a path between Cedar Hill and Whitneyville, Newhallville...etc. The chance to make it a walking road was best when the bridge was redone a few years ago (could have been made a walking bridge at substantial savings). This idea was brought up but the city and state dismissed it out of hand. There was a discussion about speeding and the only thing that we could get was a slight narrowing of the road on the city side of the bridge (watch for it next time you're there) that is supposed to clam traffic. I would be all for adding some speed tables or additional stop signs to stop this area from being a race track.

MNHGA: I'm still not entirely sure we're talking about the same roadway. I don't mean East Rock Road, the street with the bridge on it, but the short winding road that begins at East Rock west of the bridge and continues north to Whitney.

Thanks for the suggestion. It is a Park Road so this is the appropriate category. Any changes would require the collaboration of multiple departments and it is something that we will have to deliberate and explore with multiple bodies.

Please note - there is a trail along this roadway now so for those who do want to walk or jog that direction we encourage the use of the adjacent trail that follows a similar course.

Mark - thank you for the clarification. That road would be great as bikes only. Again, an area where I have picked up a ton of trash. Becky - is there a method to make a formal request?

Parks Commission would be the official body. You can address a request to them (720 Edgewood Ave) or attend their monthly Commission meeting the third Wednesday of the month at 720 Edgewood Ave (they do take August and December off). I will have some initial conversations with internal traffic engineers and Parks staff to see if there are any unintended consequences that I am not thinking of to the suggestion.

great idea

I am probably in the minority, but I hope the road is not closed to cars. I love the cut through to Whitney Ave and use it almost every day. It's a refreshing break to drive through parkland and a relief from stopping and starting at the various stop signs even just two or three blocks to Whitney. The dumping has to be monitored, not just there but along English Drive going up to the meadow. Anyone who walks the trails can't miss it. But no one is proposing closing English Drive. Ray Smith

I write this as the person who inspired Mark's creation of this SCF post.
The dumping of furniture, trash, etc. along East Rock Park Road is something about which I know nothing, and I certainly disapprove of that, but it isn't the reason this dialogue began initially.
The reason I think the road should be closed is that people drive recklessly on that road, particularly, it seems to me, as they near Whitney. I cannot count the number of times that my daughter and I have nearly been hit by drivers who zoom straight to Whitney Avenue and, because visibility to the southern sidewalk is limited, do not even consider that someone *might* be heading north on foot (or bike, I suppose) on Whitney, and be stepping into the road. Or, hell, even already BE IN THE ROAD. I have had cars stop inches away from me. It's completely terrifying. This year, I've been (again) walking my kid to camp at Eli Whitney, so I walk past here 4x a day, and finally I've gotten into the habit of carrying a bright purple umbrella with me, which I STICK OUT INTO THE STREET ahead of me, to add to the likelihod that a car might see me, and give a crap, and slow the **** down.
In my experience if one is on foot headed south, the drivers are somewhat more likely to see you, but seem to only care about giving pedestrians the right of way maybe 25% of the time. Yesterday, for example, around 3.15, a stream of nine cars (I counted) came through the park while my daughter and I stood there waiting to cross. This indicates to me that, yes, once in a while there are a lot of people using the road. But is it really necessary? If the road is primarily used as a scenic cut-through BUT also calls for regular maintenance due to dumping AND is a hazard to people on the sidewalk of Whitney Avenue, well, I guess it comes down to What Matters More?: a scenic cut through so someone can avoid two stop signs, or major littering and bodily harm waiting to happen.

I am incredibly tired of being constantly at risk as I walk through my neighborhood. I am so tired of the thoughtlessness of drivers. I've reached a point where I just don't care about "scenic routes"; what I want is a sense that I'm likely to get home alive, and, moreover, that I can eventually let my child take herself to camp without getting dead along the way.

I apologize for the rant, I really do, but seriously. There are only so many ways for me to walk to Eli Whitney on sidewalks. There are lots of ways for drivers to access Whitney Avenue. This one is proving dangerous, and something's got to change.

If the city closes the road will the traffic will they Barrel down Burns ? Think fast and put speed bumps and wide outs etc. in the adjacent roads ..Close English Drive also, the traffic can use Whitney or State to get around , can't imagine where anyone is going as far as into Hamden is concerned

I’ve been complaining about the same issues in this area for years. I used to walk to work but don’t feel safe anymore because drivers will not stop even when I’m in the crosswalk. A terrible way to start the day feeling people are trying to run me over. Exercise is supposed to decrease stress. Drivers speed up to 50mph in a 25 zone and seldom stop at stops or lights. I’ve even seen police ignore stops. There are two schools nearby and safety should be a high priority

why won't the police enforce the traffic laws? I've heard the story that the city only gets $10 per ticket written (the rest goes to the state).... Who Cares?!?! Their job is law enforcement not revenue creation. Look at the awful accident in Westville. It's only a matter of time until this happens on our side of town. Ticket speeding, failure to stop/yield, and running red lights. Oh, and by the way, how about some red light cameras?

EWG, I saw you with your purple umbrella this morning!! I live on Burns and just above this stretch of road (the continuation of Livingston Street) and I can tell you that this is a GREAT idea. Both streets are used as cut-throughs to avoid Whitney and my family has had many incidents with speeding, reckless vehicles. Our young daughter, our pets, the older people on our street...all are in jeopardy with these folks looking to save ONE minute of drive time. We have had near-violent confrontations with drivers who have almost hit us and when we respond by shaking a fist or yelling, they stop and get out of their cars to fight! The dumping issue HUGE...mattresses, furniture, bags of trash, all manner of junk. People pull over on that small street and dump whatever they have. Installing cameras or monitoring with personnel (which will NEVER happen) is just not as effective as closing off this street. I know that all of the residents adjacent to this street (on Burns and Livingston) agree with this sentiment since we all have been complaining for years about the drivers and the dumping.

Cameras are installed but aren’t used to monitor traffic infractions because the state legislature won’t approve it thanks to trucking unions who oppose them. There used to be speed traps posted on Whitney and East Rock but it has been years since that has been done. It doesn’t help that police don’t pull people over or even set a good example when it comes to following traffic laws

The police were actually out on Whitney this morning and had 4 cars pulled over when I went by. It was a lovely sight but happens far too infrequently. And, of course, as soon as drivers passed the officers they floored it and sped the rest of the way down Whitney.

Also, I don't anything about the economics of this kind of thing, but surely the city would save at least a small amount of street maintenance money in the bargain?

look at .. refer to Traffic/Road Safety ▶ Open

Traffic/Road Safety
805 Whitney Avenue New Haven Connecticut

SOME 85 COMMENTS SINCE 2016. !!!! don't need to say anything else.

I agree, drivers are too aggressive. Too often I have to avoid cars which don’t stop as they should before entering Whitney. Closing the street is the best solution

We are trying to delineate issues that are current and need the city's attention to resolve. Any issues prior to 2023 are being closed. If your issue remains and needs to be addressed by the city, please either re-open or open as a new See Click Fix issue. Thank you.