Alex Werrell

  • 47 Court Street New Haven, Connecticut - Wooster Square

    Something must be done to slow traffic on Olive Street. Unhampered by any stop signs or lights, cars zip down the street, often ignoring posted pedestrian crosswalks. Dolores Dogolo was struck and killed in October trying to cross the street; it’s now February, and nothing has been done to slow traffic or to secure additional, well-marked crosswalks. Compounding the problem now is the total lack of snow removal from sidewalk curbs; people still need to cross the street, regardless of weather. In order to do that now, we have to climb over snow or take a dangerous, circuitous path. We need new stop signs at the intersection of Court and Olive Streets.

    At the neighborhood meeting last night, many of us discussed how we could slow traffic and ensure the safety of our pedestrians. A worker from the city claimed that a raised crosswalk would be too expensive; the crosswalk at Whitney and Audubon, for instance, cost $300,000. So: two new stop signs should be installed, replacing the “YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS” signs that are currently there and that are currently ignored. The crosswalk-sign that stays in the middle of the crosswalk until it is hit and destroyed by a car should be installed properly.

    In addition, there should be crosswalks painted on all sides of the intersection; as is, only the northern crossing is painted. The sidewalks need to be prepared with proper ramps for wheelchairs and baby strollers.

    This is not a cost-prohibitive project, but it is a mandatory one that must be done as soon as possible. Unfortunately for our community and for the Dogolo family, it is not proactive enough; stop signs and crosswalks should have been installed and painted long before October.

    Thanks.

    Your neighbor,
    Alex