Fifty roads in Hamden are being repaved this fall, marking the beginning of the town’s 2021 Fall Street Paving Program.
Mayor Curt Balzano Leng and Public Works Director Craig Cesare announced on Sept. 23, the program will tackle roads that were rated unsafe by the town’s independent Pavement Condition Index (PCI) evaluation system.
Over 10 miles of roads will be repaved and supported by the $2.7 million dollars allocated to Public Works by The Hamden Legislative Council in their capital budget.
Leng said in his six years in office, over 65 miles of road have been paved.
“Keeping our streets safe and in good condition has always been a major focus of mine… I’m proud of this achievement and I know Hamden is better for it,” Leng said in the Sept. 23 communications to the town.
Despite that, some residents said this new plan of action was long overdue.
The mass amount of broken roads and potholes have posed a “safety issue” in the neighborhood, according to Linda Robertson-Matson, a Hamden resident.
“Many drivers attempt to avoid their vehicle falling into potholes, and this can cause them to get into a car accident,” Robertson-Matson said.
Roberston-Matson noted that the roads impact cars in other ways too.
“These potholes also damage alignment and tires on vehicles and this is very unfair to residents here,” she said.
Neglected roads aren’t the only thing that pose a threat to vehicle tires, but parking lots as well.
Dorothy Gemmell, a Hamden resident, directed HQNN to 4133 Whitney Ave Plaza, where the potholes are so large and deep that they eliminate parking spaces.
“Handicap spaces aren’t even marked anymore,” Gemmell said. “The paint has completely worn off. How many years does it take for that to happen?”
Though most residents were relieved by the announcement of the freshly paved roads in the works, some have faced new struggles from the construction.
“It has caused detours and delays to my commute,” April Smoke-Collins, a Hamden resident, said.
Smoke-Collins also said that she feels frustrated since she doesn’t know about the potential delays ahead of time.
Lack of communication from the town of Hamden is something other residents have shared as a struggle since they continuously encounter unexpected road work.
HJ Pretty, a Hamden resident, said that she wishes that “advanced communications on [a] schedule” was provided to residents.
In the initial Sept. 23 announcement on the town’s website about the mass repavings, it was mentioned that residents would be notified regarding parking bans on roads being worked on. There have been no communications about bans since.
Residents said they want information regarding roads that are being milled, not just parking bans.
“Communications are too few and too far in between,” Pretty said. “By contrast, I get a voicemail and text alert from New Haven when anyone sneezes.”
Smoke-Collins agrees that communication should be sharper from the town.
“I do not see any notices ahead of time,” she said. “I only find out when I’m out on the road.”
The repaving program began in 2015 after Leng was elected to office. The program is completed annually in the fall, but as his term as mayor concludes in a few months, Leng’s goal is to end on a successful note.
— Curt Balzano Leng (@curtleng) September 28, 2021
The list of streets included in the 2021 Fall Street Paving Program can be found on the town of Hamden’s website.