Four streets — Augur, Davis, Benham, Treadwell — are up for Hamden’s Walkable Sidewalks project beginning in 2023. This project entails new crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes and more on those roads to improve safety and walkability of the town.
Hamden officials estimate construction will cost about $2.8 million. 80% of this funding will come from the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Alternatives Program, which is administered through Connecticut’s Department of Transportation. The town of Hamden will fund the other 20%.
Residents have reported issues on these streets to town officials, some through the See Click Fix website. These concerns range from missing or broken sidewalks to dangerous traffic conditions.
Hamden’s town engineer Stephen White shared a presentation at the public input session showcasing the proposed changes. The goals listed in the presentation are pedestrian safety, cyclist access and traffic calming.
Hamden officials estimate the project will be completed in 2024. Design completion will be finalized in the spring of 2023, with construction expected to begin in fall 2023.
Town residents were able to voice their opinions and ask questions at the end of the meeting.
Hamden legislative councilor Katie Kiely brought up concerns on behalf of herself and other residents living on Augur Street. The project proposed chicanes for the street, which would alternate parking on either side of the street on a curved road.
“(A chicane is) almost like a horizontal speed bump, where basically you’re just putting a designed…S-curve shape into the road,” Hamden legislative councilor Ted Stevens said. “Cars have to slow down to navigate the S properly.”
However, some residents rejected this proposed change to Augur Street.
“I think (changing parking to one side of the street) would make it more dangerous rather than less dangerous,” Kiely said. “I think it would definitely be important to ask the people who live on the street what they think.”
There are also concerns from residents about the broken sidewalks outside of DeNicola Park on Treadwell Street causing injuries. Part of the project is to replace the old sidewalks and install new, 5-foot ones on the various streets to improve accessibility.
One community member, identifying herself as Lori, brought up her opposition to the installation of sidewalks on Behnam Street, as well as the 5-foot width.
“The five-foot sidewalk width, well, it’s a standard width that we have for the town construction of sidewalks,” White said in the meeting.
He said that older sidewalks were built before the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines, which are accessibility standards the federal government has regarding, among other things, the width of sidewalks.
White explained that a reduction in sidewalk width would require extra construction efforts to sidewalks in order to accommodate. The addition in width is to allow for safe passage of multiple pedestrians.
Legislative councilor Ted Stevens was also present at the session. As a transportation planner, walkability is important, Stevens said.
“Accessibility and having traverse modes of transit line and whatnot — walking, biking — is important to me, and is something that makes a good city,” Stevens told HQNN.
Multiple members of the community brought up a section of Davis Street near East Rock park during the meeting. Crosswalk and sidewalk locations were the main areas of concern for residents.
Josh Charkow, who lives with his family on Davis Street across from the park, said he worried about having crosswalks placed away from street light intersections.
“Really, to me, it’s a question of safety and accessibility,” Charkow said. “Folks should really be crossing where there’s a light to turn red and cross to the side of the (street with the) park.”
The Zoom recording and presentation can be found on Hamden’s website. The project team from the Hamden Engineering Department is accepting comments on the project until Oct. 14. Any residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the department at sidewalks@hamden.com or call (203) 287-7040.