The Tri-State Transportation Campaign has co-sponsored a petition calling for the City of New Haven to take immediate action to improve traffic safety within New Haven – with the goal of reducing traffic injuries by 50% by 2009 and 90% by 2015. The petition asks that the city immediately step up enforcement of traffic violations, develop street designs that will improve traffic safety, reduce speed limits in pedestrian- and bicycle-heavy neighborhoods, and more.

The brainchild of Elm City Cycling member Mark Abraham, the petition is supported by local, state, and regional traffic-calming advocates. It is especially relevant in light of a recent event held along Route 34 to highlight pedestrian safety issues after Yale medial student Mila Rainof was killed by a car along the corridor last month.

The City of New Haven, particularly Traffic and Transportation Director Mike Piscitelli, has been responsive to demands for increased traffic calming measures. However, additional institutional infrastructure is needed to create complete streets throughout all of New Haven (for example, the petition asks for the creation of task forces to study lowering speed limits in residential areas and raising penalties for aggressive driving). This petition will help ensure that the necessary tools are in place to create safe streets for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike throughout New Haven and show the City that demand for safe streets is widespread.

Please read and sign on to the petition here.