New Haven elected officials and advocates continue to fight what some are calling traffic “anarchy.” Late last month, Alderpersons Erin Sturgis-Pascale and Roland Lemar introduced legislation (viewable at the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition website) to establish a “Complete Streets Steering Committee” made up of alderpersons, New Haven agency officials, and city residents. The Committee would help develop a complete streets policy which provides for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. It would also guide development of a design manual, community planning process, and an educational campaign; and work with the New Haven police department to develop traffic safety benchmarks.

In the preamble to the legislation, the authors note that 45% of New Haven residents walk, bike, carpool, or take transit to work, and cite several recent traffic-related fatalities that better-designed streets may have prevented. If passed, the legislation would show that the tremendous grassroots energy which has coalesced around traffic calming in New Haven is beginning to translate into action, and could set a precedent for similar legislation across the state.

(Hat tip: Design New Haven)