Sharraxaadda
Hi. I live in Hamden but work in New Haven. I normally drive to work, but would prefer to bike in on the Farmington Canal.
When I last tried this in the fall on a Saturday, the Farmington Canal just sort of ends (is more construction bringing the canal forward?) somewhere near Yale University buildings with no indication of how to get from this (to me) unfamiliar part of the city to where I work (I normally go on the highway), or any information about bicycle routes in the city.
So my suggestion is that at the end of the trail (if this bridge area marks the end of the trail) some sort of signage be placed to indicate where you are and how to get to other parts of the city.
Also, is there any sort of resource listing existing on-street bike bike paths and bike-separated bike lanes in the area?
In other words, once you're in New Haven on a bike, where you can go that's bike friendly? I've heard about shoreline routes under construction, but have no idea how to get there.
Any advice is welcome.
9 Faalladas
Melissa (Martida)
Yes!! I don't feel this has been handled very well at all by Yale and the city. Trail use should be encouraged and this part has been closed off by Yale for an inordinate amount of time-- I've been watching.
At very least there should be clear communication to trail users about how to exit the trail and safely ride into town, as well as regular updates on how the trail is progressing and when the next stage will be open.
I also now live in Hamden and like to ride the trail with my son in tow, to run errands downtown or visit my husband who works in a Yale building just off the trail (now inaccessible because of the ongoing construction).
Please fix this!
Melissa (Martida)
Andrew (Martida)
GregL (Isticmaale Diiwaangashan)
Andrew, Melissa's covered a lot of what I was going to type.
I believe that the City is going to release a small Street Smarts booklet at some point in the near future, which has a map of bike lanes, etc. in the city.
David Backeberg (Martida)
I know small amounts of what's going on regarding the current round of construction. The trail theoretically ends at Hillhouse Avenue, at the old Yale Health building. In practice, the trail has only ended there intermittently since 2007.
The bridge at Trumbull / Prospect / Lock was in need of complete demolition and reconstruction. Construction was rather complete, and then a new project was kicked off to improve drainage in the area, as most of the area below the bridge is below street grade and would otherwise be a potential pond under heavy rains (and users know it was sometimes such before construction).
And then there was this:
http://newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/stupid_sawing_error_delays_bridge_opening/
This new drainage project is why the Canal Trail remains closed at this time. There was also the construction of the new Yale Health Center, but really that wasn't most of the reason for the closures.
Melissa (Martida)
Rob Dexter (Martida)
you should be able to find bike routes in the city
City of New Haven (La Caddeeyey Rasmi ah)
La xidhay Manager of Operations, Process Improvement - Transportation, Traffic, & Parking (La Caddeeyey Rasmi ah)