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Construction News & Schedule
for the ONE-WEEK period of
Monday, November 15 - Friday, November 19, 2021
UPDATE: NIGHT WORK SCHEDULED FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Night work is scheduled to occur tonight on South Frontage Road between College and Church Streets. This work includes installing lane markings for driving lanes and bike lanes. There will be noise associated with this work, mostly from large trucks. However, the work is anticipated to be completed by 11 p.m.

Other than this change, the construction schedule for the rest of the week remains as outlined below.

OVERVIEW FOR THIS WEEK:
There will be no changes to the existing traffic pattern during the week of Monday, November 15 through Friday, November 19. Various single-lane closures will occur to accommodate construction for 101 College Street and Downtown Crossing Phase 2 and are listed in more detail immediately below.

The temporary condition of no right-hand turns onto South Frontage Road from South Orange Street remains in place. A simple detour will guide drivers from State Street and Union Avenue to access South Frontage Road: right onto Columbus Avenue, right onto Church Street, and then right onto South Frontage Road.

This detour will not impact traffic already on South Frontage Road and heading to I91/I95.

The detour will only impact drivers who typically access South Frontage Road from South Orange Street, behind the New Haven police station and the Knights of Columbus printing press/supply building.

This detour will be in place until the new Orange Street intersection (across the former highway corridor) opens, which is anticipated to occur in approximately the next month and a half.

Please see graphics immediately below this text section for detour information.

LANE CLOSURES
Throughout the one-week period of Monday, November 15 and Friday, November 19, 2021 various lane closures may occur on the following roads to accommodate construction:

  • State Street & Union Avenue at North Frontage Road: single lane closures near the intersection of Water Street.
  • South Frontage Road: the far-left lane closure on SFR between College and Church Streets will be closed.
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard: single lane closures between Church Street and Orange Street.
  • Orange Street between George Street and MLK Boulevard: closed heading south.

WORK HOURS
Downtown Crossing-related work for the one-week of period of Monday, November 15 through Friday, November 19, 2021 will occur during both daytime and nighttime work hours. 

Daytime work hours are weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Nighttime work hours are between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Road signage will alert drivers to lane closures in the construction area.

Please pay attention to road signage, slow down, and stay safe!
NO Right-Hand Turns onto South Frontage Road
from South Orange Street
Detour: Accessing South Frontage Road at Church Street
Service Drive Shift
Learn more about Downtown Crossing


Kent Pierce of WTNH looks at how Downtown Crossing has worked to undo some of the damage of Urban Renewal to benefit New Haven and offers a preview of what to expect when the new Orange Street intersection, across the former highway corridor, opens. Click here to watch!


Along the Lines is a podcast hosted by Connecticut Department of Transportation Public Transit Bureau Chief Rich Andreski. The latest episode features Downtown Crossing, providing an in-depth look at the project and its benefits.

The episode can listened to at https://bit.ly/DTXonAlongTheLines  


Soon to Open: Orange Street Intersection!
A date for the opening of the new Orange Street intersection will be announced soon. When the Orange Street intersection opens, it will create a significant change in the overall traffic pattern. Drivers will be sharing the road with pedestrians and bicyclists. Pedestrians and bicyclists will need to cross the large intersection in two phases.

Pedestrians & bicyclists please note:

When crossing the intersection in the north/south direction, it will take two traffic signal phases. In other words, one will need to use the 'crosswalk' button twice and pause on one of the pedestrian islands in between the first and second crosswalk phases. (Pedestrian islands are highlighted in orange in the graphics above this section.)

  • 1st Crosswalk Phase: The first crosswalk phase will allow crossing from the sidewalk to one of the pedestrian islands.

  • 2nd Crosswalk Phase: The second crosswalk phase will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to move from the pedestrian island to the sidewalk on the other side of the intersection.


Drivers please note:

  • Drivers exiting I91 and I95 to approach Downtown New Haven (Exit 1 from I91 South and Exit 47 from I95 North) will now come across their first traffic signal at Orange Street, much earlier than before.

  • The new intersection and traffic signals are at a location that drivers are used to speeding past. Drivers are urged to pay attention to on-road signage, slow down, and stay safe!

  • The speed limit on the exit ramps from both I91 and I95 is 30 MPH! Obey the speed limit.

  • The new intersection and its traffic signals are designed for pedestrians and bicyclists, not only drivers!! Drivers should be especially cognizant that they are utilizing a shared-use road along with pedestrians and bicyclists. Drivers should pay attention to road signage and obey the speed limit to keep all road users safe.

  • From any point in the intersection, drivers can turn right or go straight upon a green traffic signal. There are NO left-hand turns allowed for drivers from any point in the intersection.