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New Haven to use DOT grant for I-91 infrastructure initiative

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.
Jeniece Roman
/
WSHU
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.

The City of New Haven will launch a plan to redevelop physical barriers near Interstate 91 to restore connectivity in surrounding neighborhoods.

Jeniece Roman
/
WSHU

The Neighborhood Reconnection Initiative project is a two-year-long study conducting a planning, zoning and housing analysis in New Haven, Fair Haven and the Long Wharf district. It’s part of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program, a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Mayor Justin Elicker said that historically, cities have been torn apart by highways that have destroyed or separated neighborhoods. Because Interstate 91 was built in the 1960s, Elicker said the construction has divided homes, businesses, and communities.

“Look at all of the land that is encompassed by winding highway exits. Think about what if we were to potentially redesign some of these exits to reclaim some of this land that was lost years ago,” Elicker said.

Elicker said the project is part of a larger effort to reconnect neighborhoods throughout the city. The project will focus on developing community-centered transportation projects to reconnect neighborhoods. The study will look into an updated zoning and housing analysis and other opportunities to integrate the highway into the surrounding neighborhoods.

U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).
Jeniece Roman
/
WSHU
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said the interstate cut through important neighborhoods when it was built. She said the community has felt the consequences of this decision for decades. DeLauro said the project will investigate ways to reroute or rebuild exits for pedestrian safety.

“Every single resident deserves to have access to vibrant public spaces and safe travel as options,” DeLauro said. “It’s about economic development, it's about increased mobility, climate resiliency, and neighborhood access. All of the affected neighborhoods will be involved.”

The goal is to restore areas in the surrounding neighborhoods to serve its residents better. The city also plans to turn vacant lots and parking into housing units, address brownfield locations, and invest in public green spaces.

Jeniece Roman is a reporter with WSHU, who is interested in writing about Indigenous communities in southern New England and Long Island, New York.