Letter to the Editor
July 27, 2008
If you think downtown parking spaces are difficult to find now, just wait. Two new high schools that will serve an estimated 1,000 students and will employ approximately 125 staffers are under construction on prime downtown real estate. More than half of these students will be of driving age. It is likely that hundreds of precious on-street or garage parking spaces will be occupied by students and staff, and this will add to an already-congested downtown parking situation, not to mention the additional traffic.
We all know that growth is a good idea for our city, but not having sufficient parking is a bad idea—for workers, visitors, merchants, and others who keep our economy going. Downtown parking in New Haven at the present time is simply insufficient to service the continued growth.
According to the project manager for the new schools—The Cooperative Arts located on the corner of College and Crown streets and Humanities High School, and The Metropolitan Business Academy located o the corner of Water and Olive streets —on-site parking has only been created for the staff at the schools, not for the students because “students are not allowed to drive to theses schools”. It seems reasonable that a certain number of students will be of driving age and own or have access to a car and may choose to drive to school regardless of school policy. Clearly a percentage of downtown parking spaces may be absorbed even if students are not allowed to drive themselves to these schools, it seems likely that there will be additional cars in the area.
It is time for the city to look before it leaps. Provide efficient and adequate parking for New Haven’s municipal buildings; ensure that visitors to our city—whether there for business or pleasure—can find enough parking.
Andy Ross Articles 