DOT to replace signal controllers
The state Department of Transportation is developing plans to replace traffic signal controllers and cabinets at select state-owned traffic signals in the city, along with installing communication equipment at several of the locations.
The DOT will coordinate the project with city officials during the design phase.
“It is the department’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken,” said Matthew C. Blume, the division chief of traffic engineering at the DOT’s Bureau of Engineering and Construction. “At this time, it is anticipated that an informational meeting or formal public hearing will not be necessary.”
The following West Haven intersections are included in the state project: Ocean Avenue (Route 705) at South Street; Ocean Avenue (Route 705) at Platt Court; Derby Avenue (Route 34) at Central Avenue; and Jones Hill Road (Route 162) at South Street.
Blume said the bureau should complete the design plans in June, with a tentative advertising date for construction of August.
Anyone interested in requesting information on “Project No. 0173-0532” can contact the project manager, John W. Lockaby, at [email protected] or (860) 594-2719.
Leaf bags pickups halted until April 15
Residents are reminded that leaf bag pickup ended Dec. 15. The city will not pick up leaf bags until the curbside service resumes the week of April 15.
Until then, residents must bring all leaf bags — paper, no plastic — to the compost site, 1 Kimberly Ave., from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Proof of residence is required.
The 2023 pickup schedule for leaf bags is April 15-June 1 and Oct. 1-Dec. 15.
Blight enforcement number listed
For questions about public space or blight, contact city Code Enforcement Officer Laurie Lopez at (203) 937-3596 or [email protected].
Free radon test kits available
It’s not too late to test your home for radon, the second-leading cause of lung cancer.
The city Health Department has a limited number of free radon test kits, Health Director Maureen B. Lillis said.
To receive a test kit, call the department at 203-937-3660. A sanitarian from the department will deliver the kit and help place it in the home, Lillis said.
Radon is a colorless, odorless and naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the natural decay of uranium. It’s found in rock, water and soil.
While radon in outdoor air poses a relatively low risk to human health, it can enter homes from the surrounding soil and become a health hazard inside buildings, Lillis said.
To learn more about radon, visit https://portal.ct.gov/dph/Environmental-Health/Radon/Radon-Program.
Applications accepted for tax relief
The assessor’s office is accepting applications by appointment for tax relief programs for elderly and disabled homeowners.
West Haven residents can apply for the programs, based on their 2022 taxable and untaxable incomes, weekdays through May 15 in the assessor’s office on the first floor of City Hall, 355 Main St. For an appointment, call 203-937-3515. No walk-ins.
Marchers sought for annual parade
The city and the West Haven Veterans Council are seeking veterans, civic groups, fraternal organizations, service clubs and marching bands to participate in the annual Memorial Day parade, which steps off at 10:30 a.m. May 29.
Participants must register and list required special accommodations for the procession, which has no rain date.
The city will provide transportation for veterans who are unable to walk the 1.5-mile parade route, which follows Campbell Avenue from Captain Thomas Boulevard to Center Street. To make arrangements, call the mayor’s office at 203-937-3510.
The parade grand marshal is Mark Levine, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Download a participation form at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/DocumentCenter/View/4955/Memorial-Day-Parade-Reservation-Form-2023-PDF.
Forms are also available for pickup in the mayor’s office at City Hall, 355 Main St., where they are due May 8.
Completed forms must be faxed to (203) 937-3705 or mailed to the West Haven Memorial Day Parade, Office of the Mayor, 355 Main St., West Haven 06516.
Historical Society honors city women
West Haven’s Historical Society will celebrate Women’s History Month at its regular meeting tonight at 7, at the Poli House, 686 Savin Ave. A panel of three women will be the featured speakers for the program which will focus on Women in Public Life.
Speakers include Councilwoman Meli Garthwait (R-2), Sarah Ackbarali (D-3), and State Rep. Dorinda Borer (D-115) who will discuss various aspects of being women in elective office.
In addition, the Society currently displays an exhibit of local women who have made special contributions to our city’s history in years past. They include Harriet North, City Historian for many years; Alma Pagels, local teacher who taught generations of West Haven students and for whom Pagels School is named; Ora Mason, City Librarian for decades and for whom the branch Library is named; and Pauline Lang, founder of the West Haven Community House. All of these women, and others shown in the exhibit, left legacies that have contributed to the betterment of West Haven.