Dear Eleanore Turkington:
I have been a resident of West Haven for three years and in that time I have had more close calls as a pedestrian with motorists than in a decade living in larger cities.
The worst experiences have been on the crosswalk at Captain Thomas Boulevard and Altschuler Plaza. Despite a crosswalk and signs indicating that pedestrians have the right of way, I have had cars stop inches from me and some swerve to avoid stopping.
I have seen children screamed at by irate drivers for legally crossing. A woman walking her infant across the road in the morning was honked at for daring to cross and when I confronted the driver, she said she did not know that pedestrians have the right of way.
Is there anything that the city can do such as painting the cross walk yellow or installing more yield signs closer to the intersection that pedestrians could point to?
Just Tring to Walk Here
Dear Just Trying to Walk Here:
I am sorry you are having such a dangerous, difficult time since moving to West Haven. Here is what I am going to do. First, your letter will already be in the hands of Mayor Nancy Rossi’s executive assistant, Louis Esposito by the time you read this. I am relying on Esposito to follow through and end this dangerous practice before someone gets hurt. I am also hoping the West Haven Police Department will follow through after reading your comments and assign an officer to this area to begin a safety awareness program for motorists and pedestrians as well.
I will be waiting to hear from you anticipating a change in this very dangerous situation within a week to see if any improvement effort has been installed. Please let me know either way.
Gripe Vine Readers:
Gripe Vine has received a complaint relating to a swimming pool on Ocean Avenue that has no fence on the deck or a higher fence around the yard, while there is a huge swimming pool in the yard and no fence or gate on the deck entering the pool. According to the letter writer, “Zoning has required a four-foot gate entering the pool. I do not see one here on both entries of the deck. The fence around the yard looks like it is less than three feet. This house is in plain view for the city to see and it is allowed to be exempt from the zoning laws. Someone please check this out.”
Readers I have sent this complaint along with 50 others to Louis Esposito, Executive Assistant to Mayor Nancy Rossi and have not had a reply yet on this complaint or 49 others. I am going to let my readers know what’s happening with the communication process between Esposito and Gripe Vine.
In fairness to Esposito, he was on vacation but has returned more than a week ago. Gripe Vine will keep my readers updated and informed with Esposito’s cooperation. After a fair amount of time passes, and gripes are ignored, Gripe Vine will publish the gripe and indicate there was no cooperation. However, I will continue to fast forward and look for other avenues to assist my readers.
Until then, please forward your gripes, comments and suggestions to gripevine4wh@aol.com or drop me a note in the mail to Gripe Vine c/o West Haven Voice 666 Savin Ave. You can also use our online form by clicking here. Please include your name, address and phone number, kept in strict confidentiality with me.