Chapel Street will be converted from a one-way to a two-way street between College Street and York Street in April 2026.

This conversion is one component of the City of New Haven’s overall efforts to improve traffic flow, enhance access and mobility, reduce speeding, and improve the safety of everyone using the streets, especially pedestrians and bicyclists, the most vulnerable users.

Nearly all on-street parking will remain in place, with only a few spaces total lost because of this conversion.

The following measures are being implemented as part of the two-way conversion to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists and to slow motor vehicle traffic:

• Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) and Pedestrian Push Buttons: These features are designed primarily for people with disabilities and include “direction of crossing” messages with speech, tactile buttons that vibrate, and touchless buttons that can be activated with the wave of a hand.

• High-Visibility Crosswalks: Continental-style crosswalks improve drivers’ visibility of pedestrian crossings and will be installed at all project intersections.

• Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI) Signals: Pedestrian signal timing improvements allow pedestrians to begin crossing before vehicles move in parallel, increasing safety at intersections.

• Improved Signage for Turning Vehicles: Enhanced signage will be installed to remind drivers making turns to yield to pedestrians on both the near and far sides of the intersection, where permitted. As a reminder, Connecticut law mandates that DRIVERS MUST YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS IN A CROSSWALK.

• Enhanced Signal Timing: A left turn green arrow phase will be installed which gives drivers a dedicated, conflict-free phase, improves overall traffic signal coordination, and provides longer pedestrian walk times to enhance safety and traffic flow.

The final step before Chapel Street reopens as a two-way street is the installation of new pavement markings. The public will be notified of the installation date in April. Chapel Street will be closed overnight for one night to finish this. When the street reopens, on-road signage will guide drivers through the new traffic pattern. In the event of inclement weather, the work will be postponed by one day.

Drivers are urged to slow down and pay extra attention to surroundings!

Questions? Please contact Carl Giordano, Traffic Projects Engineer, City of New Haven, Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking, at cgiordano@newhavenct.gov.