Detour No More: 'Peanut' Traffic Roundabout In Westville Complete

NEW HAVEN, CT — After months of having to detour around the very busy Chapel Street and Yale Avenue intersection in Westville, it was clear sailing Tuesday night for a local who almost missed the "detour" signs being gone.

The brand new "peanut" roundabout is complete and once again, the streets surrounding the Yale Bowl, Edgewood Park, and Westville Music Bowl are open.

Wednesday, New Haven Major Justin Elicker, City Engineer Giovanni Zinn, Ward 25 Alder Adam Marchand, Ward 26 Alder Darryl Brackeen, Elizabeth Donius, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance executive director and reps from the Friends of Edgewood Park among others gathered to celebrate the "engineering achievement."

Calling it a "previously dangerous intersection," the area is "often heavily trafficked by pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists from the neighborhood and attending events," a news release from City Hall reads.

Before the beginning of the new construction in early December 2022, there had been more than 50 crashes at the intersection over the previous three years.

"The unique peanut-shaped traffic circle is a first in design for the city and was engineered to address the unique layout of the intersection," the release reads. "The project also includes new traffic islands and other traffic-calming measures to help ensure a safer intersection and travel for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists."

A TikTok account, Everyday Engineering, has been documenting the progress since the end of November 2022 when the project first got underway.