JOHN YI/YH Yalies have a hard time finding transportation out of New Haven.

Transportation options scarce for Yalies

In the time it took Kristina Weaver, BK '03, to get from John F. Kennedy Airport to Phelps Gate this fall, she could have flown from New York to Los Angeles—and back again.

Kristina, who hails from Sofia, Bulgaria, was trying to get to Yale for a FOOT trip, but, upon arriving in New York, she was greeted by torrential downpours and long ground transportation delays.

"Connecticut Limo was running slow and the bus I was on was packed," she said. "By the time I finally got to New Haven, it was two in the morning and I had to spend the night in the Connecticut Limo terminal."

While Kristina's 12-hour trek from New York to Yale is rare, problems with transportation into and within New Haven are not—as the city's economy has declined, its transit options have narrowed.

At Tweed-New Haven Airport, for example, the number of carriers serving the city has declined severely. Just three years ago, four major airlines—United, Continental, US Airways, and American—all offered service from Tweed to hub airports around the country. Today, only US Airways Express remains, offering commuter flights to Philadelphia International Airport and Washington's Reagan National Airport. "A level of uncertainty persists among airlines about the viability of Tweed," Edwin V. Selden, executive director of the Tweed-New Haven Airport Authority, said.

Major airlines probably won't re-open operations at Tweed soon, according to Professor of Economics Merton Peck. "It's expensive to start up service, and airlines are not going to respond to a short economic upswing," he said. "Besides, all of those same airlines are in Hartford."

While Tweed has floundered, New Haven remains connected to other cities and airports largely through its historically high-volume bus and train service. Currently, a train ride to New York takes at least an hour and a half and costs $11.50 one-way.

Still, many students complain about the high costs of bus and train service. For example, to get to Boston, travelers must ride either Amtrak, which costs $77 round-trip, or Greyhound, which is $49. Amtrak recently unveiled plans for a $2 billion high-speed train to serve the Northeast Corridor, connecting Washington, New York, Boston, and intermediate points, including New Haven.

According to Amtrak officials, this new train, dubbed "Acela," would take riders from New Haven to New York in just 63 minutes, from New York to Boston in three hours, and from New York to Washington in two hours and 45 minutes. Acela was supposed to have been in operation by November, but, due to technical problems, the service will be delayed until at least next spring, and may not be fully operational until 2003.

"It's faster and cheaper just to drive to and from New Haven," Elena Graceffa, TC '03, said. Driving to Yale, though, comes with its own set of problems. "The infamously congested area in which Interstates 91 and 95 and Route 34 intersect can be a nightmare," Susan Etkind, assistant director of public information at Mayor DeStefano's office, said. "That area is just a confusing mess."

The state government has recently approved a $640 million overhaul of the stretch of Interstate 95 that runs between Branford and New Haven, which includes a reconstruction of the 91-95 connection. According to Bruce Fisher, traffic operations engineer for the New Haven Traffic Department, road construction should begin in 2001 and be completed by 2011.

Other plans to improve New Haven transportation include a new commuter train station, a new bus depot at State and Chapel streets, and a $500,000 initiative to improve the efficiency of bus routes within New Haven.

Yet most students are doubtful that the proposed changes will be effective. "I don't think New Haven is a big enough city with enough going on to make things change," Ann Moller, SY '03, said. "We're not royalty or anything. We're college kids, and we can deal with it."

Many professors, though, have a harder time improvising. "We sometimes have problems recruiting professors because of their spousal concerns," Diana Cordova, director of undergraduate studies for the psychology department, said. "It's difficult for a husband and wife to get appointments at Yale at the same time, and getting another job in New Haven is not easy. It's not like Boston or Cambridge, where chances are that both the husband and wife could get an appointment somewhere, given the high concentration of universities in the Boston area."

There is one dissenting voice against new transportation options, however: Art History Professor Vincent Scully, JE '40, GRD '49.

"Yale should oppose the new connector between 91, 95, and 34," he said. "As soon as you put in a great big connector, that's when you get a lot of traffic. Everyone will flock to it. Bring back the trolleys to New Haven—that's what we really need."

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