NEW HAVEN--When you hear the word paradise, I-95 doesn’t normally come to mind. But at the Long Wharf, New Haven is seeing an idyllic revival, though it needs some work to reach its nirvana.
For years food trucks, primarily with Mexican cuisine, have parked right off the highway, but recently as more have joined--there are 13 trucks now, according to Jose Corona, who runs the Mexicali truck--they have started pushing for safety improvements.
Matthew Nemerson, who works with the economic development department in New Haven, said the push for changes came amid some very serious dangers. "It was chaos out here," he said, pointing to issues like trucks parking on the wrong side of the road and people dangerously crossing the street.
Now, lights, bike routes and crosswalks are being installed, and areas are being specifically designated for trucks. They are also adding parking.
All of that costs money, which will be paid for through higher fees for the food trucks. The city says it's manageable though.
Another change that the fees will pay for is the addition of a conduit so that trucks can run off electricity boxes hooked up to their backs, instead of running the propane from the trucks.
"What we're asking them is for is a couple thousand dollars, which is basically about $8 a day," Nemerson said, adding that cost would be quickly made up by the reduction in propane costs and parking meters.
