by Alexandra Martinakova The New Haven independent
Sam mopped clean the floor of the Mobil gas station at the corner of Whalley and Sherman Thursday afternoon, just as he’s done for years as an employee at the intersection-anchoring business.
“It’s up and down,” Sam said about a place he’s worked at “long enough,” at a corner where he’s “seen it all.”
“If you pass one time in the night time, at 2 – 3 o’clock, you’d see it for yourself.”
Sam, who asked to be identified by only his first name for this story, was one of several people the Independent spoke with Thursday while walking the 0.2‑mile stretch of Whalley Avenue from Orchard Street to Sherman Avenue.
The interview took place as part of a new step-by-step series of articles about the commercial corridor that runs from downtown all the way out to the westernmost reaches of New Haven.
This several-block stretch of Whalley is home to various shops, a McDonald’s, the Whalley jail, and, among other businesses, the Mobil gas station.
Sam voiced concerns about the area. He said walking past some of the shops at night feels unsafe, and that crime rates are high.
“Crime is No. 1 and college is No. 2,” Sam said about his experience of the block. “You gotta talk to the chief of police and see how they plan on getting rid of the crime. There’s mostly drugs around here.”
Closer to Whalley and Orchard, Danzo, 24, offered a slightly different perspective on this stretch of Whalley.
Danzo, who also asked to be identified by only his first name, said he hails from India, moved to New Haven nearly a year ago, and has been working at the Elm City Wireless repair shop for the last six months.
He said that, based on his time on the block, he’d like to see something done about traffic in the area.
“They should decrease the traffic,” Danzo said. “It takes time to cross [Whalley] and there’s so much of it. It doesn’t need anything else.” He said that the phone shop is often quite busy with customers, most of whom walk.
This reporter saw first hand some of the traffic perils described by Danzo. I observed two almost-accidents, one of which involved a car not yielding the right of way to a police car with flashing lights and sirens.
“I’ve lived here my whole life,” said Harold, 24, whose dad lives in the area, while Harold himself lives in the Hill. “They should focus on more good people and not major drama and get the whole city back under control. People getting killed everywhere, that really needs to change.”
See below for previous entries in the “Walking Whalley” series.
• Between Howe and Sperry: “I’m Struggling For Real”
• Between Sperry and Orchard: Motorcycle Biz Rides On
Elm City Wireless “iREPAIRPRO shop” at the corner of Whalley and Orchard.