August at NCAT: Summer Rides, More Ebikes and a Fond Farewell
- NCAT Info
- Aug 4
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 9
Summer Events with NCAT and Friends:
Can you help support our organization with a donation today? NCAT is made up mostly of volunteers and we do a lot with every dollar! |
NCAT Director of Education Elias Estabrook Takes It to the Next Level
If you've been a student in an NCAT cycling class, or maybe attended a public meeting for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, or grabbed a free coffee and received a thumbs up at a Bike to Work Day Breakfast in New Haven sometime in the past six years, you probably know Elias Estabrook.
At our small (but mighty!) non-profit, Elias is the primary face of the organization outside of our volunteer board of directors. He teaches classes, helps organize walk audits, provides public testimony at hearings, presents on NCAT activities, does the paperwork and SHOWS UP in every way. He's leading our work to organize classes, build curriculum and foster relationships so kids can learn to ride bikes in New Haven Public Schools.
We're terribly sorry to lose him. His last day at NCAT is August 25th. Our loss will be New Haven Public Schools' gain. Elias is stepping it up to work full-time mentoring and teaching kids in the Elm City. He'll be continuing his journey to become a certified teacher when he enters a Master's program and starts student teaching this Fall in a Southern Connecticut State University Resident Educator program.
If you see Elias out and about this month, please thank him for everything he's done for people walking, biking, riding the bus or using micromobility in New Haven. On behalf of all our board members, instructors and volunteers, all the best to you, Elias!
-Doug Hausladen, NCAT Board Chair
Help NCAT Find Our Next Director of Education
NCAT is accepting applications through August 15 for our next Director of Education. It's a great role for someone passionate about youth and adult cycling instruction and making New Haven an even better place to walk, (e)bike, ride the bus or use micromobility. Please share the flyer and job description with your networks. Find them both here on our website blog.
Comments Needed by Aug 13 to Improve Route 1-West River Road Design
The City of New Haven (Thanks, Dmitris Koutoumbas!) has been doing a good job advocating to state DOT engineers for human-scaled design for the Route 1 bridge and road improvements over the West River. NCAT and our partners have supported community walk audits to bring this along. Now we need a little more reinforcement to make the case to the state engineers managing the design.
Please write or call CT DOT project managers and thank them for 10-foot sidewalks on the south side and ask them for 10-foot-wide sidewalks on the north side, narrower travel lanes and to accelerate the construction schedule for the sidewalks. The current north sidewalk is hazardous and dilapidated. The connecting sidewalk is something to celebrate because it will close the sidewalk gap from West Haven to New Haven on Route 1. We could also use a new bus shelter in the project area.
For more information, see the recording of the July 30th public meeting. Members of the public can submit comments and questions by Wednesday, August 13, 2025, to DOTProject0156-0185@ct.gov or by calling (860) 594-2020 OR reaching out to Francisco Fadul at francisco.fadul@ct.gov or (860) 594-2078.
IS THERE A DANGEROUS STREET, SIDEWALK OR BUS STOP
THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED NEAR YOU?
NCAT wants to help organize neighbors and businesses to address dangerous walking and cycling issues or bus stops on your routes.
New Bike Infrastructure on the Way!
The City of New Haven is working to prioritize striping new bike lanes as it moves forward in updating and implementing the street Milling and Repaving Schedule. The following streets were suggested for new bike lane markings by the Safe Streets Coalition of New Haven: Meadow View Rd, Lexington Ave, Whalley, McKinley Ave, George St, Congress, Chapel St, Carlisle, Park St, Tower Parkway. The Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking (TT&P) is evaluating the feasibility of installing bicycle lanes based on the Milling and Paving Schedule.
This process is in alignment with the recommendations and action items identified in the Safe Routes For All plan approved by the New Haven Board of Alders in 2022. The plan calls for the city to expand and upgrade 90 miles of bike lanes — and make them “protected” lanes, with a physical barrier between cars and bikers, whenever possible. It also recommends upgrading traffic signals citywide to add Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPI) to improve pedestrian safety; implement traffic calming at dangerous intersections; make transit infrastructure upgrades; convert one-way streets in Downtown to two-way and implement other policies and programs to achieve the “Vision Zero” goal of ending vulnerable user deaths.
State budgets $750,000 for a Third Round of Ebike Rebates
You said more ebike vouchers. The state board managing it said, yes! The Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate (CHEAPR) board has extended the state's popular ebike rebate program for a third round, adding another $750,000 to the fund CT residents can use to purchase discounted ebikes. The newest round of rebates is tentatively set to be rolled out in August or September. The rollout may be delayed by recent funding changes to CHEAPR's EV rebate program, according the New Haven-based CHEAPR board member Kate Rozen, who has championed the program - and ebikes generally - from the outset (Thanks, Kate!).
Round 2 of the rebate program prioritized low-income applicants and was fully allocated this summer. Round 2 voucher recipients have 240 days to redeem the ebike vouchers at 24 eligible brick and mortar shops in Connecticut, including The Devil's Gear in New Haven. Stay tuned for updates!
Prep for Special Session on Housing with CT Parking Reform in New Haven
Join the CT Parking Reform group, led by Casey Moran and Tom Broderick, for a mid-Summer pre-Special Session meetup at Armada Brewery in New Haven on Thursday, August 21st from 6–8:30 PM. Come talk parking reform, land use, and connect with fellow advocates. A Ride New Haven bike share station will be available for easy access from train stations. All are welcome! For more info, email: ctparkingreform@gmail.com
Register for YIMBYtown 2025 Hosted by Desegregate CT in New Haven
YIMBYtown is the biggest national pro-homes conference in the country and it's coming to New Haven Sept 14-16, a return to New England just in time for the beautiful fall weather. The hosting organization, DesegregateCT, says they are "planning 3 days of exciting speakers, thought-provoking panels, hot takes, fun local tours and activities around New Haven, and — of course — some great pizza!"
From the website: "This convening will feature grassroots advocates and organizers, academics, public officials, and other thought leaders who are at the forefront of pro-homes advocacy across the country (and world). Join with hundreds of other individuals advocating for more affordable and abundant housing in their communities for networking and shared learning. Participants will have the opportunity to hear directly from the advocates behind the country’s biggest pro-homes policy wins, share lessons learned from policy campaigns and implementation, discuss organizing and communications best practices, and explore issues that closely intersect with pro-homes advocacy, including racial justice, transit, and climate."