The Pitkin Tunnel or Pitkin Street Tunnel is a below-ground-level, roofed but not entirely enclosed roadway, in downtown
New Haven, Connecticut,
United States. It accommodates simultaneous motor vehicle traffic in both directions. The
tunnel runs from the eastbound
one-way
One-way or one way may refer to:
*One-way traffic, a street either facilitating only one-way traffic, or designed to direct vehicles to move in one direction
*One-way travel, a trip that does not return to its origin
Music
*One Way (American ban ...
Elm Street between Church and Orange Streets (), with the southbound lanes of State Street between Court and Chapel Streets () across from
State Street station. It passes under Orange Street. It runs under or next to the
New Haven City Hall and County Courthouse and the
Federal Courthouse on Church Street, the local Emergency Operations Center, and at least three more buildings that house banks and the headquarters of
United Illuminating
The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a regional electric distribution company based in Orange, Connecticut. Established in 1899, UI is engaged in the purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity and related services to 325,000 ...
, the
electric utility serving much of New Haven and Fairfield counties.
The tunnel provides access to a parking garage and to loading docks; motorists with no interest in those facilities are reported to use the tunnel as a convenient route to avoid traffic lights and congestion.
Security
In 2003, the
United States Marshals Service and
General Services Administration provided funds which were used to install surveillance cameras, gates for closing the tunnel, and booths to accommodate guards. {{As of, 2005, the gates are open 16 hours a day, five days a week, with the only security personnel in the tunnel being occasional patrols by city police. The lack of guards to control access at those times has drawn attention of the state's news media.
In February 2007, plans were announced to enhance security, apparently in anticipation of extradition from the
United Kingdom, and trial in New Haven, of a person charged with conspiracy in a terrorism-related case. One measure is to be armed guards who are not visible to the public.
External links
Safe Havencity newsletter
Tunnel security updatenew report
Map of surface route between tunnel openings
Tunnels in Connecticut
Buildings and structures in New Haven, Connecticut
Transportation in New Haven, Connecticut
Road tunnels in the United States
Transportation buildings and structures in New Haven County, Connecticut