Image courtesy of the city of New Haven.

When New Haven tried to plow a freeway just south of the city’s downtown in an ill-fated fit of midcentury urban renewal, it severed the heart of the city from its main train station.

Now, according to the New Haven Independent, work has begun on the second phase of a key infrastructure project to help knit the two halves of the city back together again and connect one of the hottest development areas in the city with key mass transit options.

The current phase will reconnect Orange Street and South Orange Street, currently separated by Route 34, with a level crossing intersection. In total, the project will also free up 10 acres of land that can be sold to developers. The first phase wrapped up in 2016, while the second phase should be completed in 18 months. All three phases should be complete by 2024.