Using latest crash data, City to target 424 miles of streets where nearly half of pedestrian fatalities occur
Mayor Bill de Blasio today released DOT’s new Borough Pedestrian Safety Plans, which target the next wave of streets and intersections the City will make safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. The plans use the latest crash data, showing that just 7 percent of the city’s streets – 424 miles – are responsible for nearly half of all pedestrian fatalities. By the end of 2019, the City will change traffic signals on all the newly added corridors to discourage speeding, and give pedestrians exclusive crossing time at 300 intersections to prevent crashes. The new priority streets and intersections are the roadmap for future Vision Zero safety projects and enforcement – ensuring tools like speed cameras, police enforcement and re-engineering are applied where they’ll save the most lives.
The first Borough Pedestrian Plans, released in 2015, saw an average decline in pedestrian fatalities at targeted sites of 36 percent, driving the City’s record fatality declines. The City has addressed nearly all locations from the plans with some protective measures, and will continue to deepen those in the years ahead to keep driving down injuries and fatalities.
“We will never stop working towards our goal of Vision Zero and saving lives across the city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Using our data-driven approach, we have identified hotspots around the city that are driving the majority of traffic fatalities, and are implementing targeted plans there and across the city that will make our streets safer for all. After our success last year with the safest year on record, we will continue building towards a safer and fairer city for all.”
“Over the last four years, DOT’s groundbreaking Borough Pedestrian Safety Plans have enabled us to target our resources where they will save the most lives,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “In these updated plans, we have used the freshest data to identify new crash-prone corridors and intersections most in need of our full menu of safety interventions.”
New Priority Locations
Using crash data, new Priority Corridors were added to the new Borough Safety Plans, including:
- Bronx: Westchester Avenue (3rd Avenue to Bronx River Avenue), Boston Road - 3rd Avenue to Bronx Park East, Soundview Avenue – (White Plains Road to Bruckner Boulevard)
- Brooklyn: Linden Blvd (Flatbush Av to Sapphire St), 8th Avenue – (39th Street to 73rd Street), Surf Avenue – (Ocean Parkway to Atlantic Avenue), Bedford Avenue – (Manhattan Avenue to Flatbush Avenue).
- Manhattan: Columbus Avenue (9th Avenue to Morningside Drive), York Avenue – (Sutton Place to the FDR), 10th Avenue (West Street to 59th Street)
- Queens: Rockaway Boulevard (Eldert Lane to 3rd Street), 37th Avenue – (114th Street to Woodside Avenue), 21st Street (50th Avenue to 20th Avenue)
- Staten Island: Targee Street - (Van Duzer Street to Richmond Road), Bradley Avenue – (Watchogue Rd to Brielle Avenue), Lincoln Avenue – (Richmond Road to Father Capodanno Boulevard)
In February 2015, DOT compiled data on crashes, deaths and serious injuries on our streets to create the Borough Pedestrian Safety Plans. These detailed, data-driven plans provided a new road map for Vision Zero, by identifying the most dangerous areas, intersections and corridors in the city. Since then, the Administration has made these areas the focus of its Vision Zero efforts. DOT has now addressed 90 percent of those intersections and 86 percent of the street-miles targeted in 2015 – leading to a 36 percent drop in pedestrian deaths at these locations, which is driving the downward trend in citywide traffic fatalities.
Using new data, DOT is identifying new Priority Locations around the city. Some locations are receiving more in-depth interventions than they had previously, while new locations will receive critical safety upgrades. Places where crashes declined by the greatest margins will continue to be closely monitored.
As part of the lookback on first half-decade of Vision Zero and the first installment of borough plans, DOT evaluated which treatments to keep a focus on while adding several new actions for 2019.
New Actions for 2019
- Add exclusive pedestrian crossing time (LPIs) at every feasible intersection on all new Priority Corridors by the end of 2019
- Modify signal timing to reduce speeding on all feasible new Priority Corridors by the end of 2019
- Launch Integrated Data-Driven Speed Reducer Program (speed humps & speed cushions)
- Track Vision Zero Violations at the Priority Corridors, Intersections, and Areas
- Launch a High Visibility Enforcement Program on Priority Corridors
- Launch a targeted Corridor Outreach Program
- Launch a Driveway Safety program to address issues with vehicles crossing sidewalks
- Conduct a comprehensive study of senior pedestrian injuries
- Collaborate with the Business Integrity Commission to improve the safety of commercial waste fleets
Actions To Be Maintained
- Implement at least 50 Vision Zero safety engineering improvements annually on the updated Priority Corridors, Intersections, and Areas citywide
- Add exclusive pedestrian crossing time to all feasible new Priority Intersections by the end of 2019
- Prioritize targeted enforcement on Priority Corridors, Intersections, and Areas annually
- Expand a bicycle network that improves safety for all road users
- Install expanded speed limit signage on all new Priority Corridors in 2019
- Target child and senior safety education at Priority Corridors and Priority Areas
- Coordinate with MTA to ensure bus operations contribute to a safe pedestrian environment
The borough plans helped direct the $1.6 billion in Vision Zero resources to targeted areas: new engineering, including safety projects, protected bike lanes and pedestrian head-starts; new education efforts, including work by Vision Zero Street Teams and visits to schools and senior centers; and new enforcement, including a record number of traffic summonses issued by NYPD officers and the addition of school-zone speed cameras.
Dramatic Reduction in Fatalities and Severe Injuries
The DOT plans saw dramatic reductions in the numbers of pedestrians killed or seriously injured (KSI) in areas that received Vision Zero treatments. Among the dozens of streets cited were the following examples.
Bronx: 50 percent reduction in pedestrian KSI from Baychester Ave, from Hammersley Ave to Hoxie Street (2 miles)
- Improvements included: Upgraded markings, New Pedestrian Crossings, Painted Curb Extensions, Pedestrian Refuge Islands, One-Way Conversion, Signal Timing Changes, Turn Bays, Turn Bans
Brooklyn: 50 percent reduction in pedestrian KSI on Bushwick Ave, from Maspeth Avenue to Jamaica Avenue (3.6 miles)
- Improvements included: Bike Friendly Parking Lane, Upgraded markings, New Sidewalk, Painted Median, Pedestrian Refuge Islands, Signal Timing Changes
Manhattan: 40 percent reduction in pedestrian KSI on Adam C Powell Blvd from Central Park North to W 155th Street (2.4 miles)
- Improvements included: Concrete Median Tips, Traffic-calming road diet which included the addition of bicycle lanes
Queens: 30 percent reduction in pedestrian KSI on Hillside Ave, from Myrtle Ave to Langdale Street (7.7 miles)
- Improvements included: Concrete Curb Extension, Concrete Medians, Concrete Triangle, Lane Removal, Signal Timing Changes, Turn Bays
Staten Island: 18 percent reduction in pedestrian KSI on Richmond Ave, from Morningstar Rd to Fresh Kills Br (4.4 miles)
- Improvements included: Bike Friendly Parking Lane Stripe, Concrete Median, Upgraded markings, Painted Median, Pedestrian Refuge Islands, Turn Ban
“The data for traffic injuries and fatalities due to traffic crashes has been surprisingly high as we begin 2019. I thank Mayor De Blasio and DOT Commissioner Trottenberg for focusing on expanding traffic safety measures throughout the five boroughs to enhance the safety of pedestrians and cyclists when encountering busy intersections, and overall reduce the speed of vehicles and limit traffic fatalities. These street improvements will positively impact all residents. We must continue to move forward to meet our City’s Vision Zero goals by 2030 and as Chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee, I remain committed to that effort,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.
