Life on the streets of New York City should get a lot safer for bicyclists and pedestrians in the coming months.
Last Wednesday, the City Council unanimously passed the Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Act, a package of legislation aimed at reducing the number of accidents and fatalities involving people walking or biking on the city's roads.
"The Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Act represents a 21st Century approach for prioritizing pedestrians and bicyclists in New York City," said Councilman Vincent Gentile of Brooklyn, who sponsored the bill. "No longer will pedestrians and bicyclists feel as if the city treats them like second-class citizens on our streets and sidewalks."
The legislation actually mandates three separate actions. First, the bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to identify the 20 most dangerous intersections for pedestrians and examine possible safety and capital improvements. A report released recently by Transportation Alternatives found that 50 percent of accidents that result in serious injury or death to pedestrians occur at 10 percent of the city's intersections.
Any possible improvements would be forwarded to the local community board and City Council member for review and comment before they were completed.
The second part of the legislation requires DOT to study accidents when a pattern appears to be emerging. For instance, five accidents at a particular intersection during a 12-month period would require a study.
Lastly, the bill mandates that DOT perform a comprehensive analysis of pedestrian fatalities and serious accidents over the last five years.
Pedestrian fatalities rose from 154 in 2005 to 163 in 2006. On a positive note, fatalities were steadily decreasing from 1999 to 2005. That said, New York City's percentage of traffic fatalities that involve pedestrians is the highest in the nation.
DOT actually classifies pedestrians as the largest group at risk of dying from a traffic accident. Pedestrian fatalities consistently account for approximately 50 percent of all crash deaths.
The mayor must still sign the bill before it becomes law, which he was expected to do. Councilman John Liu, who chairs the Transportation Committee, said the bill would help the city achieve goals set out under the PlaNYC 2030 agenda.
"If we are going to encourage people to walk and ride their bikes more under PlaNYC 2030 to help reduce congestion and pollution, we must do all we can to ensure the streets are safe," said Liu.
