There are 118 intersections within the 5 boroughs the place a minimum of 5 folks have been killed or significantly injured prior to now three years, in response to a report launched Tuesday — however there could also be a repair that would save lives.
Transportation Options for Protected Streets launched a map utilizing Division of Transportation that exhibits the Massive Apple’s deadliest avenue crossings, because the activist group pushed native politicians to move a brand new regulation that will ban autos from parking or standing inside 20 toes of crosswalks throughout town.
“The info exhibits what we’ve recognized for years and been calling for, that intersections are the place we have to focus our consideration, that intersections are the place we have to prioritize secure avenue enhancements,” mentioned Elizabeth Adams, senior director of advocacy & organizing for the group.
Adams informed reporters at a press convention outdoors Metropolis Corridor places of work in Manhattan that town ought to require “daylighting” in any respect intersections — which might give drivers and pedestrians higher views of potential hazardous conditions.
Daylighting is the apply of banning automobiles from parking too near an intersection’s crosswalks, which may block visibility for pedestrians and drivers, resulting in severe and generally lethal accidents.
“[With daylighting] whether or not you’re a driver, a pedestrian or a bicycle owner, you’ve the sight traces it’s worthwhile to see everybody who’s turning the nook, who’s coming across the bend,” Adams mentioned.
The group’s map confirmed that probably the most harmful intersections in every borough have been:
- West a hundred and twentieth Avenue & Lenox Avenue in Manhattan
- Northern Boulevard & forty eighth Avenue in Queens
- Flatbush Avenue & Avenue H in Brooklyn
- Bruckner Boulevard & St. Ann’s Avenue within the Bronx
- Hunton Avenue & Richmond Highway in Staten Island
Every intersection has been the location of current tragedies and carnage.
At Manhattan’s deadliest intersection, a 3-year-old woman was struck and killed by an automobile as she crossed the road with an grownup and two different youngsters in July 2024.
And a 32-year-old lady was killed by a hit-and-run driver when crossing the Bronx’s deadliest intersection on Aug. 26.
Dilmania Lopez de Rodriguez was struck simply after midnight as she tried to cross Bruckner Boulevard on the Leggett Avenue intersection in Mott Haven, inside the crosswalk, police mentioned.
The motive force fled leaving a witness to name the cops after discovering Rodriguez unresponsive.
The NYPD Freeway District’s Collision Investigation Squad remains to be investigating, in response to an NYPD spokesperson Tuesday.
At Queens’ worst intersection, a driver exiting a parking zone plowed right into a 89-year-old lady and critically injured her again in 2022.
A spokesperson for the DOT mentioned Tuesday that every one of these intersections have already got daylighting.
However Adams mentioned it was unhealthy coverage to solely determine on daylighting on a case-by-case foundation, usually after somebody has already died or been significantly injured.
“It’s irresponsible for DOT to attend till one other New Yorker has misplaced their beloved one, one other New Yorker has had a devastating damage to say, ‘now we’ll have a look at this intersection,’” Adams mentioned.
Transit security advocates are as an alternative calling for the Metropolis Council to move a brand new regulation, Intro 1138, that will bar standing or parking a car inside 20 toes of any crosswalk citywide, with restricted exceptions for briefly selecting up or dropping off passengers.
The laws additionally orders DOT to put in bodily daylighting obstacles, like planters or bike racks, at a minimal of 1,000 intersections a 12 months by way of 2030 and to conduct citywide outreach concerning the new guidelines.
A spokesperson for Speaker Adrienne Adams — who will not be associated to the security advocate — mentioned negotiations over the laws are nonetheless occurring. There is just one assembly left earlier than the present council session expires, on Dec. 18, the place the invoice may very well be heard with the method nonetheless requiring enter from the general public.
“The protection of pedestrians and all avenue customers stays a high precedence for Speaker Adams and the Council,” the spokesperson mentioned Tuesday. “Introduction 1138 continues to be actively labored on and negotiated as a part of the Council’s legislative course of, which incorporates consideration of public enter, forward of the Council’s closing Said Assembly.”
A DOT spokesperson mentioned the company helps a “focused” daylighting strategy.
“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all fast repair, however we’ll proceed to make use of each software accessible – together with focused daylighting – to make our streets safer,” the spokesperson mentioned.
A examine launched by DOT in January mentioned daylighting with no bodily barrier didn’t present a transparent security profit within the crash knowledge DOT analyzed.
In some circumstances, the examine confirmed, eradicating parked automobiles with out including different bodily obstacles created a extra “open” feeling house that inspired sooner, wider turns by drivers. DOT really helpful within the examine to pair daylighting with different designs, equivalent to curb extensions, flip calming, protected bike lanes and pedestrian islands.
In the meantime the council invoice, sponsored by Queens Council member Julie Gained, may nonetheless be heard subsequent 12 months if seemingly new speaker, Council member Julie Menin, opts to take it up. Menin is likely one of the invoice’s 26 co-sponsors.
Transit advocates, determined to stop extra visitors deaths, mentioned Tuesday they gained’t settle for any modifications to the invoice that don’t result in “actual change” for town’s weak pedestrians.
“I believe we gained’t settle for something that doesn’t have actual security enhancements and actual modifications on our streets for New Yorkers,” Adams mentioned.
