NYC Announces New Initiatives Focusing on Pedestrian Safety at Intersections

New York Metropolis introduced Wednesday that it’s investing in pedestrian security at intersections — the main web site of pedestrian accidents and deaths — by means of the launch of recent actions and enhancements.

Among the many introduced new investments for pedestrian security, DOT will make design enhancements to 1,000 intersections to make them safer with improved visitors alerts, raised crosswalks, and different expanded pedestrian area and visibility measures.

Based on the town, intersections pose a security situation within the Large Apple, the place crashes at these websites sometimes make up 50% of all deaths and 70% of all accidents.

Moreover, the NYPD will instantly start expanded enforcement in opposition to drivers who fail to acknowledge the primacy of pedestrians in crosswalks.

“After the tragedy of 2021, when visitors fatalities in New York Metropolis reached their highest degree in almost a decade, we clearly must turbo-charge Imaginative and prescient Zero — and quick,” Mayor Eric Adams mentioned in a press release. “I thank my two commissioners [from DOT and NYPD] for placing this early give attention to enforcement and design inside intersections, the place we have now the instruments that may and can save lives.  Drivers must know that intersections are the place most crashes occur — and so if you don’t drive safely by means of them, NYPD officers will be sure you pay a worth.” 

DOT FOCUS ON INTERSECTION DESIGN

The DOT will undertake new efforts targeted on intersection design at 1,000 areas this 12 months. These efforts embody:

• Elevated give attention to intersections in Road Enchancment Initiatives: DOT will use its full toolkit of avenue design therapies as redesigns occur, targeted on Imaginative and prescient Zero precedence geographies, areas the place fatalities and critical accidents have occurred, and Precedence Funding Areas as detailed within the NYC Streets Plan. These modifications embody new flip alerts and “head-starts” that enable pedestrians to enter the intersection earlier than automobiles can flip.
• Raised crosswalks: DOT will start a program to construct 100 raised crosswalks at curb degree yearly.
• Bike corrals at intersections: DOT will “daylight” at the least 100 intersections with bike corrals this 12 months, as a part of its deliberate set up of greater than 10,000 bicycle racks by the tip of 2022. Bike corrals at intersections assist present visibility for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Additionally they stop drivers from slicing corners or turning too rapidly.
• Parking zone and fuel station traffic-calming: Curb cuts at high-traffic areas like parking tons and gasoline stations, typically at intersections, can create hazard as drivers minimize throughout sidewalks unpredictably. DOT will goal dozens of those areas, largely exterior Manhattan, lowering driver “shortcuts.”
• Doubling the Flip-Calming Program: Based on research, drivers take turns extra slowly when bodily components are in place to power turns at applicable speeds. With this in thoughts, the DOT give attention to these efforts to 100 intersections this 12 months.

“As we take a brand new strategy to Imaginative and prescient Zero, we all know intersections are the place pedestrians and cyclists face the best risks — and so we are able to and can make lots of of crosswalks safer with a variety of therapies, each new ones and extra of those who we all know work. We won’t be complacent or settle for any life misplaced on our streets,” Division of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez mentioned in a press release.

A person is in crucial situation after witnesses mentioned {that a} automotive ran a pink gentle, slammed into the sufferer as he was crossing the road, then took off. NBC New York’s Marc Santia reviews.

INCREASES NYPD ENFORCEMENT AT INTERSECTIONS

The NYPD will strongly implement failure-to-yield (FTY), a violation that particularly endangers pedestrians and cyclists at intersections, with a objective of doubling 2021 FTY enforcement efforts. Officers can have this new violation as a software due to a brand new DOT visitors rule that went into impact Wednesday for these violations at over 1,200 intersections citywide that should not have a visitors sign or a cease signal.

The brand new visitors rule requires drivers and cyclists passing these intersections to not simply merely yield however to come back to a full cease till a pedestrian has fully crossed the road.

“Making certain the security of New York Metropolis streets and all who use them is paramount, and this new plan is crucial to the NYPD’s necessary work with its metropolis companions,” Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell mentioned in a press release. “The NYPD continues to be relentless in implementing the legal guidelines, together with this new rule that protects pedestrians crossing metropolis intersections. By way of Mayor Adams’ management, and by working hand-in-hand with the Division of Transportation on this new strategy to Imaginative and prescient Zero, the NYPD will preserve innovating to make our streets safer.”

PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

This month, DOT will start a “Cease. Let Them Cross” public consciousness marketing campaign on social media and in neighborhood and media publications to lift consciousness for the brand new cease for pedestrians’ rule for uncontrolled intersections.