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Broadway, Atlantic Ave Deadliest Roads for Pedestrians in NYC
By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 10, 2011
Modified Feb 10, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Feb 10, 2011
Modified Feb 10, 2011
Share
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415 pedestrians are killed in New Jersey, downstate New York, and Connecticut each year, and in NYC upper Broadway and Atlantic Avenue are the most dangerous places to walk, according to a new study [pdf] by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. Between 2007 and 2009, there were 11 pedestrian fatalities on Broadway, with all but one of those deaths happening in northern Manhattan. The study also points out that no pedestrians were killed along stretches Broadway closed to automobile traffic as part of the Green Light for Midtown project. But at what cost? The Broadway pedestrian plazas are enraging the NY Post!
And it's not just Broadway that's bloody. Atlantic Avenue ranks fifth on the list of most dangerous roads for pedestrians in the entire region. There were eight pedestrian fatalities on Atlantic during the same time period, and eight deaths on Seventh Avenue and the Henry Hudson Parkway as well. Overall, the most dangerous road for pedestrians in the region is currently the Hempstead Parkway, where 12 died between 2007-2009, according to the report.
So what's the solution—is it feasible to ban pedestrians and require everyone to travel by car? The Campaign has a different approach in mind. They're using the report to call on the state legislature to pass “Complete Streets” legislation that has languished in Albany for nearly a year. In a statement, the Campaign explains that the legislation "would direct traffic engineers and planners to consider the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, children, and seniors when designing a new or significantly retrofitted roadway.
"Even with limited resources, the region can step up efforts to design more balanced, walkable streets," says Kate Slevin, executive director of the Campaign. "Pedestrian improvements offer a tremendous bang for the buck." The group points out that the state DOT's SafeSeniors pilot program has already improved pedestrian safety along dangerous Main Street in Smithtown, Long Island.
Tagged
pedestrian accidents
pedestrians
tri-state transportation campaign
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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