Ten Things Mayor Bloomberg Should Do in 2002 to Help Pedestrians

1. Put Safety First
Issue a clear declaration of policy to the Department of Transportation and related agencies (Department of Design and Construction and Economic Development Corporation) that, where pedestrians and traffic meet, pedestrian safety comes first. Do not put the speed of traffic before the safety of people.

Read the latest news about this issue.

2. Remove the Midtown Barricades
Improve walking conditions in midtown by removing the crosswalk barricades. The previous mayor's solution to overflowing sidewalks in midtown was to pen pedestrians in with barricades and to shut down crosswalks. Instead, give pedestrians, who far outnumber cars in midtown, more room by widening sidewalks at the corners.

Read the latest news about this issue.

3. Reclaim the Sidewalks
Give the sidewalks back to pedestrians. Kick off a campaign that includes a package of legislation, policy and stricter enforcement. Target parked cars, newsboxes, out-of-control drivers and missing and broken sidewalks.

Read the latest news about this issue.

4. Win More Red Light Cameras
Lobby Albany to grant an increase in red light cameras in New York City from fifty to one hundred. Install two hundred dummy red light cameras.

Read the latest news about this issue.

5. Win Speed Cameras for New York City
Lobby Albany for a pilot speed camera program. Speeding kills and creates environment of lawlessness and erodes quality of life. Photo radar uses the same technology as NYC's successful red light camera program, but targets speeding rather than red light running.

Read the latest news about this issue.

6. Get the Message Out: Speed Kills - Kill Your Speed
Use graphic PSAs and bold bus ads to drive home the message that speeding is responsible for one-third of all fatal crashes.
DOT: install 2000 more speed limit signs city-wide that read "The speed limit is 30 miles per hour."
NYPD: Schedule high-profile zero-tolerance days for speeding throughout the year.

Read the latest news about this issue.

7. Install Bollards - Everywhere
DOT: Bollards are posts used to delineate traffic and keep cars out of pedestrian areas. They should be used liberally for security, design testing, traffic guidance and pedestrian safety.
Sidewalk-blocking jersey barriers in Lower Manhattan should be replaced with anti-ram bollards.

Read our report on this issue.

8. Tackle Deadly Arterials
DOT: Begin multi-year program to make one dangerous arterial in each borough safer. Work started on Queens Boulevard and the Grand Concourse. Add deadly Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn and Hyland Boulevard in Staten Island.

Read the latest news about this issue.

9. Improve Sidewalk Lighting
DOT: Sidewalk light makes a huge difference in how a street feels. Broken 1950s yellow cast cobra-head lights should be replaced with pedestrian-friendly lighting.

10. Kick Off Safe Schools Program
DOT: Complete traffic calming pedestrian safety improvements at ten schools by the end of this year.

Read the latest news about this issue.