October 8 Vision Zero update, activist training, Make Meeker Move
Every quarter this year, we have been updating the public with the number of people killed in crashes on New York City streets. Our latest update found that summer 2021 was the deadliest summer ever under Mayor de Blasio. Fatal crashes killed 77 New Yorkers from June to August, confirming that New York City is still on track to achieve the gruesome milestone of having the deadliest year on our streets of the de Blasio-era.
Brooklyn experienced the sharpest rise in traffic violence over the summer, with 23 fatalities — more than at any other time under Mayor de Blasio. The total fatalities in Brooklyn through the end of September is 63, a full 40 percent higher than the de Blasio-era average by this point in the year.
The early results of Vision Zero showed real improvements, but the mayor has failed to scale up proven safety solutions, as last week’s New York Times feature showed. Now, our city’s next mayor must move quickly to redesign dangerous corridors, expand pedestrian space, and make our streets safer for all road users.
We need you in the fight for safe streets and livable cities. Read more about our Vision Zero Cities virtual conference and Your City Your Voice activist training below.
Three Things To Know
1️⃣ Make Meeker Move is underway. Protected bike lanes, expanded pedestrian space, and safer intersections are coming to Meeker Avenue, thanks to years of activism from TA’s North Brooklyn Activist Committee. See the prep work NYC DOT has started and read this piece in Greenpointers on why this project is so crucial.
2️⃣ Join us for the #FixCanal Food Tour. On Sunday, Oct. 17 from noon to 3 p.m., go on a journey through Manhattan’s notorious, car-jammed street and see why neighbors, businesses, and local organizations are calling for traffic calming and street safety measures.
3️⃣ Here’s what we’re reading this week. In the news:
Read more about our analysis of crash numbers in AMNY, Patch, NY Post, and on Fox 5 NY.
Better buses are coming to Jamaica! Streetsblog has the details as NYC DOT finally moves forward with its busway project.
If cities want more bicyclists, they have to build the infrastructure. Smart Cities Dive looks at the increase in safe cycling infrastructure in NYC and around the country.
The e-scooter pilot continues in the Bronx. Slate covers the potential of the micro mobility program in NYC.
In a new video, Transit Center investigates the legacy of systemic racism in transit – and what to do about it.
Two Things to Do
1️⃣ Submit congestion pricing feedback to the MTA. The initial public hearings are over, but you can still make your voice heard as the MTA prepares its environmental assessment of congestion pricing. Leave a comment in support today.
2️⃣ Our Vision Zero Cities conference is around the corner. From street design to automated traffic enforcement, hear from experts and advocates creating safe streets and livable cities at our virtual conference — including our keynote speaker, Charles T. Brown, founder and CEO, of Equitable Cities. This year we’re also hosting guided infrastructure tours through all five boroughs of New York City, including a biking tour of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, a walking tour of Staten Island, and an e-scooter tour of the East Bronx. Space on these tours is limited, sign up today!
One Action To Take Now
Sign up for Your City Your Voice training. Learn how to engage with your neighbors and organize a successful local campaign during our virtual activist trainings. You have the power to make positive change in your neighborhood already. We’ll show you how: Learn more and register for a session.