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October/November 1999, p.4-5 New Traffic Calming Law Opens Way for Transformation of City Streets Pour the champagne! The law got its start four years ago when T.A. asked the traffic calming planners at the DOT what obstacles they faced. At the top of their list was the state law forbidding maximum speed limits below 30 mph. City traffic engineers interpreted it to mean streets must be designed for motor vehicles to drive 30 mph or faster. As a result, most traffic calming methods were deemed unacceptable. Upon hearing this, T.A. vowed to change the state law. And now we have. The new law puts a powerful tool in the hands of DOT engineers responding to community concerns about speeding and traffic. T.A. and the Neighborhood Streets Network will make sure the DOT uses its new found powers. We will vigorously educate community groups and elected officials about the potential benefits of the new law. We will also push the City to vastly expand the scope of its traffic calming efforts and the street designs it uses. In the next year, our goal is to see the DOT start another large scale traffic calming effort like the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Project (perhaps in West Brooklyn) and begin using mini-roundabouts and sidewalk extensions or "neckdowns." Leading traffic calming countries like Holland, Germany and Denmark put their efforts into making big, arterial, streets congenial to bicyclists and pedestrians. As New Yorkers enjoy more of the benefits of traffic calming that will be the next step in New York City. But for the time being, traffic calming here is more likely to be used to redesign major pedestrian crossings and create slow speed zones on neighborhood streets. Pedestrian Safety
Slow Speed Zones and Area
Wide Traffic Calming Bicyclists Bicyclists benefit tremendously from traffic calming. Indeed, bicyclists and bike lanes are themselves effective at reducing speeding. Traffic calmed streets are ideal bicycle habitat.
Thank You for Supporting Calmer, Quieter Streets Transportation Alternatives extends our gratitude to you, our membership, and the elected officials, civic groups and individuals that helped win this powerful tool for calmer and quieter streets. Special appreciation is due the bill's sponsors: Assemblymember Deborah Glick and State Senator Frank Padavan. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani also deserves our thanks for putting his weight, and the City's Albany lobbyists, behind the legislation. Rudolph Giuliani Peter Vallone Sheldon Silver Joseph Bruno Fernando Ferrer C. Virginia Fields Howard Golden Guy Molinari Claire Shulman Legislative Sponsors Our deep appreciation to the civic, environmental and neighborhood groups for their powerful support. You persuaded the City Council, and State Legislature to pass this new law. Atlantic Avenue Betterment
Assn. Lastly, our appreciation to: Gene Russianoff of the New York Public Interest Research Group for his advice and counsel. Carl Campanile of the New York Post for his interest. Seth Kaye, former Director of the Mayor's Office of Transportation, who recognized the importance of this issue. Recognition is also due to the current and former T.A. staff advocates who won this tremendous success: Susan Boyle, Elizabeth Ernish, Paul Harrison, and Neel Scott. Thank you and congratulations. |
The new law should spur the
DOT to redesign dangerous pedestrian crossings. For instance, neckdowns should
be added at 7th Ave. and 60th Street, where a woman and her elderly mother
were killed by a turning truck in 1997. On huge, dangerous streets like Queens
Boulevard and Upper Broadway, DOT should emulate London by raising the
pavement under crosswalks crossing parallel side streets. This will slow
turning vehicles and give drivers more time to yield to pedestrians. The
slower design speeds allowed by the law should also be taken into
consideration at major pedestrian locations like Times Square, Herald Square,
Mulry Square and Grand Army Plaza.
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