Councilman: Protect Seniors On Streets

The City Council’s Committee on Transportation, chaired by Council Member John C. Liu, and the Committee on Aging, chaired by Council Member Maria del Carmen Arroyo, convened a joint hearing to consider legislation designed to protect senior citizens and other pedestrians on city streets.
Liu said, “Our seniors represent one-sixth of the city’s population, yet account for one-third of all traffic fatalities. This incongruity must be addressed with increased efforts to protect the safety of our seniors, who increasingly use our sidewalks to maintain their independence and mobility. We need to implement better traffic management, including improved signage at crosswalks, as well as try out new technology such as pedestrian countdown traffic signals to reduce accidents.”
The committees reviewed two bills: Intro 125, sponsored by Councilmember Michael Nelson, which would mandate speed reduction signs within one block of a senior citizens center or naturally occurring retirement community (NORC); and, Intro 217, sponsored by Councilmember Vincent Gentile, which would mandate improved demarcations and signage at all pedestrian crosswalks.
Safe Routes for Seniors, a Transportation Alternatives project funded by the State Department of Health, has found half of those who walk to senior center activities in northern Manhattan don’t have enough time to cross streets near the centers. Many seniors have no means of transportation other than walking. The signage required by Intro 125 would ensure the safety of seniors walking to NORCs and senior centers by warning motorists of the large number of senior citizens in the area.
“While the intent of this bill is admirable, DOT does not support it,” said Iris Weinshall, Commissioner of Transporta-tion. “Decisions to implement safety improvements — whether it is signage, traffic signals, markings — should continue to be made on a case-by-case basis.”
Weinshall also opposed Intro 217. “This bill, similar to the last, would place a monetary burden on DOT which again could be better spent addressing safety needs elsewhere,” she said. “Due to the requirements of the bill, DOT would need resources to install crosswalks located at all pedestrian ramp locations citywide, paint and maintain the crosswalks and pedestrian ramps, conduct regular inspections of both crosswalks and pedestrian ramps, and respond to complaints, all while adhering to the strict time frames outlined in the bill.”
The committees also heard testimony in support of the bills from community advocates including representatives from the Council of Senior Centers & Services, Disabled in Action, Bay Ridge Consumer Federation, and Transportation Alternatives.