NYPD Transpo Chief Breaks Down Street Safety Basics for Local Press
At a press conference this morning unveiling a street safety redesign at 96th Street and Broadway on the Upper West Side, the first three questions from reporters were all about what the police are doing to deter jaywalking. So it was no surprise when, after a discussion of NYPD's crackdown this week on drivers who text and fail to yield to pedestrians, Juliet Papa of 1010 WINS cut right to the chase for her drive-time audience.
May 13, 2014
How Do You Educate Kids on Street Safety When Drivers Are Dangerous?
Last week, DOT rolled out a new pedestrian safety video for its school-based education programs. Set to a hip-hop beat, the four-minute video is aimed squarely at young New Yorkers. It dissects three scenarios to educate kids about safely navigating city streets. But you'll notice that in two of the scenarios, it's drivers who are breaking the law.
May 13, 2014
Manhattan CB 10 Continues to Oppose Safety Overhaul for Morningside Ave
Wednesday night, Manhattan Community Board 10 in Harlem continued to obstruct a street redesign that could save lives. A safety overhaul for speeding-plagued Morningside Avenue, requested by local residents and developed by DOT, has been stalled as the board refuses to back any plan that includes a reduction in the number of car lanes. In a near-repeat of a board meeting in February, CB 10 sent the issue back to committee, where it has languished since last September. Meanwhile, the board has established a Vision Zero task force, even as it opposes street safety measures.
May 9, 2014
Parks Dept. Promises Fix After Year-Old Sinkhole Finally Swallows Greenway
It's been almost a year since we first reported on a sinkhole eating away at the Hudson River Greenway just north of 181st Street. The Parks Department added barricades, an old board, and finally filled it with gravel last month while it figured out "a long-term solution."
May 7, 2014
NYPD Crash Data Now Easier to Use and Updated Daily
The city went live with a major upgrade to NYPD's crash data today. Information about traffic crashes was previously released via difficult-to-use monthly updates posted on the police department's website. Now it's available through a standardized feed updated daily on the city's open data portal, allowing the public to sort crashes by time of day, street, zip code, and borough, as well as by the number of injuries and fatalities.
May 7, 2014
Vance Brings Rare Murder Charge Against Driver Who Killed Man on Sidewalk
Last June, according to prosecutors, 33-year-old Shaun Martin, under the influence of alcohol and drugs, got behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima and began speeding down Second Avenue in the East Village. At 4th Street, he veered across three lanes of traffic, jumped the curb and slammed into four people, including florist Mohammed Akkas Ali, who came out of a coma but later died, reportedly after removing his breathing tube.
May 6, 2014