The city is pumping the brakes on drivers. Mayor Bill de Blasio will lower the speed limit on 45 miles of streets.
The speed limit along a nearly four-mile stretch of Astoria Boulevard will go from 30 to 25 mph.
“These are not small changes in terms of their potential impact on the safety of New Yorkers,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Henry Gutman told reporters, including CBS2’s Kevin Rincon on Monday.
The city is focused on 10 major roadways where the most accidents happen, places like Woodhaven Boulevard, the Van Wyck service road, and Pelham Parkway in the Bronx.
In Queens, drivers have mixed reactions.
“It’s for the better, honestly, because elderly people walking by, you don’t want to hurt them. You don’t want to feel that guilt because you were rushing to work, or you had road rage,” one person said.
“The traffic has to keep flowing in this area or we’re all going to be stuck. So it could be good, could be bad. I don’t really know,” another driver said.
“Thirty is high speed, but 25 is okay, is low, is too low to drive, but I think it’s safer for the pedestrians,” another added.
Making sure cars go slower in congested areas is the mayor’s goal, as he tries to deal with a growing number of pedestrian deaths.
“It’s clear you have to do something differently when you see that,”
de Blasio said. “In the end, lowering speed limits creates
accountability and saves lives.”
The city will create a “bike boulevard” along 39th Avenue in Sunnyside by the end of the year, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
The avenue is one of five streets across the city that will be transformed into bike boulevards by either November or December this year. The Department of Transportation (DOT) will be creating one “bike boulevard” per borough.
De Blasio shared few details during his press briefing this morning as to what the new initiative involves.
According to a press release from City Hall, the DOT aims to slow down cars and limit traffic volume along bike boulevards “to create low-stress bike infrastructure in a pedestrian-friendly environment.”
De Blasio didn’t name the cross streets along 39th Avenue where the bike boulevard would be created.
The City has already converted a section of 39th Avenue, from 45th Street to Woodside Avenue, to an Open Street, which is closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on most days. Local traffic, however, is permitted access for parking, deliveries and drop-offs at all hours.
“[Bike boulevards are] going to come with a variety of measures to make it a safe environment for bicyclists and connect key bike lanes to each other,” de Blasio said during a morning press conference.
The Department of Transportation will present proposals for each bike boulevard to local lawmakers and community boards in the coming weeks.
De Blasio also announced that the DOT will be creating a new protected bike lane along Northern Boulevard to connect the 34th Avenue Open Street in Jackson Heights to Manhattan via the Queensboro Bridge.
The DOT has already installed “Bike route” signs along Broadway, which connects Northern Boulevard to 34th Avenue.
Update: By the luxury tower enthusiasts at blog Gothamist.
Over the next "few weeks," ten stretches of roadway in New York City will be transformed into Open Boulevards, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday, bringing outdoor dining, picnic tables, community activities, art, and performances to car-free streets.
The program, which was designed in partnership with the Department of Transportation and NYC & Compnay, the city's official tourism organization, is meant to create destinations for both locals and visitors from out of town.
"This is the kind of thing people are going to love, because all the life and vitality of New York City, all the diversity, all the energy will be on display," the mayor said. "This is going to be the summer of New York City, and Open Boulevards are going to be a great example of a reason people will flock here."
The announcement came after the City Council voted late last week to make the Open Streets program permanent, to put it under the Department of Transportation's control, and to expand the program to neighborhoods that have been underserved by it thus far.
Andrew Rigie, the head of the NYC Hospitality Alliance, applauded the Open Boulevards announcement, adding that the Open Restaurants program thus far has allowed about 100,000 jobs to return.
"I have no doubt when we expand this program through the Open Boulevards program and weave it with beautification and art installations and cultural initiatives and really get communities involved, we build back a more resilient, a more livable city that supports everyone in so many different ways," he said.
Responding to concerns that blocking off traffic on major commercial roads such as Ditmars Boulevard would create a mess off traffic on residential side streets, Jee Mee Kim, the Chief Strategy Officer for the Department of Transportation, said the Open Boulevards locations were selected based on pre-existing Open Streets. But she acknowledged the "underlying tension" about how streets are prioritized.
"The reason why all the Open Boulevards and Open Streets are temporary is that we're trying them out," said Kim. "Hopefully it will be a raring success, and folks will get used to driving around these streets. And I think in the end we're going to see a net benefit for the community and the businesses."
The reason I highlighted this is because de Blasio just might be using money from the federal emergency stimulus funds President Biden gave New York to make these "Open Boulevards" happen.
de Blasio. Doesn't. Care. About. His. Constituents. Especially those who need (and have an absolute right) to drive.
37 comments:
Here we go agian !
Bring on the Bike Haters....
This adminisration is the biggest joke I've ever seen. They are litteraly idiots.
Biden's Gas "SHORTAGE" has no more gas for your car so you will be riding a bike to work.
This was a mostly peaceful cyber attack.
Incramentalism. Soon we will lower the speed limit only 5 more miles for the safety of the children.
It doesn't matter how low the speed limits go, if someone is going to speed, they will speed regardless of the limit. This is just another way to get revenue. Also, most accidents I seen is mostly from people who are making turns and hit the person, perhaps making better sense of the walking signs would be a better thing to do. I can't tell you how many times I drive and just want to make a right hand turn but then end up missing the light because there are so many pedestrians crossing especially if youre driving through the city to get to the tunnels.
You can still go 30. Cameras only work at 10 over the speed limit.So this really brings it down from 40 to 35.
Good idea, you're gonna need lots of bikes when your gasoline dries up. But all you libs will have clean air.
For Demonrat’s its not about helping anyone, it’s about control. Period.
To call team deBozio stupid is an insult the merely stupid.
And yet the thousands of NYC people that voted for this Marxist are so stupid that they would vote for him again.
My car's speedometer goes to 160 mph (why so high?). Very hard to differentiate between 25 and 30.
"de Blasio. Doesn't. Care. About. His. Constituents. Especially those who need (and have an absolute right) to drive."
Wouldn't it be more correct to say that drivers don't care about cyclists, pedestrians and users of public transit. No one has an absolute right to drive. You need a valid license. Your car must have insurance. You must obey the laws of the municipality where you drive.
The attitude of this article expresses the view of many drivers that they have an absolute right to drive anywhere, at any speed, on sidewalks and in bike lanes, and nothing and no one else matters, and that dead pedestrians and cyclists are necessary casualties.
This is wrong.
@Anon re: Wrong
You absolutely missed my point.
Of course people have don't have a right to drive. But the people who do have insurance, who do respect cyclists and pedestrians (and there are lots of them, I ride all the time)and the laws and the commercial drivers aka essential workers that deliver food, medicine, supplies are the ones who are getting screwed here.
And if you think this is going to tamp down on all these violators you cite then you are more wrong than I.
But do you really think that with all the crises still plaguing this city that crucial recovery funds should go to producing glorified block parties for tourists and leisure bike riders? Please.
Since its about only about safety and saving lives then we should lower the subway speeds to 25 mph as well on all portions of the lines, and if the subway stop is by a school down to 20 mph, just like the streets. It might stop a few people from being struck by trains. I'm sure all the anti car people would be on board for doing that in the interest of safety.
Stupid deBlasio
Its not the speed killing these people, its cars turning onto cross streets, Jay walking and bike pirates not obeying traffic regulation, signs and red lights.
NYC has to many cars and intersections to make it another Amsterdam. (the worst shitty doped up village in Europe)
Bikes will never be safe in NYC.
I wish there were more cameras on our city streets.
So they can capture the LAW-BREAKING Bicyclists and Moped Drivers who continually ride their vehicles on the sidewalks, IGNORE the Stop Signs, Drive PAST RED lights, and do not wait for pedestrians to cross the street when they have the right to walk in the street when the light turns green.
But go ahead...keep defending the bicyclists who ride down the streets at high rates of speed and don't give a damn who they knock down or run over.
When they run down and/or kill your love ones, then it only matter to you to regulate and enforce the rules of the road for bicyclists and moped drivers.
Bicyclists Speed Demons feel they are above the law, and these dumb, enabling politicians allow them break the laws because their lives are more important than pedestrians and law-abiding citizens.
He can lower the speed limit to 5 mph if he wants. It makes no difference. NYPD never has and never will enforce speed limits. Big brouhaha over nothing.
@ The Boob: that's why all the in-the-know drivers c-r-e-e-p along at a snail's pace along Queens Boulevard heading into the lowered roadway by the LIE underpass? Radar Cop is there when they come up.
Funny how nobody ever addresses a major contributor to pedestrian fatalities in these discussions: vehicle size. It is a fact that vehicles have gotten bigger and heavier over the past 10 years. Massive pickup trucks and SUVs going at 35, especially with the bars on the front are way more destructive than a small sedan or hatchback going the same speed. These big vehicles are going to have a greater impact. That’s basic physics. So instead of making everyone go at snail’s pace, just focus on limiting the number of big vehicles. Side benefit, it would do wonders for street congestion at least here in Queens where the streets are narrow.
Seriously, I don't know how you people function living in the 5 boros...got out years ago best move I ever made.
People will still walk into traffic in my Queens Boulevard neighborhood. Perhaps their injuries will be less intense, but I don't necessarily see them being less numerous.
Good idea, you're gonna need lots of bikes when your gasoline dries up. But all you libs will have clean air.
---
come back to us when you are 40 or 60 and it's raining outside and you have to go to Nassau county.
nitwit
Have any of the mayoral candidates come out in favor of raising the speed limit on city streets from 25 mph back to 30? That would get them some votes.
"Come back to us when you are 40 or 60 and it's raining outside"
You know you can own a car and a bicycle at the same time FAT !
I own a large SUV a small 1.5 liter hatch, Luxury Sedan and 5 differnt types of bikes.
Pointless back on forth. Back to work all of you.
Let the cops do the job. It’s called traffic enforcement.
Future Mayor Comptroller Scott Stringer said bike licensing rules would “suppress bike use.” !
Carl Heastie and Gov. Cuomo did their jobs as politicians.
They wrote and enacted the Bail Reform Laws so violent repetitive criminals can be released back onto the streets in a few days.
These Reform Laws protect criminals only. Victims of these violent crimes are victimized all over again, and the Lawmakers could care less.
"Let the cops do the job. It's called traffic enforcement."
The police and traffic agents are "GREAT" at enforcing the traffic laws when Bicyclists go through Red Lights, Stop Signs, Ride their Bicycles the wrong way on a one-way street, and riding on the sidewalk.
They do an excellent job like the sanitation officers who "witness" people not picking up after their dogs when they use the sidewalks as their personal toilet and give them a ticket.
That is why so many people are NOT complaining about it, Right?
"That is why so many people are NOT complaining about it, Right?"
America First. Makes sense. Right ?
"America First. Makes sense. Right ?"
AMERICA is FIRST.
First in Inequality.
First in Racism.
First in White Privilege.
First in White Men running Corporations.
First in letting Men get paid more for the same work women do.
First in letting Rich Men get away with assaulting and raping Women.
First in letting TV & Movie Executives, Producers get away with sexually assaulting and raping women when they want to audition for acting roles.
First in letting Rich Men pay millions to stay out of prison.
First in high rates of Cocaine, Heroine, Drug use among suburbanites'.
First in Domestic Violence and Child Abuse.
First in Bullying.
First in Road Rage.
First in Car Jackings, Car Theft.
First in Drunk Driving Crashes.
First in Gun Violence.
First in Mass Shootings all across the country.
First in Looting, Mass Riots.
First in letting repeat offenders and violent criminals back on the streets to commit more crimes.
First in letting the crazies, the psychotic, the mentally ill roam the streets and attack people and not permanently locking them up to keep them from harming innocent people.
First to let Wall Street, Corporations, Billionaires, pay off politicians to get the tax breaks they want.
First to let Corporations hide their profits in the Caribbean and not pay taxes on it.
First to bust the Unions and let working people struggle financially while the Rich gets everything, the poor has to struggle with rent, mortgages, bills...etc.
America First - only for the Rich, the White Privilege, Politicians, Wall Street, Corporations, Con Artists and Criminals
Everyone Knows the Biden Administration Sucks !
Its only really the people that follow alternative media on the internet that knows that it sucks. The people that only follow mainstream media have no idea and there are way more of them than people that follow alternative media.
There is plenty of stuff the people that only follow mainstream media have no idea even exists because the mainstream media never talk about it and most people in the world cant figure things out by themselves and must be told what to think.
America First - in letting morons like you post on its blog sites. USA, USA. God bless America.. . first.
@"AMERICA is FIRST"
That list pretty much sums it all up.
@Pete the Patriot said... Right on brother ! USA USA USA USA....
Jimmy Carter on steroids said...
Sometimes you must show the people. Real-world commodities in the past six months: • Oil has gone from $37.50/barrel to $63.50/barrel, a 70% move! • Lumber has gone from $500 to $1,500, a 200% move! (in six months!!) • Copper has jumped from $3.10 to $4.50, a 45% appreciation! • Coffee has soared from $100 to $143, a 43% gain! • Wheat has surged from $550 to $740, a 34% yield! Loss of jobs, shut down Dakota pipeline...
Do you miss Donald J. Trump yet ?
Used cars ⬆️ 10%
Fresh fruits ⬆️ 6%
Bacon ⬆️ 10.7%
Restaurant meals ⬆️ 3.8%
Car rentals ⬆️ 82%
Airline fares ⬆️ 9.6%
Gasoline ⬆️ 28%
Lumber ⬆️ 208%
Major appliances ⬆️ 12%
Hide their profits in the Caribbean. That’s a good one. Watch much tv? You sound like your sitting in the 5th seat of the View! Once you are old enough to think on your own you will realize how foolish you sound. But I was a teenager too once. Can’t blame you.
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