Making City Streets More Complete by Stephen Geffon - Leader-Observer

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A new bill making its way through the state legislature would require that roads being built or redesigned using state dollars consider all users of the road, including pedestrians, bicyclists, people with disabilities, public transit and automobiles

Dubbed the Complete Streets legislation, the bill has passed the State Senate and been referred to the Assembly for consideration.

The Complete Streets Act of 2009 has also been introduced in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. This legislation would ensure that federal transportation infrastructure investments provide safe travel for Americans whether they are driving, bicycling, walking or taking public transportation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, a pedestrian was hit by a motorist and killed every 113 minutes (about one every two hours) - a total of 4,654 fatalities nationwide. Forty percent of these fatalities were people 50 years of age and older. In addition, NHTSA found that a pedestrian is injured by motorists every 8 minutes with over 70,000 pedestrians injured in 2007.

A national report titled Dangerous by Design issued in 2009, noted that New York State had the nation's third-highest pedestrian fatalities per 100,000 people aged 65 and older. The report also notes:

• 1 in 5 traffic deaths in New York State are pedestrians.
• 22.5 percent of total traffic deaths in New York State are pedestrians. 
• The national average was 11.8 percent in 2007-2008.
• 31 percent of total traffic deaths in the NYC metropolitan area are pedestrians.

A new poll released by AARP in 2008 found that while many people age 50 and older are trying to move away from car transportation as a result of high gas prices, almost half (47 percent) of poll responders say they cannot cross the main roads safely.

A Federal Highway Administration safety review found that streets designed with sidewalks, raised medians, better bus stop placement, traffic-calming measures, and treatments for disabled travelers improve pedestrian safety.

Some features, such as medians, improve safety for all users because they enable pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages, reduce left-turning motorist crashes to zero, and improve bicycle safety.

It can improve health, as well. One study found that 43 percent of the people with safe places to walk within 10 minutes of their home met recommended activity levels. Among individuals without a safe place to walk, just 27 percent were active enough.

The potential to reduce carbon emissions by shifting trips to lower-carbon modes is also undeniable. The 2001 National Household Transportation Survey found 50 percent of all trips in metropolitan areas are three miles or less and 28 percent of all metropolitan trips are one mile or less - distances easy to walk, bike, or hop a bus or train.

Yet 650 of the shortest trips are now made by automobile, in part because of incomplete streets that make it dangerous or unpleasant for other modes of travel. Complete Streets would help convert many of these short automobile trips to multi-modal travel. Simply increasing bicycling from 1 to 1.5 percent of all trips in the U.S. would save 462 million gallons of gasoline each year.

Bill Ferris, legislative representative for AARP, a lead advocate for the legislation, said getting the Complete Streets legislation adopted this session is a priority for his organization.

“We firmly believe our roads need to be designed for all users, not just automobiles,” he said.

Woodhaven Blvd Unsafe for Pedestrians by Lisa Fogarty - Queens Chronicle -

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Pedestrians are playing beat the clock to make it across Woodhaven Boulevard safely. Photo by PJ Smith

Forty years ago, Dolores Quintana said she used to feel bad watching her elderly neighbors attempt to cross nine or 10 bustling lanes of traffic on Woodhaven Boulevard in lightning speed time, quite often with walkers in hand.

Now 84, Quintana is confronting the same boulevard, albeit packed with a few more cars than it had in the 1970s. Traversing the street is “like playing beat the clock,” she said.

She’s not alone. Matthias Kleinhans, 74, is also anxious about crossing Woodhaven Boulevard so that he can visit the Forest Park Senior Center. Not long ago, his wife fell in the middle of the street while hurrying to beat the light. Two drivers came to her aid, but the incident could have been avoided, Kleinhans said.

“If it was at least five seconds longer, she could have crossed to safety,” he said. “Woodhaven Boulevard is wide. The light starts blinking and cars start moving before you’re three-quarters of the way across.”

New York State has the third-highest number of pedestrian fatalities in seniors, according to the city council. Despite much ink that has been spilled over Queens Boulevard and its moniker, the “Boulevard of death,” 15 of the 94 pedestrian fatalities that took place in Queens between 2006 and 2008 occurred in Senate District 15, of which seven were individuals over 50. Woodhaven Boulevard is as wide as 10 lanes in some areas and the islands separating the lanes are extremely narrow, barely big enough to fit a wheelchair, walker or baby stroller, said state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach).


“No one should have to be an Olympic athlete to cross Woodhaven Boulevard,” said Addabbo, who held a press conference about pedestrian safety at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue last Thursday morning alongside Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven), Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey, Forest Park Senior Center Director Donna Caltabiano, AARP executives and several local seniors.

The meeting place was chosen because it is located within a two-block radius of Forest Park Senior Center, PS 306, which has over 220 students, and PS 60 with over 1,200 students.

“Residents have come to complain that at 85th and 86th streets, they don’t have enough time to cross to get to the library,” Miller said. “We need a Complete Streets policy that recognizes older residents to make our community safer, healthier and a better place to live.”

Caltabiano, a Republican candidate for the 38th Assembly seat now held by Miller, said something as simple as increasing the timing of lights would allow her seniors to feel more comfortable walking to the center. “It’s very difficult for seniors to cross this street,” she said.

AARP’s Create the Good joined with its partners and volunteers last week to survey hundreds of dangerous intersections and streets across the city in an effort to demonstrate to policymakers the need for Complete Streets legislation — which both Addabbo and Miller are sponsoring in the Senate and Assembly.

The bill would require the state to approach road design while keeping in mind the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, people with disabilities and public transportation users. The legislation also proposes changes that include increasing the width of medians, lane shoulders and crosswalks, as well as implementing count-down clocks and adjusting the timing of lights — an option that wouldn’t cost the state a dime, Addabbo said.

According to studies, the standard amount of time a pedestrian has to cross a street is one second for every four feet, though that average has recently dropped even further to one second for every three-and-a-half feet, said William Stoner, associate state director of Livable Communities at AARP. At Woodhaven Boulevard and Myrtle Avenue, a pedestrian has just 35 seconds to cross the 120-foot-wide intersection, Miller said.

“Too often our roads are built for cars to go as fast as possible without consideration for pedestrians,” Stoner said. “In communities like these, you could recommend three feet per second because of seniors and children. It costs nothing.”

The Department of Transporation began meeting with elected officials, experts and residents in 2008 to discuss traffic volume, roadway alignment and other issues that affect Woodhaven Boulevard between Queens Boulevard and Liberty Avenue. Although the Woodhaven traffic study has yet to be released, Carey said she is still working with the borough commissioner on these problems and hopes DOT will produce solutions and recommendations that can then be presented to Albany to lobby for legislation.

Another glimmer of hope came last week when several members of the city council, including former police office Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone), argued on behalf of passing Intro 120, or the “Saving Lives Through Better Information Bill,” which requires the New York City Police Department to make certain traffic-related statistics available through its website.

Senator Addabbo and Assemblyman Miller Team with AARP to Make Our Streets and Sidewalks Safer

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Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblyman Mike Miller meet with AARP Safe Streets campaign official and volunteers, a nearby school's parent reps, along with older adults from nearby senior center at Thursday, April 29 press conference at Woodhaven Blvd. & 89th Ave. intersection. Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblyman Mike Miller show gathered press corps and Safe Streets campaign supporters from AARP and the Woodhaven community a listing of fatalities in the 15th Senate District of people over age 50. A Senate District 15 map showing dangerous crossings also was displayed at the press conference.

NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., announced today that he is joining the AARP in a campaign to survey crosswalks and intersections and take action to make our streets and sidewalks safer.

Senator Addabbo was joined by NYS Assemblyman Michael Miller, Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey, Forest Park Senior Center President Donna Caltabiano, representatives from local schools, and others, at the intersection of Woodhaven Blvd and 89^th Avenue in Woodhaven.

This location was highlighted by Senator Addabbo because within a two-block radius there is the Forest Park Senior Center and PS 60 (pre-K through grade 5) with over 1200 students and PS 306 (pre-K through grade 2) with over 220 students. Both seniors and students have to cross 10 lanes of traffic to reach either schools or their senior center.

This effort is part of a broader statewide campaign, “Complete Streets Week: Making New York Walkable for All Generations,” which will survey hundreds of dangerous roads and intersections across the state. Several factors will be taken into account including if there are adequate traffic and crossing signals, if crosswalks are properly marked, and if there is enough time to cross the streets.

The results will be used to make improvements and develop legislation to ensure that streets are safe and accessible for individuals of all ages.

Senator Addabbo said, “This location highlights a dangerous intersection in the district. If a senior or student needs to cross Woodhaven Boulevard, they have to cross 10 lanes of traffic in a very short time. Additionally, the islands separating the lanes are very narrow, where there is no space for a wheelchair, walker or baby stroller to fit without putting a pedestrian at danger. I am proud to work with AARP to bring attention to this problem and to the need for Complete Streets in our neighborhood.”

“We need a Complete Streets policy that recognizes older residents to make our community safer, healthier, and a better place to live. Keeping the walkways free of cracks and potholes will prevent injuries. By increasing the amount of time you have to cross streets and decreasing speed limits at major intersections, we can dramatically reduce pedestrian fatalities. I have made our quality of life a top priority since taking office and will continue to fight for improvements. This plan is good for our seniors and good for our community,” said Assemblymember Miller.

Community Board 9 District Manager Mary Ann Carey said, "For the last 20 years, accidents around both Woodhaven and Jamaica as well as the surrounding intersections have been a serious issue. Too often those accidents include fatalities and involve senior citizens. We need to take a serious look at these intersections and how we can improve them for the safety of everyone."

“Complete streets are vital for older residents to maintain an independent lifestyle,” said Lois Aronstein, AARP New York State Director. “That is why AARP has organized this statewide initiative to evaluate the most dangerous roads and intersections in New York so that we can help community members document the problems in their neighborhoods. Complete Streets legislation would help New Yorkers age in the setting of their choice because their community will be more livable and meet their growing needs.”

“Senior Centers are vital for the community and considered safe havens. We need to ensure that all seniors can safely reach their senior centers,” said Donna Caltabiano, the president of Forest Park Senior Center.

The neglect of pedestrian safety falls harder on older adults. According to the 2009 report, Dangerous by Design by Transportation for Americans, New York ranks 3rd in the nation for pedestrian fatalities for people age 65+. An AARP report finds that two in five Americans age 50 or over say their neighborhood sidewalks are inadequate, and nearly half cannot cross main roads close to their home safely, preventing many from walking, cycling, or taking the bus.

From 2006 thru 2008 there were 6,731 automobile accidents with 94 fatalities. In Senate District 15 alone, there were 15 fatalities, of which seven were individuals above 50.

By 2025, people age 65+ will comprise nearly 20 percent of the population. Yet two-thirds of transportation planners and engineers say they have yet to begin addressing older people in their street planning. Complete Streets policies direct transportation planners and engineers to design streets and roads with all people in mind including pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation users of all ages and abilities.

Complete Streets legislation has been introduced in the New York State Assembly and Senate by transportation and aging policy leaders in New York State. Senator Addabbo is a Co-Sponsor of this legislation. Complete Streets legislation will ensure that all new roads constructed have to provide the same consistent level of safe travel for all motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation users regardless of age or ability.

“We need this legislation to ensure that our streets that we construct in the future provide the same level of safety for all residents of New York State regardless of age. Our streets should not be ones that our seniors or any pedestrians are afraid to cross,” said Senator Addabbo.