August 5: 24/7 Speed Safety Cameras, Vision Zero Cities
This week, we celebrated a major step forward in making New York City’s streets safer, as speed safety cameras began 24/7 operation. This victory is thanks to your advocacy over the past months.
Previously, the cameras operated only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, missing more than half of the total hours in the week. Crashes in those “off hours” accounted for 59 percent of all traffic fatalities citywide. Meanwhile, when speed safety cameras were allowed to operate, there was a 72 percent decrease in speeding and a 55 percent reduction in traffic fatalities at camera locations.
With cameras now running 24/7, we must build on this momentum.
Our Home Rule Means Safe Streets report from March calls for New York State to give New York City “home rule” over our streets, giving us the freedom to use automated enforcement like red-light cameras and speed cameras, without restrictions placed by the state.
WATCH US FLIP THE SWITCH ON 24/7 CAMS
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
Registration is open for the Vision Zero Cities Conference. Join us October 19-21 for in-person and virtual sessions that focus on building safe streets and more livable cities. Explore the challenges and opportunities we face as we build toward a world with zero traffic deaths.
Bike Crosstown campaign launches. Following last week’s fatal crash on East 85th Street that killed 28-year-old Carling Mott as she rode a bike, TA’s new Bike Crosstown campaign is calling for safe, separated bike paths to connect the Hudson and East River Greenways with Central Park.
In the news. Here’s what we’re reading this week:
Read more coverage of Monday’s speed camera event, with stories from Bloomberg, ABC7, Gothamist, the Staten Island Advance, the Daily News, and amNY.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine proposed converting one lane of the West Side Highway into a two-way protected bike lane, as Time Out New York reports. You read that right. Turning a highway lane into a protected bike lane. This could be a perfect example of NYC 25x25 in action!
As Canada looks to expand electric vehicle usage, an op-ed for the CBC examines the environmental impact of producing EVs, and argues that a greater effort should focus on reducing car dependency.
A new study from Oregon State University suggests three ways to redesign roads to make them safer for senior citizens.
TWO THINGS TO DO
Ride with TA at Summer Streets. Summer Streets return this Saturday, and next week, August 13, you’re invited to join us for a bike ride down the entire route. Along the way, we’ll highlight some of the campaigns our Manhattan and Bronx/Uptown activists are working on!
Tell Congress to provide commuter benefits for cyclists nationwide! Right now, people can’t use commuter benefits for biking. The proposed Bike Commuter Benefit would allow commuters to allocate up to $84 per month of their commuter tax benefits to biking, e-bike, and bikeshare-related expenses. Sign People for Bikes’ petition to ensure that the Bike Commuter Benefit is included in the recently-announced Inflation Reduction Act.
ONE ACTION TO TAKE NOW
Share Your Ideas for Avenue B. The DOT is planning improvements to the Avenue B Open Street to expand space for pedestrians and bike riders. If you’ve visited the Open Street along Avenue B in Manhattan, fill out this survey and help the DOT plan its next design proposal.
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend,
Ted and the TA team
P.S. TA and Common Cause are seeking a few more volunteers to serve as bike rovers for the August primary. Rovers help identify and report issues at poll sites across the city, and you can sign up now for a shift during early voting or on Election Day.