TESTIMONY
Margaret Forgione, First Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation on Intro 95 and the feasibility of installing raised crosswalks, raised intersections, and speed reducers near schools
0:30:55
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3 min
Forgione explains the NYC Department of Transportation's ongoing efforts to enhance safety at intersections near schools by installing speed reducers, raised crosswalks, and other traffic calming measures.
- DOT has installed numerous speed reducers near schools, exceeding the legal mandate
- DOT has installed over 80 raised crosswalks, with 45% near schools, based on criteria like pedestrian injuries and proximity to schools
- DOT is exploring raised intersections for some upcoming capital projects, but they are more difficult due to drainage and utility conflicts
- DOT does not see value in a larger feasibility study, as it is already implementing these safety treatments where most needed
- DOT welcomes partnership from the Council in identifying locations for safety projects
Margaret Forgione
0:30:55
Next, intro 95, sponsored by Council member Schulman.
0:30:59
This bill would require DOT to study the feasibility of installing raised crosswalks, raised intersections, and speed reducers, at intersections and roadways adjacent to schools.
0:31:10
DOT works to enhance safety at many intersections throughout the city, including those adjacent to schools, and also implements a wide range of safety treatments near schools.
0:31:19
This work includes installing speed reducers and raised crosswalks as well as other treatments such as school slow zones, school loading zones, turn, calming treatments, new signals, always stops, and leading pedestrian intervals.
0:31:33
We also implement a number of projects in the vicinity of schools.
0:31:36
In 2023 alone, we completed 242 projects within a quarter mile of a school, including a 124 turn calming projects, 106 street improvement projects, 7 bike lane hardenings, and 5 capital projects.
0:31:53
For speed reducers, DOT has prioritized installing speed reducers near schools and has exceeded the legal mandate of installing speed humps on 50 Blocks adjacent to schools with annual installations adjacent to schools ranging from 60 to 100 per year.
0:32:09
For raised crosswalks in the 1st 2 years of this administration, DOT installed over 80 raised crosswalks in house and through capital contracts.
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With 45% installed near schools.
0:32:20
To identify raised crosswalk locations, DOT primarily works from a city wide list of intersections that meet certain criteria for the treatment based on engineering judgment.
0:32:30
For example, race crosswalks cannot be installed on a bus or truck route or on streets with more than 1 lane in each direction.
0:32:37
This list of intersections is then ranked by pedestrian injuries and killed or seriously injured, as well as other treatment citing criteria, which includes accessibility to schools, parks, playgrounds, senior centers, and transit.
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This ensures we are targeting the treatment where it is most needed.
0:32:54
We then review locations to ensure that existing drainage patterns will not be impacted, and there are no conflicts with existing underground utilities.
0:33:03
For raised intersections, DOT is exploring, including raised intersections and some upcoming capital projects.
0:33:09
The same drainage and utility conflict challenges that apply to raised crosswalks also apply to raise intersections, but it is even more difficult to to find entire intersections that meet the criteria previously discussed.
0:33:22
These types of projects may involve relocating or adding new catch basins for drainage and relocating utilities to make the treatment feasible.
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Each of these safety treatments is an important tool in our toolbox that we continue to plan and install.
0:33:36
Given our ongoing work to implement these treatments near schools and other locations that would benefit most.
0:33:41
We do not think a larger study is necessary nor valuable at this time.
0:33:45
We would be happy to discuss this work further with Council.
0:33:48
And as always, we welcome your partnership in identifying locations of concern and implementing critical safety projects in your districts.
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Margaret Forgione, First Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation on Intro 79 Requiring Study and Installation of Pedestrian Lighting on Commercial Corridors
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Margaret Forgione, First Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation, on Intro 103 and requiring DOT to notify community boards and council members before removing parking spaces