TESTIMONY
Margaret Forgione, First Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation, Opens Her Testimony on New York City's Work to Enhance Intersections, Sidewalks, and Pedestrian Safety
0:26:06
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108 sec
Margaret Forgione testifies about the NYC Department of Transportation's efforts to improve intersections, sidewalks, and pedestrian safety in New York City.
- She is joined by other DOT officials and an NYPD representative
- DOT is responsible for operating and maintaining city streets, sidewalks, pedestrian ramps, and streetlights
- Their goal is to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation
- NYC had the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities in over 100 years in 2022, except for 2020's pandemic lockdowns
- The steps NYC is taking are making streets safer, despite national pedestrian fatality trends
Margaret Forgione
0:26:06
Good afternoon, Chair Brooks Powers and members of the committee on transportation and infrastructure.
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I am 1st deputy commissioner, Margaret, for Gianni.
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I am joined by deputy commissioner of Sidewalk And Inspection Management, Leon Hayward.
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Assistant commissioner of Intergovernmental And Community Affairs, Rick Rodriguez and Director of Operations, Monte Dean.
0:26:25
We are also joined by Deputy Chief Thomas Alps from NYPD's transportation bureau.
0:26:31
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez, about the administration's work to enhance intersections, sidewalks, and pedestrian safety on New York City streets.
0:26:44
DOT is responsible for operating and maintaining 63100 miles of streets and highways.
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This includes maintaining roadways, curbs, and pedestrian ramps.
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And jurisdiction over 12 thousand miles of sidewalk as well as maintaining nearly 400, 000 streetlights.
0:27:00
All New Yorkers use roadways and sidewalks to get around, whether by foot, bike, wheelchair, bus, car, or other mode.
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And all of our goods travel to their final destinations on our streets.
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Our goal is to always make sure that we that can happen in a safe efficient and environmentally responsible way.
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To that end, DOT continues to work hard and creatively with available resources to deliver high quality, high impact safety projects for New York City's streets and sidewalks, and our interventions are working.
0:27:32
Last year, while pedestrian fatalities across the country reached the highest number since 1987, New York City had the lowest number of pedestrian fatalities since we started collecting data a 113 years ago, other than 2 2020's year of pandemic lockdowns.
0:27:48
These local trends are encouraging and show that the steps we are taking as a city to make our streets safer are working.
