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Council Member Julie Won advocates for universal daylighting and Intro 1138
0:14:48
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Council Member Julie Won passionately advocates for universal daylighting and her bill, Intro 1138, citing numerous traffic fatalities and the potential to save lives. She criticizes the DOT's recent report on daylighting effectiveness and emphasizes the need for more aggressive implementation of hardened daylighting barriers.
- Won mentions specific examples of traffic fatalities due to lack of daylighting
- She highlights the success of universal daylighting in other cities like Hoboken, NJ
- Intro 1138 would mandate DOT to implement hardened daylighting at 1000 intersections annually, up from the current 100
Julie Won
0:14:48
Thank you chair Brooks Powers for convening this hearing today.
0:14:51
Yael Zahin died at the intersection of 40 Sixth Street and 40 Seventh Avenue, Jaden McLaurin died at 20 First Avenue and 20 First Street.
0:15:01
Doma Nadun died at Newtown Road and 40 Fifth Street.
0:15:05
We had Brenda Mamorales die on Vernon 40 Fourth Drive, Diego Sesta on Queens Boulevard.
0:15:11
These are just a few out of the two fifty three that died within the last year in the city of New York due to lack of daylighting and safety and the infrastructure of DOT.
0:15:22
The lack of visibility at intersections across the city makes it incredibly dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.
0:15:30
Two hundred fifty three New Yorkers lost their lives due to traffic violence just this past year alone.
0:15:36
That is simply unacceptable.
0:15:37
You have blood on your hands.
0:15:39
Universal daylighting is effective and it saves lives.
0:15:42
Cities like Hoboken, New Jersey have implemented daylighting with remarkable success reporting zero traffic deaths since 02/2017, and indeed over 40 states currently have laws that require vehicles to keep a distance of generally 20 feet from crosswalks because it is effective.
0:16:01
Unfortunately, the DOT recently published a report in advance of this hearing calling into question that effectiveness on universal daylighting Policy must be backed by good data, but the methodology of DOT's report is deeply flawed.
0:16:15
DOT clearly began with a conclusion and then used flawed data to support that conclusion.
0:16:20
In addition to universal daylighting, my bill, Intro eleven thirty eight, will mandate that DOT implements hardened daylighting at a thousand intersections annually.
0:16:28
Currently, DOT is required to daylight a hundred intersections with hardened barriers each year.
0:16:33
This is simply not enough.
0:16:36
Imagine if we could save fifty five percent of pedestrian deaths and seventy nine percent of pedestrian traffic injuries in New York City with the passage of eleven thirty eight, we can.
0:16:46
Installing a thousand hardened barriers each year will protect children on their way to school, seniors with mobility challenges, and every New Yorker, whether they are driving, walking, biking.
0:16:55
As a mother of two children, I cannot attend another press conference or funeral for a child in my district that was killed at an intersection while crossing at their right of way.
0:17:05
It's time to implement universal daylighting and aggressively install hardened barriers at a thousand intersections per year as our children and our seniors lives depend on it.
0:17:14
Thank you for all the families who have lost loved ones, activists, researchers, and organizations who are here today to advocate for the issue who you see behind you.
0:17:22
I hope you will remain for the testimony.
0:17:24
Thank you.