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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Shane O'Neil, Member of the Public, on Intro 1138 and Daylighting
3:05:43
·
115 sec
Shane O'Neil testifies in support of Intro 1138, sharing the tragic story of his brother Will O'Neil, who was killed in a bicycle accident in Brooklyn. He emphasizes the importance of daylighting intersections to improve visibility and prevent fatal accidents.
- Will O'Neil was killed on September 21 at the intersection of Evergreen Ave and Hart Street in Bushwick, where another cyclist was also killed in 2016.
- O'Neil argues that reduced visibility due to lack of daylighting likely contributed to his brother's fatal accident.
- He urges the council to pass Intro 1138 to improve road safety and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Shane O'Neil
3:05:43
Good afternoon and thank you for this opportunity to speak to you about intro eleven thirty eight and share a little bit about the human cost of a lack of daylighting.
3:05:52
My name is Shane O'Neil and my mother and wife and I are all traveled from out of state to be here today.
3:05:58
We're here to honor the memory of my youngest brother, Will O'Neil, who was killed on the streets of Brooklyn last year.
3:06:04
Seven months ago exactly, in the early morning hours of September 21, Will was returning home on a city bike when he was struck by a car and flung from the bike.
3:06:13
I'll never forget the life altering 5AM phone call from the responding NYPD officer after Will had already been transported to Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn.
3:06:21
He would never wake up and was declared dead on September 23 at 26 years old.
3:06:27
Will was an Eagle Scout, a gardener, a writer, and an adventurer who loved connecting with people.
3:06:32
He moved to New York for the same reason as so many others over the years.
3:06:36
He was hoping to find himself in chasing a dream in the biggest, most vibrant city in The US.
3:06:43
Intro eleven thirty eight deals with roads and infrastructure, which are a series of choices about how we allocate space in our cities.
3:06:50
Ultimately, decisions like this are about the lives and safety of the residents of New York and visitors.
3:06:55
My brother Will was a resident here for far too short a time.
3:06:59
The crash that claimed Will's life took place at the intersection of Evergreen Ave and Hart Street in Bushwick, where another cyclist was also killed in 2016.
3:07:08
In the case of my brother, reduced visibility due to a lack of daylighting likely prevented the two parties from seeing each other until it was too late.
3:07:16
Fractions of seconds matters in these life or death scenarios, and a parked car blocking the line of sight can be all that it takes to turn an unfortunate injury into a life ending tragedy.
3:07:27
On behalf of my family, all those who love Will and others who have lost their loved ones due to preventable crashes and intersections with poor visibility, I call on the council to pass this bill.
3:07:37
Thank you.