Biking and Walking
Despite communities’ interest in biking and walking,
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut spend a minuscule fraction
of transportation funding on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
At the same time, many of our counties see some of the highest
pedestrian fatality rates in the country, bicycle routes are
often poorly connected or nonexistent, and children do not
have safe routes to walk or bike to local schools. In many
counties, pedestrian fatalities fall disproportionately on
people of color and the elderly. The Campaign hopes to alleviate these problems
by working for more funding for local bicycle and pedestrian
needs.
- Most Dangerous Roads - This analysis identifies the most dangerous roads (those with the most pedestrian fatalities from 2005 to 2007) in the tri-state region, and the locations and number of pedestrian fatalities for selected counties and boroughs in New Jersey, downstate New York, and Connecticut.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety in New Jersey
New Jersey has long sought to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety and has been nationally recognized for its bike/ped policy. In 1995, Governor Whitman promised to reduce pedestrian deaths by 50% by 2010. This commitment to bicycle and pedestrian safety was renewed by Governor Corzine in 2006. And yet, pedestrian fatalities have continued to rise. Municipal demand for bicycle and pedestrian projects in New Jersey far outstrips available state funding.
Safer Streets in Newark
The Campaign is working with community groups like La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark to promote transportation investment as a means to spur economic development. Our work is meant to recreate Newark into streets meant for people, rather than streets built to move cars. Safer and more attractive streets for pedestrians and better bus service mean more customers for local business. (Read our five-point transportation for redevelopment platform here.)
View report and photos from walking tour of Bloomfield Ave. in Newark.
Penn for Peds
In 2008, the Tri-State Campaign launched the "Penn for Peds" campaign, which aims at improving the inadequate pedestrian and bicycling conditions around NYC's Penn Station, the busiest transit hub in the country. With construction on Moynihan Station expected to begin in the coming years, the need for improved bike and pedestrian infrastructure is greater than ever.
New Haven Safe Streets Coalition
Tri-State is a member of the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, which raises awareness of traffic safety issues and builds community support for comprehensive solutions to the problem of traffic injuries and fatalities. After several recent pedestrian deaths, New Haven residents and elected officials have increasingly argued that the city streets do not properly accomodate non-drivers; 45% of city residents walk, bike, carpool, or take transit to work.
By October 2008, nearly every member of the New Haven Board of Alders had signed a Coaliton petition calling for strict enforcement of traffic laws, updated road designs that accomodate non-drivers, measurement and evaluation of traffic safety initiatives, and a study of lowered speed limits in certain areas. The Board of Alders also passed "safe streets" legislation that would establish a committee which would develop road design guidelines, a community-inclusive planning process, traffic safety benchmarks, and educational campaigns.
