New York City on Sept. 15 unveiled "Vision Zero Reimagined," its road safety plan for the next 10 years. The city will launch its first Super Speeder program, which installs speed-limiting devices on the vehicles of repeat speeders, create pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority zones, and upgrade 1,000 intersections every year. Traffic deaths have fallen 30% since Vision Zero began in 2014.
New York City on Sept. 15 unveiled "Vision Zero Reimagined," its road safety plan for the next 10 years. Nineteen city agencies and mayoral offices will work together on more than 100 policy initiatives. The plan includes the city's first Super Speeder program, which installs speed-limiting devices on the vehicles of repeat speeders, the creation of pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority zones, and the installation of sightline improvements at no fewer than 1,000 intersections every year.
The city named enforcement against the small number of drivers who pose the greatest crash risk as its first goal. According to city data, a small number of drivers with recorded histories of reckless driving are linked to 37% of all traffic deaths, and vehicles with more than 16 speed camera violations in a year are twice as likely to be involved in a serious injury or fatal crash. Drivers who were unlicensed, had a history of license suspensions or had multiple convictions were responsible for 41% of all traffic deaths. The city said it will step up enforcement against "ghost plates" that conceal license plates and raise the standards for keeping or regaining a license.
Redesigning the most dangerous streets within 3 years
On street design, the city will redesign all remaining Vision Zero priority corridors that have not yet been improved within the next 3 years. It will install "hard daylighting," which uses planters, bollards and similar features to improve sightlines, at more than 1,000 intersections a year. It will also expand the areas covered by Sammy's Law, which allows speed limits to be lowered to 20 mph.
For e-bikes and e-scooters, the city will build a regulatory framework that holds delivery platforms accountable for safety and takes uncertified devices off the road. The initiatives also include regulating large vehicles, securing city-level authority over autonomous vehicles, and expanding the use of intelligent speed assistance and automatic emergency braking in the city's own fleet.
New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said traffic deaths have fallen 30% since Vision Zero began in 2014, and that this plan expands the program significantly for the first time. The state legislation that provides the basis for the speed limiters was included in this year's state budget. It was sponsored by state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher.