Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycle Safety

Survey Finds New Yorkers Anxious About Congestion and Safety

stat.jpg
Following a three day period that saw three pedestrian fatalities in Brooklyn -- preceded by two cyclist deaths in Manhattan one week earlier -- the Citizens Committee for New York City has released its annual "Speak Out New York" survey, citing pedestrian safety as one of two top concerns of city residents.

The number one issue for New Yorkers, according to the survey, is traffic congestion. This is not surprising, since gridlocked streets often beget irresponsible and unsafe behavior by motorists, ranging from the outwardly aggressive (speeding whenever one has the opportunity) to more accepted but no less deadly transgressions (double parking, "trying to catch the light"). As AMNY reports:

But the chance to deal with New Yorkers top gripe ... may havebeen lost after the Bloomberg administration's congestion pricing planwas killed by the state legislature in Albany.

Not that it ultimately would have mattered, but pedestrian and cyclist safety were undersold as a benefit of congestion pricing. Here's hoping the next big traffic initiative, whatever it may be, emphasizes safer streets as one of its primary goals.

Tranportation Alternatives' CrashStat shows the history of pedestrian- and cyclist-involved collisions, in blue and red, respectively, at Joralemon and Adams Streets

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Former NYPD Boss Says Deadly High Speed Chases Were Result Of ‘Rogue’ Adams Insiders

Former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon alleged widespread corruption leading to a string of deadly high-speed chases.

July 16, 2025

Uncle Sam Wants to Fence Off a Lower Manhattan Plaza

A federally-funded police gate will lockdown a pedestrian plaza huddled between two federal courthouses in Manhattan.

July 16, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Gonna Have to Pay for That Edition

We're going to need a lot more money to handle storms like the one we saw on Monday. Plus more news.

July 16, 2025

Appeals Court Halts Adams’s Impending Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane Demolition

The judge's ruling came just as the city was set to begin the bike lane demolition process Tuesday evening.

July 15, 2025

New Yorkers Threaten Legal Action If Eric Adams Makes Bedford Ave. Less Safe for Cyclists

Brooklyn cyclists pledged to sue the city if they are killed or injured on Bedford Avenue after Mayor Adams makes it less safe.

July 15, 2025

E-Bike Fans and Foes Agree: Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit Won’t Make Streets Safer

A public hearing about the mayor's proposed speed limit devolved into a debate about e-bike licensing, naturally.

July 15, 2025
See all posts