TSTC: Five City Streets Rank as Region’s Most Dangerous for Walking

Nine pedestrians were killed on Third Ave. in Manhattan between 2006 and 2008.

Streets in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island continue to be among the most dangerous in the region for pedestrians, says a new report from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

According to a TSTC analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2006 to 2008, Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and Manhattan's Third Avenue saw nine fatalities each, with Broadway close behind at eight. Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, Kings Highway in Brooklyn and Staten Island's Hylan Boulevard all had seven deaths during the three year period.

Kings Highway is a new addition to the list; the rest were singled out in TSTC's 2008 report, which encompassed 2005-2007 data.

"The most dangerous roads for walking are either major suburban
roadways dotted with retail destinations but designed exclusively for
fast-moving car traffic or extremely busy urban roads," said author Michelle
Ernst. Topping the list again were Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau County and Sunrise Highway in Suffolk
County, with 13 and 11
fatalities, respectively.

TSTC and other advocates called for the New York State DOT to increase investments in pedestrian safety and, while lauding NYCDOT for its efforts, agreed that more can and should be done. "The design of these streets encourages dangerous driving behavior like
speeding and failure to yield," said Transportation Alternatives' Paul Steely White. "In a region where many
families don’t own cars, that so many streets should be hostile to
walking is appalling."

Marking the release of the report, volunteers from AARP today assessed conditions on Third Ave. using a walkability survey developed by the AARP Public Policy Institute. Results will be shared with city officials. Seniors across the metro region suffer a disproportionate number of deaths at the hands of drivers. 

The full report, along with county fact sheets and links to interactive Google Maps, is available here.