Dozens of child fatalities on NYC streets fuel call for redesigns
A shocking display of 50 pairs of shoes stood before City Hall, serving as a poignant reminder of the lives lost to car crashes since Mayor Eric Adams took office. The number, intended to represent the children killed in accidents since 2022, highlighted the urgency of the issue, with lawmakers and transportation advocates urging the city to take drastic action.
According to the lawmakers, Mayor Adams' administration has been woefully inadequate in addressing pedestrian safety concerns, leaving dozens of young lives lost as a result. The proposed legislation would require a fundamental redesign of streets across New York City, mandating "daylighting" at 1,000 intersections annually.
The concept behind daylighting is to remove 20 feet of parking spaces from near crossings, significantly increasing visibility for drivers and pedestrians alike. While initially supported by Adams' administration, the plan has been met with significant pushback due to concerns about lost parking spots.
In an impassioned plea, Queens Councilmember Julie Won urged the city council to pass the bill, stating that lives are being lost while the transportation department fails to act. She called on Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to be "completely ashamed" of his department's handling of pedestrian safety and demanded he come forward to face the display of shoes.
Not all is lost, however. Won remains open to a watered-down version of the bill that would require daylighting only at intersections near schools. Advocates point to Hoboken, New Jersey, as an example of successful implementation, where daylighting has led to an eight-year streak without a reported traffic death.
Despite the pushback from the Adams administration, advocates argue that the safety of pedestrians and street users is paramount. The issue may yet resurface in the next City Council, but for now, it remains uncertain whether scaled-down legislation will pass before the new council takes office.
A shocking display of 50 pairs of shoes stood before City Hall, serving as a poignant reminder of the lives lost to car crashes since Mayor Eric Adams took office. The number, intended to represent the children killed in accidents since 2022, highlighted the urgency of the issue, with lawmakers and transportation advocates urging the city to take drastic action.
According to the lawmakers, Mayor Adams' administration has been woefully inadequate in addressing pedestrian safety concerns, leaving dozens of young lives lost as a result. The proposed legislation would require a fundamental redesign of streets across New York City, mandating "daylighting" at 1,000 intersections annually.
The concept behind daylighting is to remove 20 feet of parking spaces from near crossings, significantly increasing visibility for drivers and pedestrians alike. While initially supported by Adams' administration, the plan has been met with significant pushback due to concerns about lost parking spots.
In an impassioned plea, Queens Councilmember Julie Won urged the city council to pass the bill, stating that lives are being lost while the transportation department fails to act. She called on Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to be "completely ashamed" of his department's handling of pedestrian safety and demanded he come forward to face the display of shoes.
Not all is lost, however. Won remains open to a watered-down version of the bill that would require daylighting only at intersections near schools. Advocates point to Hoboken, New Jersey, as an example of successful implementation, where daylighting has led to an eight-year streak without a reported traffic death.
Despite the pushback from the Adams administration, advocates argue that the safety of pedestrians and street users is paramount. The issue may yet resurface in the next City Council, but for now, it remains uncertain whether scaled-down legislation will pass before the new council takes office.
50 pairs of shoes representing dozens of child fatalities on nyc streets since mayor adams took office is just heartbreaking 
i mean what even is daylighting tho? it sounds like a good idea but losing parking spots isnt the end of the world, right? 
anyways, city councilmember julie won is having none of it 
and i gotta respect her for calling out commissioner rodriguez's department on their handling of pedestrian safety issues 
lets hope they figure out a solution before another life is lost 
I mean, I get that parking spots are a concern, but come on, it's about saving lives! 
Those lawmakers and advocates aren't just talking the talk, they're walking the walk. They need to make this happen for real 
We can learn from Hoboken, NJ - daylighting is the way forward 
This isn't going away, so better get used to it 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around how many lives have been lost on NYC streets since 2022 
Daylighting at intersections is a game-changer, and I'm so tired of people making excuses about parking spots 
It's all about lives vs. cars, folks! 
We need to put pedestrians first and make our streets safer for everyone 
we need to do something about these senseless losses on our streets 
every life lost is a tragedy 
and I don't think Mayor Adams' response has been nearly enough 
it's time for some real action 
like, what's the point of having a transportation department if they can't even keep pedestrians safe 
and I'm so sick of parking spots being prioritized over people's lives 
we need to put our priorities straight 
#pedestriansfirst
And let's be real, parking spots can wait... lives are worth more than that 
. Let's hope Won's bill passes and we start seeing some real change on those streets soon 
]
.
.
. And what's up with the mayor's admin being so slow on this issue? It's time for some real leadership 
.
. And Hoboken, NJ is a great example of how daylighting can work – we should be looking to them as an inspiration! 
? Are they really gonna put more lives at risk over some extra space for cars? 
. It's time for them to get their priorities straight and focus on keeping our streets safe for everyone 
. The idea of daylighting is actually pretty cool - increased visibility could make a big difference. But it's not like it's gonna magically solve everything 
. We should be prioritizing people's lives over parking spots. It's time for our city leaders to step up their game 
.
but i can see why the mayor's admin would push back against it - lost parking spots are a big deal for new yorkers! 
hoboken, NJ is a cool example of successful implementation tho 
let's hope the city council can pass something that actually makes a difference 
. But all this drama over parking spots is just ridiculous. I mean, who needs 20 feet of space to park their car when people's lives are on the line? 
.
I mean, can you believe how many lives are lost on our streets every year? 
. Let's keep the conversation going and hope that next year's council will be able to make progress on this important issue