Int. No. 782

By Council Member Rodriguez

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to pedestrian safety action plans and to repeal section 19-180.1, relating to safety audits of crash locations involving pedestrians

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1.   Section 19-180.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, is REPEALED.

§ 2. Section 19-182 of the administrative code of the city of New York, is amended to read as follows:

§ 19-182 Comprehensive [study] studies, plans and reports of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries.  a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Arterial street. The term “arterial street” means a high-capacity street under the jurisdiction of the department serving as the principal network of through-traffic flow.

Bicycle lane. The term “bicycle lane” means a portion of the roadway that has been designated by striping, signing, and pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicycles.

                     Bicycle path. The term “bicycle path” means a path physically separated from motorized vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier and either within the highway right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way and which is intended for the use of bicycles.

                     Curb extension. The term “curb extension” means an expansion of the curb line into the lane of the roadway adjacent to the curb for a portion of a block either at a corner or mid-block.

Exclusive pedestrian phase. The term “exclusive  pedestrian  phase”  means a pedestrian control signal that  allows pedestrians  an  exclusive  interval  at  which  to  completely  cross  using  any  of  the  existing  crosswalks  within the  intersection while traffic is stopped in all directions.

Leading pedestrian interval. The term “leading pedestrian interval” means a pedestrian control signal that displays a walk indication before a green indication for the parallel direction of traffic.

Median barrier. The term “median barrier” means a raised median or pedestrian safety island extended through an intersection to prevent left turns and through-movements to and from the intersecting street.

Motor vehicle. The term “motor vehicle” has the same meaning as in section 125 of the vehicle and traffic law.

Pedestrian safety island. The term “pedestrian safety island” means a raised area located at crosswalks that serves as pedestrian refuge separating traffic lanes or directions.

Priority location. The term “priority location” means the corridors, arterial streets, intersections, and areas identified in subparagraphs (a)-(c) of paragraph 3 of subdivision c of this section.

Serious injury. The term “serious injury” means those injuries categorized as “A” injuries by the New York state department of motor vehicles.

[a.] b.  Every five years, the department shall conduct a comprehensive study of all traffic crashes involving a pedestrian fatality or serious injury for the most recent five years where traffic crash data is available. In each such study, the department shall analyze the conditions and factors associated with each such traffic crash and identify common factors among the crashes, if any. The  department shall use such  studies  to  develop  strategies  to  improve  pedestrian   safety,   which  may  include  modifying  citywide  traffic  operations  policy,  developing  pedestrian  safety  strategies   geared  towards  specific  users, including, but not limited to, installation of  audible pedestrian signals and other devices to assist those with sight,  hearing and mobility impairments, prioritizing locations and/or types of  roadways  or intersections   for   safety   improvements   and   making  recommendations for improving safety at such locations.   

[b.] c. The first comprehensive traffic study and plans, including a schedule for implementing strategies for improving pedestrian safety generated by such study, shall be submitted to the mayor and speaker of the council and posted on  the  department's  official  website  by  the  thirtieth  day of november, two thousand and fifteen. Subsequent studies and plans shall be submitted to the mayor and speaker of the council and posted on the department's official website every five years thereafter by the thirtieth of november in such years.

[c. 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(A) “Exclusive pedestrian  phase”  shall mean   a pedestrian control signal that  allows pedestrians  an  exclusive  interval  at  which  to  completely  cross  using  any  of  the  existing  crosswalks  within the  intersection while traffic is stopped in all directions;

(B) “Leading pedestrian interval” shall mean   a pedestrian control signal that displays a walk indication before a green indication for the parallel direction of traffic;

(C) “Motor vehicle” shall have the same meaning as in section one hundred twenty-five of the vehicle and traffic law.]

[2.] 1. As part of the comprehensive study and plan required pursuant to this section, the department shall study means of enhancing the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists where motor vehicles make left turns. Such study and plan shall consider and make recommendations as to how streets and sidewalks may be designed to minimize the risk of traffic crashes and to minimize the risk of critical injury or death resulting from the making of such turns. Such study and plan  shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to,  at  or near left turn locations, consideration of removing  motor vehicle parking, the installation of leading pedestrian intervals,  the  designation  of  lanes  exclusively  for  left   turns,   and   the  installation of exclusive pedestrian phases.

[d. 1. For purposes of this subdivision, "arterial streets" shall mean high-capacity streets under the jurisdiction of the department serving as the principal network of through-traffic flow.]

2.  As  part  of the comprehensive study and plan required pursuant to this section, the department shall study  arterial  streets  as  defined  herein  and  make recommendations as to how such streets may be designed to minimize the risk of traffic crashes and  to  minimize  the  risk  of [critical] serious injury or death resulting from such crashes.

3. Comprehensive status report. As part of the comprehensive study and plan required pursuant to this section, the department shall release a comprehensive status report for each of the five boroughs that shall:

(a) Identify the corridors and arterial streets representing at least 50 percent of the total pedestrians killed or seriously injured on such corridors and arterial streets during the preceding five years and at least five percent of the total mileage of street network in each borough, and rank the corridors and arterial streets identified based on the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured during such five-year period;

(b) Identify the intersections representing at least 20 percent of the total pedestrians killed or seriously injured on such intersections during the preceding five years and at least two percent of all intersections in such borough and rank the intersections identified based on the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured during such five-year period; and

(c) Identify additional locations comprising one or more intersections, highways, arterial streets and corridors to include in each comprehensive status report, but such additional areas and locations shall not substitute any of the corridors, arterial streets or intersections identified in subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this paragraph.

(d) Report on the status and any progress made on all the safety strategies and improvement recommendations made pursuant to subdivision a of this section, and on the schedule for implementing the strategies to improve pedestrian safety as identified in the most recent prior five-year study pursuant to subdivision b of this section.

(e) Describe for each priority location: the status, plans, and any progress made on all street safety engineering and other changes of design, including, but not limited to pedestrian safety islands, exclusive pedestrian phases, leading pedestrian intervals, dedicated left turn signals, curb extensions, median barriers, raised walk-ways, protected and unprotected bicycle lanes, lane-narrowing, and the removal of any such features, and other traffic calming changes and traffic devices.

(f) List the number of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists killed and seriously injured during the preceding five years. Such comprehensive status report shall describe the locations where such incidents occurred, disaggregated by borough and by New York city council district, New York city police precinct and community board in each borough.

d. The department shall inspect and conduct audits for each priority location and make improvements as soon as reasonably possible, and if necessary, incorporate improvements into capital projects.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner of transportation may take such measures as are necessary for the implementation of this local law, including the promulgation of rules, prior to such effective date.

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LS #2779

3/2/2018 9:57am