An analysis by safe streets advocates found that traffic fatalities have fallen 16% since the city’s major push to make streets safer, but most of the gains have been concentrated in majority white neighborhoods.
Advocates with Transportation Alternatives said the benefits of Vision Zero infrastructure meant to protect people from cars has not made it to all parts of the city. At the same time, fatalities among cyclists and motorists have increased citywide.
“It’s not only that they’re not seeing the benefits, but the levels of fatalities are increasing there,” Danny Harris, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, said in an interview. “It’s a program that works, it’s just not implemented equitably, and we don’t have the political leadership to roll it out to every corner of the city. “
The report shows major gains in safety for pedestrians by lowering speed limits, adding speed safety cameras and increasing the number of intersections with traffic signals that give pedestrians and cyclists a head start. The report also says there were 29% fewer pedestrian fatalities in 2023 compared to 2014, when Vision Zero was first implemented.
However, these benefits stopped when the group looked at majority Latino neighborhoods, which saw a 30% increase in traffic fatalities when comparing the first five years of Vision Zero to the last five years, the report says. Majority Black neighborhoods saw a 13% increase in traffic fatalities while majority white neighborhoods saw a 4% decline, according to the report.
“It is deeply concerning that communities of color are experiencing fatalities at higher rates,” said Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, who chairs the City Council’s transportation committee. “I’m further alarmed by the fact that 2023 was the deadliest year for cyclists in this century.”
Harris said local community boards have been the main obstacle to bringing car-protective infrastructure to low non-white neighborhoods.
“We don’t go to a…
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