Hoboken Mayor Bhalla, NYC Elected Officials Join Open Plans and Transportation Alternatives Demanding Universal Daylighting Ahead of City Council Hearing
In Hoboken, daylighting intersections reduced pedestrian injuries by 30%, while in San Francisco, daylighting led to a 14% reduction in crashes.
50% percent of all fatalities and 70% of all injuries in New York City occur in intersections.
Intro 1138, which would bring universal daylighting to New York City, is co-sponsored by 25 council members.
NEW YORK, NY — Today, Hoboken Mayor Bhalla, Transportation Chair Brooks-Powers, Council Members Bottcher, Cabán, Joseph, and Marte, among others, rallied on the City Hell steps with Open Plans, Transportation Alternatives, and local advocates to support Intro 1138, a City Council bill that would bring daylighting to every intersection in the city.
Daylighting prohibits car parking directly adjacent to a crosswalk, increasing visibility for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. Although universal daylighting is state law in New York, DOT exempts itself. Intro 1138 would mandate that DOT comply with the law by daylighting every intersection in the city and installing physical barriers at 1,000 intersections a year—a crucial element to ensuring the daylit areas remain clear of visual obstructions.
The rally comes amidst a groundswell of support across the city. Over 120 community organizations, advocates, and schools have now signed a letter urging DOT to commit to hardened daylighting at every intersection in the city. And 22 Community Boards, in four boroughs, have passed resolutions asking DOT to implement universal daylighting in their districts.
“Daylighting is popular with communities across the city for a simple reason — it solves a problem every New Yorker is familiar with,” said Jackson Chabot, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Open Plans. “At every intersection, pedestrians are forced to peek around cars before feeling safe to cross the street. Meanwhile drivers aren’t able to see who is waiting to cross. By creating more visibility, we ease this tension and ultimately save lives and prevent injuries. Daylighting is proven and broadly popular; New York City must embrace this simple measure to deliver better, safer streets for New Yorkers in every borough.”
“Universal daylighting will make our city safer for everyone — regardless if you’re driving a car, riding a bike, or crossing the street,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “When we repurpose parking closest to the intersection, we can dedicate that new space to new resources like wider sidewalks, greenery, benches, or bus shelters. Intro 1138 will make New York City not only safer, but greener, more accessible, and better — and we hope to see the City Council pass this transformative legislation without delay.”
“Exactly seven months ago today, my brother Will O’Neal was killed when he was struck by a driver while riding a CitiBike in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Will was 26 years old. My brother was so many things to so many people: an Eagle Scout, gardener, writer, friend, brother, and son,” said Families for Safe Streets member Shane O’Neal. “Will’s death was preventable. If the intersection where he was killed had daylighting, he might still be with us today. We need to pass Intro 1138 now to prevent others from experiencing the horror and pain that my family lives with every day.”
Daylighting is proving effective at reducing chaos and traffic violence across the country. In San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, crashes dropped 14% after daylighting, and pedestrians elsewhere reported a more comfortable experience at daylit intersections. Hoboken saw a 30% drop in pedestrian injuries after daylighting, and the city’s commitment to the safety measure is credited as a key factor in its achievement of traffic deaths in seven years. Supporters for Intro 1138 are urging New York City officials to take a similarly proactive approach toward improving city intersections.
“It's common sense that our streets are safer when drivers, bike riders, and pedestrians can see each other at intersections. Universal daylighting will help prevent crashes and save lives by giving everyone a broader view of street corners, crosswalks, and oncoming traffic. I’m proud to support Intro 1138 to improve safety for all,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I’m grateful to the Manhattan Community Boards and residents who are fighting for safer streets and to CM Won, Open Plans, and Transportation Alternatives for championing this life-saving legislation.”
“As Chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and a proud co-prime sponsor of Intro 1138, I’m committed to expanding daylighting across our city," said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. "Every New Yorker deserves to cross the street safely—and that starts with clear sightlines at our intersections. Daylighting is a smart, commonsense approach toward protecting pedestrians and drivers alike, especially our most vulnerable road users. I thank Council Member Won for her leadership, as well as my Council colleagues and the advocates for their support in advancing this important initiative.”
“Universal Daylighting saves lives, we’ve seen the proof. It doesn’t matter if you’re walking, biking or driving, increasing visibility at intersections makes us all safer,” said Council Member Julie Won. “By requiring DOT to install hardened barriers at 1,000 intersections per year, our city will follow in the footsteps of Hoboken, San Francisco, and cities across the world, which have seen significant reductions in fatalities and crashes thanks to daylighting. DOT installed hardened barriers at 300 locations last year. That is not enough when 55% of pedestrian deaths and 79% of pedestrian traffic injuries happen at intersections. Thank you to the 25 co-sponsors of my bill, Int. 1138, Open Plans, and Transportation Alternatives for your tireless advocacy to make our streets safer for all who use them.”
“From my first day in the Council on, I have always said nothing is more important than making our neighborhoods clean and safe. That’s why I’m a proud co-sponsor of Intro 1138, which is all about doubling down on proven street safety solutions and expanding them across the city. Any bill that we know will save lives should be a no brainer, and this is exactly that kind of bill. I am grateful to Council Member Won and Transportation Alternatives for leading this important effort,” said Council Member Justin Brannan.
“People with disabilities, just like everyone else, need safe access to cross the street and also to be picked up by and dropped off from our transportation so we can use the pedestrian ramps for access. We don't want to be afraid of speeding vehicles turning and we cannot see them,” said Jean Ryan, President of Disabled In Action of Metropolitan NY.
"Every parent knows the pulsing fear of trying to cross the street with children, which is why Kids Over Cars wholeheartedly endorses Intro 1138," said Pete Martin of Kids Over Cars. "Daylighting at intersections clears sightlines—which is especially crucial for families and children, whose small size makes them harder to see over parked cars. This simple design change is proven to reduce crashes and increase safety. Committing to daylighting will keep our kid safe and create a more welcoming and accessible city for our youngest New Yorkers."
"At the Trucking Association of New York, we often say that the safe and efficient movement of goods is our number one priority,” said Zach Miller, Vice President of Governmental Affairs at TANY. “As an industry, we invest heavily in safety training, education, and technology to uphold that commitment—but we can’t do it alone. Public sector leadership plays a vital role as well. Today, the New York City Council is stepping up by prioritizing the allocation of street space to enhance safety—not only for all New Yorkers, but also for our dedicated professional truck drivers. These changes help ensure drivers have the space they need to safely park their trucks and take their mandated rest breaks, as well as the visibility and clearance required to make safe, often difficult, turns in the city’s dense urban environment.”
“The Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) supports the implementation of Daylighting throughout New York City’s intersections. Daylighting is a practice that can assist with increasing visibility and awareness at intersections. It can make streets safer. People with and without disabilities, older adults, and visitors to our city deserve accessible and safe streets,” said Sharon McLennon Wier, Ph.D., MSEd., CRC, LMHC, Executive Director of CIDNY.
“North Brooklyn was one of the first communities in our city to demand the benefits of universal daylighting because we’ve seen that it works firsthand,” said Kevin LaCherra, fourth generation Greenpointer and safe streets organizer with Make McGuinness Safe. “On McGuinness Boulevard and the Berry Open Street there has been a precipitous drop in crashes and injuries at daylit intersections. Neighborhoods like Greenpoint and Williamsburg know that daylighting is also critical in building our climate resilience and preparing for the floods that we know are coming. We need our City Council to pass Intro 1138 because universal daylighting is the most effective tool we have to address traffic violence. We cannot afford to wait.”
“It's common sense that better visibility at intersections makes things safer by allowing drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to see each other. That is why New York State prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk. But New York City bizarrely overrides this law, prioritizing parking over safety, specifically where the most people get around on foot or bike. We are tired of living in fear of what could be around the corner. We want what other cities, like Hoboken and San Francisco have. We want the city to stop being reactive, waiting for people to die. We need this to be universal so that *everyone* is safe,” said Corey Hannigan, Active Transportation Program Manager, Tri-State Transportation Campaign.