When 'Vision Zero' Conflicts With Local Politics

Brad Aaron updates some of the inside baseball about how New York City is implementing Vision Zero safety improvements. In this case—how the city negotiates between DOT recommended infrastructure investments with the political pressures of community boards. For much of the year, the DOT capitulated to community boards:

"This year, for instance, when facing opposition or anticipating blowback from community boards, DOT watered down a road diet and other safety measures planned for Riverside Drive; proposed disjointed bike lanes for Kingston and Brooklyn avenues; abandoned a project that would have converted a dangerous slip lane in Harlem into a public plaza; and stalled a road diet for 111th Street in Corona, despite support from Council Member Julissa Ferreras."

The consequence of one of those decisions turned tragic this week, when "an MTA bus driver killed a pedestrian while making a turn that would have been eliminated had DOT not bowed to community board demands to scrap the plan."

Aaron shares news, however, that Mayor Bill de Blasio is taking a firmer tone in allowing Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg more "latitude to implement safety improvements that don’t get a “yes” vote from community boards." According to a direct quote of the mayor from an article in the Wall Street Journal by Mara Gray, de Blasio says, "I respect community boards….But community boards don't get to decide.

A sad parallel to this story emerged in Los Angeles this week, following the LAUSD closure that made national news. As reported by Joe Linton, 17-year-old Andres Perez was struck and killed in a crosswalk while walking to school on a stretch of North Figueroa Street that was planned for safety improvements until local City Councilmember Gil Cedillo intervened.