Dear Editor:
“Streets are where the life of a city happens.” — Janette Sadik-Khan, former NYCDOT commissioner.
Our streets should reflect who uses them and how. In the evening, the intersection of Washington Street and Newark in Hoboken sees twice as many pedestrians as vehicles. The walk ability of Washington due to its wide sidewalks is touted as a key amenity of the city. And yet, Washington Street has three times as many collisions as expected for its size and traffic volume. Nearly half of the vehicle–pedestrian crashes are caused from someone turning their car into people crossing with the light.
This is according to the study done prior to the new design for Washington. We should be doing everything we can to make Washington Street safer and more enjoyable to walk, use a stroller or wheelchair, or other mobility device. Curb extensions are no more a fad than stop signs or seatbelts. They are a proven solution to reducing crashes and injury that was specified by engineers and approved by the council. Across the river, 9th Avenue in Manhattan saw a “58 percent decrease in injuries to all street users” and “Up to 49 percent increase in retail sales” after installing protected bike lane and curb extensions/safety islands. The curb extensions being installed on Washington Street will help balance the space allocated to each mode of transportation and improve the street for everyone, including those who need to travel the street by car.
Alec Perkins
