ped-safety-action-plan-queens

PROFILE
Where?
Neighborhoods
Arterials
comprise 11%
of Queens’
streets but
60% of its
pedestrian KSI
crashes
Pedestrian KSI crashes in Queens are most densely concentrated in and
around the early towns and villages of Queens County, such as Jamaica,
Flushing, and Elmhurst (see Queens Heat Map, on the facing page). In
contrast to the borough’s many suburban-style neighborhoods to the north
and east, these urban nodes are characterized by high population densities
and bustling commercial corridors and are often served by elevated subway
or Long Island Railroad tracks. Combined, these factors contribute to a high
degree of conflict between vehicles and pedestrians, limited visibility between
them, and a greater likelihood of crashes.
Arterial Streets
Though comprising just 11% of Queens’ total street network, 61% of
the borough’s pedestrian fatalities occur on arterial roadways. Queens,
Northern, and Woodhaven Boulevards are all examples of arterials in Queens.
Compared to local streets, arterials are typically wider, carry higher volumes
of both vehicles and pedestrians, accommodate faster speeds, and have
more complex traffic patterns. As a result, arterial streets tend to create
particularly high-crash pedestrian environments and can be challenging to
redesign.
However, many safety improvements can be made. Achieving slower speeds
by reducing speed limits and increasing enforcement reduces the risk of
injury. Larger-scale engineering projects can provide pedestrians with shorter
crossing distances and safer routes to cross the street, while more effectively
managing all traffic movements.
4 Vision Queens Zero Pedestrian Safety Action Plan