RSS 2.0 FeedJuly 8, 2011, Weekly editorial
Another touchdown for Fuschillo
It is every parent’s nightmare: “How will my child cross Sunrise Highway?”
It is many an adult child’s worry: “How will my mother make it across Merrick Road?”
It is often a cyclist’s and driver’s concern about the other. “Does he see me?”
Governor Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign into law a bill that would help make roadways safe for all who use them, authored by our own Senator Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick), chairman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee.
All state, county and local transportation agencies will now be required to consider “complete streets” design principles on all projects that receive both federal and state funding.
According to the senator, complete streets design principles are “roadway design features that accommodate and facilitate safe travel by pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists of all ages and abilities. These features include sidewalks, paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists, bicycle lanes, “share the road” signage, crosswalks, pedestrian control signalization, bus pull-outs, curb cuts, raised crosswalks, ramps and traffic calming measures designed to allow pedestrian and motor traffic to easily coexist.”
A Federal Highway Administration safety review found that streets designed with these features allow pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages, improve bicycle safety and reduce left-turning motorist crashes.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 300 pedestrians were killed in New York in 2009, more than 45 other states and more than double the national average.
Wantagh resident Sandi Vega’s 14-year-old daughter Brittany was killed while walking across Sunrise Highway last September. She expressed her sorrow through action, campaigning for safer street design. “This law would help save lives, improve safety and prevent tragedies. Saving even one family from the heartache and lifelong pain that comes with losing a loved one, which my family feels every day, will make this law well worth it. I can’t thank Senator Fuschillo and the state Senate enough for making our roads safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers,” she said.
The legislation was also supported by AARP, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, and the New York Academy of Medicine.
The Tri-State Transportation Campaign put it well, noting “relatively small design and capital investments can result in significant safety improvements in our communities.”
It is well worth it. Thank you once again, Senator Fuschillo!
