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20 MPH SPEED LIMITON THE UPPER WEST SIDE

Although the Upper West Side (UWS) is a residential neighborhood, it is plagued with traffic.From tour buses to trucks to people using our neighborhood as a convenient and quick pass-

through, we residents have to contend with all of the negative aspects of traffic. EACH YEAR,

there are hundreds of injuries and a handful of deaths on our UWS streets. Between 1995 and

2009 3,109 motor vehicles collided with pedestrians on our UWS streets (NYS DOT Crash

Data). We need to reclaim our neighborhood and create a street environment that prioritizes

safety and protects all of the residents and visitors of the UWS. We need to have a vision

for zero deaths and zero serious injuries. And we need your help to make this vision a reality

through a 20 mph speed limit for the Upper West Side.

THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN NEW YORK CITY:

Speeding is the primary cause of fatal crashes.

Being struck by a car is the most common cause of injury-related death among children

1-14 years of age.

While seniors make up 13% of our population, they account for 39% of all pedestrian

fatalities.

More New Yorkers are killed by traffic than murdered by guns.

In one year alone, traffic incidents cost the city and its residents over $4 billion. In contrast

over the same period of time, a mere $34 million was spent on street safety programs.**Source: Vision Zero, Transportation Alternatives and The Drum Major Institute, 2011.

SPEEDING IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF FATAL CRASHES.

Medical research points to 20 mph as the target speed to ensure safety in urban environments.

We can attain slower speeds in our city in relatively simple ways: change road designs to make

speeding more difficult (internationally recognized traffic calming measures such as curb

extensions, protected bike lanes, chicanes, speed bumps); change speed limits in conjunction

with conducting an outreach/publicity campaign, re-timing signals and installing adequate

signage; and increase enforcement on our streets, including installing speed cameras.

As a community, we can and should work on all three of the above-mentioned speed reducers.

Reducing the speed limit, however, is the cheapest and simplest first step in this process. Here

are a few common myths about slower speed limits and their simple rebuttals.

MYTH: Slower speeds will make commute times skyrocket.

ANSWER: Given that most UWSers do not commute by private automobile AND given that

most UWSers travel only a few miles by car if they do commute by private automobile, commute

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times will barely be affected. A steady 20 mph speed is much more efficient than the stop and

go that happens when people travel at very high speeds with frequent red lights.

MYTH: Slower speeds increase pollution and decrease air quality.

ANSWER: A more consistent speed of 20 mph is much more fuel-efficient than the typical

speed and stop that happens on our streets. Furthermore, if vehicles traveled at 20 mph, our

neighborhood would be safer, which would encourage more people to bike and walk, reducing

their reliance on motor vehicles and public transit.

MYTH: Police wont enforce it.

ANSWER: Yes, this will be a change for the police. But, with community buy-in and targeted

enforcement (along with adequate signage), the police could welcome the safer streets.

Increased enforcement and slower speeds will reduce crashes, ultimately reducing police officer

workload.

MYTH: This might work on our side streets but could NEVER work on our main north/south

avenues.ANSWER: Given that our large avenues account for a disproportionate number of pedestrian

and cyclist fatalities and serious injuries, we need slower speeds on these streets as much as

we need them on our side streets. Furthermore, if we have vehicles moving at a more consistent

speed, traffic on our avenues will be more efficient and smooth.

MYTH: We should be focusing our efforts on drivers who are talking on their phones, texting, o

worse yet, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

ANSWER: Actually, in 2009 speeding in NYC was the cause of 63 fatal automobile crashes. B

contrast, distracted driving and drunk driving, while extremely dangerous, accounted for 39 and22 fatal crashes respectively (NYS DMV statistics for 2009).

The fact is that speeding is especially dangerous in our dense urban environment. At 40 mph, a

car striking a pedestrian gives that pedestrian only a 30% chance of surviving. At 30 mph, that

chance increases to 80%. Lowering speeds to 20 mph would give pedestrians struck by a vehicl

a 98% chance of survival. (Pedestrian Fatality as a Function of Car Impact Speed, Accident

Analysis and Prevention, E. Rosen and U. Sander, 2009.)

We have the opportunity for a much safer and saner UWS. By lowering our speed limit to 20

mph for the entire community board district, we have the chance to increase the quality AND

quantity of life. Its up to the leadership of advocates, our community board, elected officials, an

our Department of Transportation to make this investment. Please join our cause and make our

neighborhood the envy of all.

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