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Sustainable Streets Index

Together with the DOT Sustainable Streets strategic plan, the Sustainable Streets Index allows the agency to implement more performance-driven transportation policy, geared toward achieving the sustainability, mobility, infrastructure and quality of life goals set forth in Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC 2030 initiative.

The Sustainable Streets Index provides data on recent trends in traffic, parking, travel and safety. It also includes a section on “project Indicators”, an assessment of 11 major DOT projects completed by the end of 2011. These assessments cover the projects' effects on safety, usage for motor vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, bus riders and travel times in the project areas.

Download the full Sustainable Streets Index:

Where can a Taxi Take you in Seven Minutes?

Excluding trips two and from the airports, the average New York City taxi ride lasts seven minutes. The map below shows a selection of 7-minute trips made in May 2011. The taxi GPS data only provides pick-up and drop-off locations, this map shows likely travel routes. During daytime hours, taxi trips average 10.9 mph, so a seven minute trip travels an average 1.3 miles. Trips mostly on Manhattan avenues go faster than crosstown trips—12.1 mph on avenues vs 8.5 mph on crosstown streets. Trips outside of Manhattan go faster, averaging 12.4 mph.

Project Indicators

This map shows the locations of 11 major DOT projects that were chosen as examples of the types of projects DOT regularly undertakes in neighborhoods around the City to improve safety and mobility. DOT collected before and after data for each project to assess its impacts on impacts on safety, usage for motor vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and bus riders and/or travel times through the project area.

West 6th Street West 6th Street East 180th Street East 180th Street Southern Boulevard Southern Boulevard Broadway: Union Square Broadway: Union Square Queens Boulevard at Broadway Queens Boulevard at Broadway Luten Avenue Luten Avenue Livingston Street Transit Priority Livingston Street Transit Priority First and Second Avenue Select Bus Service First and Second Avenue Select Bus Service Car Sharing Car Sharing Hoyt Avenue Hoyt Avenue Weekend Walks—Montague Street Weekend Walks—Montague Street
  1. West 6th Street, Brooklyn: Speeding decreated dramatically and injuries from crashes went down on West 6th Street after narrowing the roadway and installing a wider center median and pedestrian refuge islands
  2. East 180th Street, Manhattan: Adding a median and left-turn bays, and narrowing travel lanes reduced speeding and led to a 67% reduction in crashes involving pedestrians.
  3. Southern Boulevard, the Bronx: Travel speeds improved by 35% in the evening rush hour while crash incidence fell after the redesign simplified traffic movements and shortened crosswalks.
  4. Broadway: Union Square, Manhattan: The comprehensive redesign dramatically reduced crashes, increased bike usage and improved business conditions.
  5. Queens Boulevard at Broadway, Queens: Safety improvements increased pedestrian comfort and reduced crashes on Queens Boulevard.
  6. Luten Avenue, Staten Island: Adding crosswalks and a median, and narrowing travel lanes reduced speeding, eased crossing the street and reduced crashes.
  7. Livingston Street Transit Priority, Brooklyn: New bus lanes on Livingston Street improved bus speeds by than 12–14%.
  8. First and Second Avenue Select Bus Service, Manhattan: New bus and bike lanes improved bus speeds by 15-18%, increased bus ridership by 12% and cycling volumes by 18-177%, and reduced crashes by up to 37%.
  9. Car Sharing, Manhattan: Reduced DOT parking impact in Lower Manhattan by 14% during weekdays and by 68% during weekends after implementation of a car sharing program at DOT in Lower Manhattan.
  10. Hoyt Avenue, Queens: Travel times improved by up to 51% after implementation of signal timing adjustments, a new signal and crosswalk, turn bans and related changes.
  11. Weekend Walks—Montague Street, Brooklyn: On Montague Street, 86% of merchants reported an increase in sales and 76% reported an increase in foot traffic during the Montague Street Weekend Walks when compared to other typical weekend summer days.

This report is a living document, published annually. Download the Sustainable Streets Index 2010 Download the Sustainable Streets Index 2009 Download the Sustainable Streets Index 2008