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Safe Streets for Seniors is a pedestrian safety initiative for older New Yorkers. The Safe Streets for Seniors program studies crash data, and then develops and implements mitigation measures to improve the safety of seniors and other pedestrians, as well as all road users in New York City.
Since launching the program in 2008, DOT has addressed senior pedestrian safety issues in 25 senior pedestrian focus areas in the five boroughs. The focus areas were selected based on the density of senior pedestrian (age 65+) crashes resulting in fatalities or severe injuries in a five-year period. Since the program began, senior pedestrian fatalities have decreased 24 percent citywide, from 58 senior fatalities in 2008 to 44 in 2011.
In 2012-2013, DOT expanded the program to include 12 new areas. They were identified using a similar methodology as the original areas, but also involved new variables such as senior trip generators, concentrations of senior centers, and senior housing locations. DOT is evaluating pedestrian conditions in these neighborhoods from a senior's perspective and plans to make changes, such as extending pedestrian crossing times at crosswalks to accommodate slower walking speeds, constructing pedestrian safety islands, widening curbs and medians, narrowing roadways, and installing new stop controls and signals. Download a presentation about the program.