2010: After five years of activism, we are grateful for a safer year for pedestrians

At its December meeting, CHEKPEDS board took stock of the year’s accomplishments. We have much to celebrate in addition to our fifth year anniversary:

• safety improvements such as the safe route for seniors project in Hell’s Kitchen , DOT’s publication of the pedestrian safety plan, dangerous intersections analysis,  and the passage of two vulnerable street users bills in Albany ( Thank You TA)  and a traffic calming bill in the New york city’s Council.
• congestion relief such as changes in the zoning to significantly reduce parking in Hell’s Kitchen ( Bravo Dan Gutman and HKNA) and completing  block consultations for revising the bike master plan for cross-streets
• air-noise improvements such as the Hell’s Kitchen south greening initiatives and a law banning tour bus amplification ( Bravo to WSNA and Our Streets Our Lives),
• others such as banning ATMs on sidewalks (Bravo HKNA!), migration of the CHEKPEDS website to a blog, and securing annual funding .

We also deplored continued crashes on 9th and 8th Avenues with one known fatality, delays in DOT’s Hell’s Kitchen study, which is now two full years behind on its publication, the lack of success in obtaining traffic crashes statistics from the NYPD, ( NYPleaks anyone? ),  the continued lack of traffic law enforcement by NYPD, the growing encroachment of  sidewalk space by bicyclists and the renewal of the phone booths contracts by the city without appropriate public consultation.

Focusing on the positive, none of these successes would be possible without our terrific board and all of our members who take time out of their busy schedule to write  phone, and show up to testify. We are also very grateful to all our elected officials who tirelessly challenge City, State and Federal administrations to obtain new legislations as well as more efficient services. They and their staff were instrumental in achieving these progresses.

Thank you all and help us spread the good word.