New York State received recognition from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) this week for implementations of the New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan — a $110 million, five-year initiative resulting from the cooperation of three separate agencies.
The Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award pays national recognition to efforts undertaken by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), the New York State Department of Transportation (NYDOT) and the state Department of Health (DOH). Their initiative’s goals are to reduce pedestrian fatalities by 20 percent and decrease pedestrian injuries by an additional 10 percent by 2021. They intend to do so through a mix of engineering, education, and aggressive enforcement.
“This honor highlights a strong partnership not just between state agencies, but also community groups, municipalities and law enforcement in addressing a critically important issue,” New York DOH Commissioner Howard Zucker said. “Safer roads lead to healthier communities, and the significant progress achieved through Governor Cuomo’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan is commendable.”
Efforts have so far involved the installation of new crosswalks, high-visibility signs and pedestrian signals along state highways. Millions are also being poured into improvements on local roadways. Law enforcement and justice officials are being given annual training, and pedestrian safety workshops are being organized.
In June alone, law enforcement notes that more than 420 tickets were issued for pedestrian safety violations.