OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN

THE CITY

SCOTT M. STRINGER
BOROUGH PRESIDENT

March 1, 2013 Janette Sadik-Khan Commissioner New York City Department of Transportation 55 Water Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10041 Dear Commissioner Sadik-Khan, As you know, 6-year-old Amar Diarrassouba was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer yesterday as he crossed 1st Avenue at East 117th Street, less than half a block from his school, P.S. 155 in East Harlem. We mourn his passing and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends. Tragically, Amar is not the only child to be injured or killed in East Harlem in recent years. As shown by statistics recently released by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, there were five incidents where pedestrians under 15 years of age were killed in Manhattan from 2009-2011 and three of those incidents took place within 7 blocks of P.S. 155.1 Despite these tragedies, few traffic-calming devices have been implemented in the neighborhood. For instance, of the 145 leading pedestrian interval signals in Manhattanwhich show walk signs before showing a green light to traffic, thereby giving pedestrians a chance to begin crossing the street before cars and trucks make turns across the crosswalkonly two are in East Harlem (both at the corner of East 135th Street and Madison Avenue).2 Furthermore, while many schools have special reduced speed limit signs with flashing lights, no such treatment exists near P.S. 155, despite the history of deaths in the neighborhood.3

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http://tstc.org/reports/danger13/index.php. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/signs/leading-ped-intervals.shtml. 3 http://a841-dotvweb01.nyc.gov/ssml/default.aspx. MUN IC IP AL B UILD ING 1 CENTRE S TREE T N EW YOR K, N Y 10007 P H O N E ( 2 1 2 ) 6 6 9 -8 3 0 0 F A X ( 2 1 2 ) 6 6 9 -4 3 0 5 ww w. ma n h at ta nb p .o r g b p @ ma n h a tta nb p .o r g

As a result, I request that the DOT launch an individualized planning study to determine both short-term and long-term measures to improve pedestrian safety in the neighborhood surrounding P.S. 155 (which also includes P.S. 83, 96, 102, and 183, as well as multiple private schools), from safety workshops for teachers and students, to full treatment under the DOTs Safe Routes to Schools program. I also urge the DOT to explore the expanded use of leading pedestrian interval signals throughout the City during school hours and to work with the New York City Police Department to improve signage and enforcement concerning appropriate truck routes. DOT should be commended for devoting significant resources to Safe Routes to Schools.4 As a recent study showed, the injury rate for school-aged pedestrians near participating schools dropped by a third, and by 44 percent during school commute hours.5 Meanwhile, the number of incidents in areas without improvements has remained virtually unchanged. While I understand that every intersection and every neighborhood is different and deserves a unique analysis, the heartbreaking death of Amar Diarrassouba, as well as the recent history of pedestrian injuries and deaths affecting children on the streets of East Harlem, must spur us to action.6 By all accounts, Amarthe son of immigrants who came to New York City to give their children a chance at a better tomorrowwas a bright, energetic child, not unlike those who set out to schools across this City every morning looking for the chance to learn and grow. We owe it to Amar to do all that we can so that children like him never have to worry about getting to school safely, and can instead focus on reading, writing, arithmetic, and fulfilling their dreams. Thank you for your attention to this critically important matter. Sincerely,

Scott M. Stringer Manhattan Borough President

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http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/safety/saferoutes.shtml. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/01/08/peds.2012-2182.abstract?sid=37912a9e-6720-4edf9020-2c00ddf82dc9. 6 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/schoolsafetymitigation.pdf; As noted by DOT in a 2004 review of available traffic calming devices for school zones, Suitability of a particular measure to a specific situation must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Engineering judgment must be used, and appropriate guidance, in the form of design manuals and standards, followed. MUN IC IP AL B UILD ING 1 CENTRE S TREE T N EW YOR K, N Y 10007 P H O N E ( 2 1 2 ) 6 6 9 -8 3 0 0 F A X ( 2 1 2 ) 6 6 9 -4 3 0 5 ww w. ma n h at ta nb p .o r g b p @ ma n h a tta nb p .o r g