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NY Law to Require Safer Street Design

Posted on Jun 23, 2011

This Tuesday, the Albany legislature unanimously passed the Complete Streets bill , which sets out to regulate the safer construction of roads and sidewalks. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to sign the bill into law, making New York the 26th state to carry a "Complete Streets" policy.

The legislation was spurred by the death of a 14-year-old girl, Brittany Vega. On September 22 of last year, Brittany was fatally struck on Sunrise Highway in Wantagh, Long Island. Her mother, Sandi, who gathered 4000 signatures for this bill, has been pushing for safer pedestrian legislation ever since.

Complete Streets laws require major road design to account for pedestrians, bicyclists and buses. This includes, "countdown crosswalk signals, pedestrian islands [which are sections of sidewalk between road lanes], landscaped medians, wide shoulders for cyclists and lanes that narrow on approach to intersections, causing cars to slow down." The New York law focuses on projects that use federal or state funds. Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) was a sponsor of the bill.

Although she is elated with the passage of the bill, Vega knows much work needs to be done. Sunrise Highway is considered one of the most dangerous roads for pedestrians and vehicles in the tri-state area. The intersection where Brittany was killed had neither a countdown crosswalk signal, nor a pedestrian island, placing Brittany in danger between seven lanes of traffic. Countdown signals, better sight lines and yield signs have been installed since the accident.

When pedestrians and bicyclists are injured or killed because a roadway was carelessly designed, it makes their injury or death senseless.

If you would like more information about how accident lawsuits work in the state of New York, I encourage you to explore my educational website. If you have legal questions, pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at lawmed10@yahoo.com to answer your questions. That's what I do every day. I welcome your call.

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Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.