Final section of Safety Act is signed into law

What is the Complete Streets Funding Bill signed by Gov. Hochul

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The streets of Sea Cliff and other New York municipalities will be safer for cyclists and pedestrians with the signing into law of the final section of the Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act.

Before 2022 came to a close, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Complete Streets Funding portion of the bill into law, the final section of the larger Act.
Daniel Flanzig, a Sea Cliff resident and chair of the village’s Traffic and Safety Committee, asserted that this Act is essential to protecting lives on Long Island.

“Nassau and Suffolk lead the state, outside of New York City, for the highest number of pedestrian and bicycle-related fatalities,” Flanzig said. “There’s been a lot of support from local municipalities asking for it to be adopted.”

According to the State’s Health Department, between 2012-2014 there were 312 deaths per year due to motor vehicles striking pedestrians. On average, 36 cyclists were killed per year during the timeframe of the study.

The Act itself consisted of four sections; Safe Speeds, Safe Streets, Protecting Vulnerable Road Users and Supporting Those Personally Impacted. The Safe Speeds section of the Act allows local governments to lower their speed limits to fit their municipality’s needs, including in New York City.

The Protecting Vulnerable Road Users section provides greater safety to cyclists by requiring drivers to pass them at a distance of at least three feet, while also requiring DMV’s to provide pre-licensing education for drivers regarding safely interacting with pedestrians and cyclists.

The section also covers the Crash Victims Bill of Rights, which provides rights and a voice for crash victims and their loved ones in legal proceedings.

Safe Streets is focused on facilitating and funding the creation of “complete streets” throughout the state. Complete streets are designed to enable safe access for all street-goers, taking into account pedestrian, cyclist, motorist and public transit use in addition to drivers.

The new law will increase Department of Transportation support for New York municipalities’ complete streets projects. The Village of Sea Cliff was among dozens of local governments which expressed their support for the passage of the Act.

Dina Epstein, Sea Cliff’s deputy mayor, explained that a large reason for the village’s support came from their appreciation for the importance of funding and building complete streets in the future.

“We support the idea that the road should be designed for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists of all ages and abilities,” Epstein said. “It’s not just that people will be less likely to be hurt by traffic accidents, but we also want to promote walking and biking and other healthy lifestyle choices, and you can’t do that if the roads are not safe.”

Complete streets are also intended to consider systemic failures of the current street system, such as dangers posed to older or disabled adults. A solution is widening streets and providing a larger section for pedestrians and cyclists. It also encourages cleaner, more environmentally-friendly street construction.

Tannaz Nasirzadeh-Balooch, one of the village’s trustees, mentioned how during her childhood in Denmark, complete streets were the norm and she saw the benefits firsthand.

“For me, more than anything it’s about my children,” Nasirzadeh-Balooch said. “It’s also about making sure everybody is safely able to take advantage of the scenic and walkable beauty of Sea Cliff.”