Foreign Affairs - 03.2020 - 04.2020

(Frankie) #1
Mean Streets

March/April 2020 145

under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Our approach to tra  c safety was
simple and cost eective. Instead o dreaming up megaprojects, we
took a long, hard look at the streets we already had, this time from the
perspective o the most vulnerable people.
Between 2007 and 2013, the Department o€ Transportation rede-
signed lengthy portions o 137 streets and revamped 113 intersections—
expanding the space to walk, decreasing crossing distances for
pedestrians, and making streets navigable enough for children, senior
citizens, and people with physical disabilities to cross. By narrowing
lanes and putting drivers in closer contact with pedestrians and cyclists,
the redesigns forced drivers to proceed, turn, and change lanes more
slowly and predictably. We also collaborated with the New York City
Police Department to implement reduced speed limits, using cameras
to catch cars speeding, running red lights, or intruding in bus lanes.
What’s more, we converted 180 acres o‘ New York City road space
into bike lanes, bus lanes, and new pedestrian space. This included
making 2.5 acres in Times Square car free: Broadway was transformed
from a taxi-choked corridor into a walkable haven. Instead o€ being
forced by crowds to venture into the street, pedestrians now amble

TOMAS

MUNITA

/ THE

NEW
YORK
TIMES

Unsafe at any speed: a trac jam in New Delhi, January 2008

17_Sadik-Khan_Solomonow_pp_Blues.indd 145 1/20/20 7:25 PM

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