The Five Most Dangerous Intersections in New York City
Sadly, NYC pedestrian deaths for 2017 have outpaced those in the same time period for 2016 by 57 percent. Although many people love the city’s “walkability,” too many are killed while simply crossing the street.
Mayor De Blasio has spearheaded the Big Apple’s Vision Zero campaign to reduce vehicle crash deaths. He says these have been declining for the last three years, which beats national numbers. His admirable goal is to eliminate traffic deaths completely by 2024. Still, the city could use some new strategies protecting pedestrians from cars.
The Bronx: East 170th Street and Grand Concourse
This area of the south Bronx is a bustling shopping district with major roads intersecting. Pedestrians on the Concourse have to brave seven lanes to cross the street with two median strips and three turning lanes. TransAlt said that a “180-foot wide, 4.5-mile-long road encourages speeding and reckless driving,” especially by careless cabbies. And the NYC Department of Transportation says that the northernmost part of the city has the most pedestrians struck at night, so take care if you’re out walking in the wee hours.
Manhattan: West 40th Street and 8th Avenue
Not only is this a heavy foot and vehicle traffic zone on the edge of bustling Midtown Manhattan, but the nearby entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel also provides a steady stream of cars and buses around the clock and throughout the week.
Bars, hotels, and restaurants line 8th Avenue and cater to tourists and the Broadway theater crowds. Crossing the street can be an exercise in frustration as wall-to-wall people come face-to-face. Cars and taxis trying to turn into this steady stream of foot traffic honk their horns and get yelled at by pedestrians and cyclists. Within a four-year period, one walker was killed and five were seriously injured.
Brooklyn: Utica Avenue and Eastern Parkway
Crown Heights in Brooklyn is slowly attracting younger crowds, but they’ll need to be careful while crossing four-lane Utica Avenue, especially at historic Eastern Parkway. The latter was designed by famed Central Park masterminds Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux in 1866. It’s now dubbed “The World’s First Parkway” because those men are said to have coined the word. They wanted it to be a place for pleasure riding, but it’s often a place of tragic accidents. The city’s website says that eight walkers were severely injured or killed from 2009 to 2013.
Queens: 27th Street and Queens Plaza
The neighborhoods of Long Island City and Dutch Kills have had significant growth in the last few years, with many residential buildings rapidly appearing. Shops have sprung up to cater to the new residents and attract even more foot traffic. This corner of Queens has repeatedly been singled out for improvements because six people were seriously injured between 2009 and 2013, with one fatality.
Staten Island: Hylan Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue
Staten Island is the safest borough for pedestrians, possibly because much of it is laid out according to a suburban plan that is friendly to those on foot. However, numerous trucks have made the above intersection especially hazardous, and TransAlt has flagged this as an area for improvement. Four pedestrians were seriously hurt between 2009 and 2013.
New York City Auto Wreck Attorneys
NYC car accident lawyers Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP are the city’s go-to team for any type of car, bike, or pedestrian traffic crash. If an accident has affected you or your family, you can call our office to arrange a time to speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys for free. To get started, simply call 1-800-VICTIM-2 (1842-8462) or complete the contact form on this page.
