NEW YORK (PIX11) -- The Vision Zero street safety program was introduced 10 years ago in New York City.
The city said overall traffic deaths declined by more than 12%, with pedestrian deaths decreasing by 45% when comparing data from 2023 and 2013.
According to the city, eight of the 10 safest years going back decades have occurred during the Vision Zero era.
The Department of Transportation credited a combination of engineering, education, and enforcement.
"One death is too many. But we are lowering the number of pedestrian fatalities. We follow the data and can improve safety," said Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
The city reported 1,200 vision zero safety projects and the installation of 200 miles of bike lanes.
The state allowed the speed limit to be reduced to 25 miles per hour and for speed cameras to run 24 hours a day.
The Adams administration will make safety improvements to at least 2000 intersections annually.
Queens Boulevard is a model for projects from crosswalks to bike lanes. Federal funding will pay for additional work there this year.
The city has more than 6,000 miles of streets and 44,000 intersections.
David Shephard's fiancé was killed in 2009 in the Bronx by a speeding driver. He has helped lead the fight for safer streets and wants to see more projects.
"They need to put systems and monitoring in place to make sure dangerous streets are designed in a specific amount of time. It makes a difference and saves lives. The statistics show it," he said.
Installing protected bike lanes has been a major part of the program. The number of bike trips is increasing in the city, and more electric bikes and scooters are on the roads.
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