Vision Zero: New Report Shows Street Redesigns Have Brought Largest Declines in Traffic Deaths in Predominantly Lower-Income Neighborhoods and Neighborhoods of Color

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January 15, 2025
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Vision Zero: New Report Shows Street Redesigns Have Brought Largest Declines in Traffic Deaths in Predominantly Lower-Income Neighborhoods and Neighborhoods of Color

New NYC DOT Equity Report Shows Traffic Fatalities Declined the Most in Historically Underserved New York City Neighborhoods Since the Start of Vision Zero in 2014

City-Wide Data Shows Prioritized Lower-Income Neighborhoods Have Received More Street Safety Redesign Projects on Average, Those Same Neighborhoods Also Experienced the Sharpest Declines in Pedestrian Fatalities

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the release of a new Vision Zero equity report, detailing that traffic deaths have declined most significantly in lower-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color, with these areas of the city receiving a disproportionately higher share of street redesigns, known as Street Improvement Projects, since Vision Zero began in 2014. Officials made Wednesday's announcement in the Soundview area of the Bronx, where NYC DOT recently completed a network of new safe street redesigns.

"Every community deserves safe streets. Since the start of Vision Zero, NYC DOT has focused on ensuring our life-saving redesigns reach every corner of the five boroughs," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "This administration has doubled down on this commitment, delivering more and more projects in underserved communities to better protect New Yorkers and their loved ones on our streets-whether they're walking, biking, or in a vehicle."

The report, titled 'Equity and Street Safety: How Communities of Color and Low-Income Communities Have Become Safer,' illustrates how NYC DOT's work prioritizing street improvements in underserved neighborhoods with the greatest safety needs has had a noticeable, positive impact on safety for all New Yorkers, with the largest declines in fatalities experienced in neighborhoods which are over 80 percent Black, Asian, or Hispanic. The report's findings also show that traffic fatalities among pedestrians have declined the sharpest in neighborhoods of color.

Report Findings:

Since the start of Vision Zero in 2014:

• The lowest income neighborhoods in the city have received more Street Improvement Project installations per mile.
• Neighborhoods of all incomes experienced declines in pedestrian fatalities and all traffic fatalities, with the lowest income neighborhoods experiencing the greatest decline in pedestrian fatalities on average: -34 percent.
• Neighborhoods with the highest shares of Asian, Black and/or Hispanic residents have received more Street Improvement Project installations per mile.
• Neighborhoods of all races experienced declines in total and pedestrian fatalities on average, but neighborhoods where Asian, Black and/or Hispanic residents made up ~80 percent of the population saw the sharpest declines: -26 percent for all fatalities and -32 percent for pedestrian fatalities.

The Adams administration has doubled down on this commitment, using an equity formula for Priority Investment Areas to guide even more projects to underserved areas of the city beginning in 2022. The formula helps NYC DOT prioritize new projects based on demographics, density, and previous levels of agency investment.

Safety for All, Streets for All

In 2024, NYC DOT completed a series of transformative street redesigns in the Soundview neighborhood of The Bronx to make dangerous corridors safer for everyone on the road. The redesigns help improve safe connections to mass transit, while also building a connected network of 13.9 miles of bike lanes, including four miles of protected bike lanes, built over the last four years to support cycling and scooter sharing service in the neighborhood, including:

• On Rosedale Avenue, where NYC DOT installed parking-protected bike lanes from Story Avenue to Watson Avenue. The project also delivered new pedestrian islands and new crosswalks improve connectivity to local businesses and provide safer pedestrian access by shortening crossing distances.
• On Soundview Avenue, where NYC DOT installed parking-protected bike lanes between Lafayette Avenue and Gildersleeve Avenue to provide safer bike and scooter access to housing, schools, and playgrounds in the neighborhood. The project included hardened daylighting at select intersections to improve visibility and slow turning drivers to safe speeds.
• On Lafayette Avenue, where NYC DOT upgraded the existing standard bike lanes to parking-protected bike lanes from
• New bike lanes throughout Soundview add dedicated cycling space and fill gaps in the Bronx bike network.

These improvements increase safety for all users, with a focus on bus riders and cyclists while reducing speeding and turn conflicts for drivers, making intersections safer and simpler.

"Safety is not just a right; it is a fundamental reality that everyone deserves. By prioritizing equity and access, we can create streets that serve all individuals, regardless of their zip code," said Assemblymember Emerita Torres. "I am excited about the transformative street redesigns in the Soundview area, which will make dangerous corridors safer for everyone in my district."

"Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe on the streets in their community, no matter their zip code or income level. For too long, communities of color and working-class neighborhoods have been overlooked when it comes to investments in street infrastructure," said Councilmember Carlina Rivera. "The new Vision Zero report demonstrates that when we prioritize equity in our approach to redesign, we save lives. We must continue these important efforts and delivering results for communities that need it the most."

"The NYC DOT's new Vision Zero equity report, Equity and Street Safety: How Communities of Color and Low-Income Communities Have Become Safer, is a great compliment to the new network of safe street redesigns on Soundview, Rosedale, and Lafayette Avenues," said Tiffany-Ann Taylor, vice president for transportation at Regional Plan Association (RPA). "The report's findings show the benefits of focusing street safety improvements on underserved neighborhoods who have tragically suffered the consequences of disinvestment over time. We applaud the efforts of NYC DOT in centering Black and brown communities through Street Improvement Project implementation. While these results are to be celebrated, there is still more work to be done. To get to zero (deaths or injuries), RPA looks forward to a continued partnership with NYC DOT for larger scale improvements that prioritize streets for people."

"Since the advent of the highway, many urban planning practices have left low income neighborhoods and neighborhoods of color in New York City at a higher risk of traffic fatalities and childhood asthma," said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. "We commend DOT on working to right these historic wrongs and prioritizing investment in every corner of the five boroughs. It's fantastic to see an emphasis on work in every neighborhood - no one should have to put their life on the line to get around, and everyone should know their loved ones will make it home safe."

"Safe streets are a fundamental right for every New Yorker, regardless of their zip code, and the release of the Vision Zero equity report underscores the profound impact of prioritizing street safety in communities that have long faced systemic inequities," said Ken Podziba, CEO of Bike New York. "We applaud Commissioner Rodriguez and the Department of Transportation for the progress highlighted in the equity report, which is a testament to the life-saving impact of improving street redesigns in underserved neighborhoods, where street safety enhancements are most urgently needed. By investing in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, NYC DOT is addressing longstanding disparities and paving the way for a safer, more inclusive city. Bike New York is proud to support this essential work and remains committed to advocating for safer, more equitable streets for all New Yorkers."

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