Making Streets Safer for Seniors
Transportation Alternatives' Safe Routes for Seniors campaign started in 2003 to encourage senior citizens to walk more by improving their pedestrian environment. Funded by the New York State Department of Health's Healthy Heart program, this was the first program of its kind to address the needs of elderly pedestrians.
In 2008, the City of New York launched its own Safe Streets for Seniors initiative based on TAs Safe Routes for Seniors. Focusing on 25 areas with high senior pedestrian fatalities, this program is paving new ground. Yet, some including seniors not in these zones are asking, is it enough? Stats released by Transportation Alternatives show that:
- People aged 65 years and older make up 12% of the population, yet they comprised 39% of New York City's pedestrian fatalities between 2002 and 2006.
- The fatality rate of senior pedestrians is 40 times greater than that of child pedestrians in Manhattan.
This video is an overview of what Transportation Alternatives, New York State Department of Health, NYC DOT, community groups, and elected officials are doing to promote safe streets for seniors.
I think you mean that Safe Routes for Seniors is based on Safe Routes to Schools.
Hi John,
That is true Transportation Alternatives' Safe Routes for Seniors was based on their Safe Routes to School Program as Amy mentions in the video. But, I also meant what I wrote in the text that the City's Safe Streets for Seniors program was modeled off of Transportation Alternatives' Safe Routes for Seniors program.
I get this information here:
http://www.transalt.org/campaigns/pedestrian/safeseniors
getting seniors in nyc politically mobilized is HUGE. I used to work for a state senator and he told me that almost ALL of the people who voted for him are seniors. Most of the young people just weren't involved in the state senate elections. Especially important given the terrible actions that the NY State legislature has done wrong (no to congestion pricing, failure to bailout MTA)
I'm surprised that the seniors in the video were so willing to accept changes.
My grandmother was knocked down in her neighborhood of the East 80's by a bike that was riding in a bike lane. She is not used to seeing bicycles in her neighborhood where she has lived for the last 40 years. She would say that she hates the bike lanes--not because she thinks its a bad idea--but because she hates change.
I wonder if the seniors who frequent the senior centers are an unusually proactive and forward thinking crowd. I imagine that my grandmother would rather not have any new modifications done to the intersections because they confuse her.