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Mayor Bloomberg Touts Traffic Safety In New York City

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - New Yorkers are living longer and experiencing less crime.

Now, Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the city is on track to have an all-time record low in traffic fatalities for 2011.

WCBS 880's Monica Miller On The Story

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"The number of New Yorkers who've died as a result of traffic crashes this year is 40 percent lower than it was just 10 years ago. So, we are making a big difference," said Bloomberg in Brooklyn on Thursday. "Sadly, we've had 237 traffic fatalities, but the good news is that's the lowest number since we started keeping records back in 1910."

The city's transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan says education, enforcement, and engineering are responsible for the safer roadways for drivers, bikers, seniors, and pedestrians.

"We have nearly 90 fewer fatalities this year than compared to five years ago and 156 fewer compared to 2001," she said. "We have completed in the last four years 150 projects - everything from building pedestrian safety islands to increasing the number of crosswalks to pedestrian countdown signals, signal re-timing."

1010 WINS' Stan Brooks reports

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While bike fatalities have held steady, the number of riders has quadrupled since 2001.

Do you feel safe on the roads and sidewalks? Sound off in the comments section below!

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