City Aims To Improve Pedestrian Safety
NEW YORK (1010 WINS/AP) -- Hundreds of New York City crosswalks are getting pedestrian countdown clocks.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration studied the signals in a pilot program of 24 intersections. The city found that the countdown clocks were particularly helpful on wide streets with longer crosswalks.
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Starting this month, 1,500 intersections will get the clocks, which are common in cities around the country.
A woman who lives near 57th Street and Ninth Avenue says the intersection is very dangerous. "I've seen accidents here and I think it's long overdue that they do something about it," she told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.
The city chose intersections based on their roadway width and high rates of accidents with pedestrian injuries.
Officials said the countdown clocks will be standard for all new signals on wider streets.
"It's probably the greatest improvement in civic organization since Mayor Giuliani got rid of the squeegy guys," one New Yorker said.
Bloomberg's administration also announced other measures to improve pedestrian safety. Those include a pilot program of 20 mph speed zones in some residential areas.
The city's standard speed limit is 30 mph.
