Did you know that pedestrian accidents are the second leading cause of death of people over the age of 45? (It's true, we saw it on NY1.) It's a hazardous world out there once you start getting on in years, and in NYC the Grim Reaper is poised to harvest elderly souls at countless intersections. But one group of seniors is fighting back, and for the next week AARP volunteers are setting up camp to survey some 70 dangerous intersections in all five boroughs. They will be observing, reporting, and, one assumes, angrily shaking a cane or two.
The intersections were selected by the NYC DOT and AARP, and information collected by volunteers will be returned to the DOT to help develop infrastructure changes to improve city streets. Some of the target intersections include: Essex and Delancey, 29th Street and 8th Avenue (Manhattan), 20th Avenue and 86th Street (Brooklyn), and Jamaica and Parsons Avenue in Queens. Officially called "Complete Streets Week: Making New York Walkable for All Generations," the initiative was promoted in cooperation with the City Council.
According to the City Council, by 2025, people age 65 and over will comprise nearly 20 percent of the population of NYC. But most transportation planners say our streets are ill-prepared to accommodate the rise of the seniors. The DOT plans to design streets and roads "with all people in mind including pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transportation users of all ages and abilities."
