The Vision Zero initiative, launched in New york city in 2014, has been a beacon of hope for reducing traffic fatalities. However, a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future and Tech:NYC highlights a troubling disparity in the distribution of street safety improvements. The report, shared with amNewYork, reveals that low-income neighborhoods of color are disproportionately affected by traffic crashes while receiving fewer safety enhancements.
The analysis, part of the new “Project for Livable Streets,” examined data from the NYC Crash Mapper site on serious crashes between 2015 and last year. It found that while Vision Zero has been effective Neighborhoods with high concentrations of immigrants and low-income communities of color in the outer boroughs are experiencing the highest rates of traffic deaths and injuries but have received the fewest street safety treatments.
Effective but Uneven: The Impact of Vision Zero
The report identifies several effective traffic safety features implemented under Vision Zero, including vehicle slow zonesleading pedestrian intervals and major street redesigns. These interventions have contributed to a 31% drop in traffic deaths since 2014, according to the city Department of Transportation. Eli Dvorkin, policy and editorial director at the Center for an Urban Future, emphasized that these interventions are proven to save lives but noted that their distribution has been uneven.
“The biggest takeaway from this report is that livable streets interventions really work, and we’re seeing the benefits across New York City,” Dvorkin told amNewYork. “But the challenge now is making sure that the neighborhoods facing the greatest risks are seeing the greatest benefits going forward.”
Disparities in Street Safety Improvements
The report found that eight of the city’s 10 neighborhoods with the highest crash rates are low-income communities of color. For instance, Brooklyn’s Canarsie and Flatlands areas have 84 serious crashes per 10,000 residents, double the citywide average of 47. Similarly, sections of the Bronx’s Melrose, Mott Haven, Longwood, and Hunts Point areas have 69.9 such crashes per 10,000 residents.
Despite these high crash rates, many of these areas have received fewer safety enhancements. Neighborhood slow zones, for example, are more prevalent in centralized areas like Downtown Brooklyn, Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and Astoria, Queens. In contrast, further out enclaves such as East New York and Brownsville in Brooklyn have significantly fewer slow zones.
The report also highlights disparities in the application of major street-safety redesigns. Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, have 29 miles of corridor coverage and 61 intersection projects, contributing to a 29% drop in serious crashes over the past five years. Meanwhile, Brooklyn neighborhoods like East and central Flatbush have far thinner coverage, with just 18 and 13 miles of corridor coverage, respectively.
To address these disparities, the report includes three key recommendations for Mayor Zohran Mamdani‘s administration. First, it suggests orienting the next iteration of the Streets Master Plan to focus on areas with above-average crash rates. This would ensure that lifesaving interventions are made everywhere and that success is measured by reductions in deaths and injuries, not just by counting miles of infrastructure.
Second, the report recommends phasing out “opt-in” street safety initiatives, where community members must apply for them through the Department of Transportation. Instead, it suggests automatically qualifying neighborhoods with above-average crash rates for these initiatives. This would require City Hall to take a more aggressive leadership role in advocating for policies that work.
Third, the report proposes establishing a Street Safety Rapid Response Team to identify areas with elevated serious crashes and tailor responses to them. This team would be composed of staffers with credible lived experience in the communities where they would be sent, working closely with local elected officials and community groups.
“That Rapid Response Team would go out into those communities working closely with local elected officials, showing up at community board meetings, showing up at local civic associations, and making the case with data,” Dvorkin said.
The report underscores the need for equitable distribution of street safety improvements to ensure that all New Yorkers, regardless of their neighborhood, can benefit from the proven interventions of Vision Zero.
