Looking from Avenue H, Nostrand Avenue and Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Photo by Tdorante10 on Wikimedia
There are nearly 120 intersections across New York City where five or more New Yorkers have been killed or seriously injured over the last three years, new data shows. The map, released on Tuesday by Transportation Alternatives, highlights these high-risk intersections across the five boroughs, where nearly three million pedestrians live within a half-mile of at least one. Street safety advocates are calling on the City Council to pass a bill requiring universal daylighting at every intersection—a measure introduced more than a year ago but not yet brought to a vote.
According to the data, 118 intersections have seen five or more New Yorkers killed or seriously injured over the past three years, during Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ term, which ends December 31.
The most dangerous obstructed intersections in each borough are:
- Manhattan: West 120th Street and Lenox Avenue
- Queens: Northern Boulevard and 48th Street
- Brooklyn: Flatbush Avenue and Avenue H
- The Bronx: Bruckner Boulevard and St. Ann’s Avenue
- Staten Island: Hunton Street and Richmond Road
The Council districts with the most dangerous intersections are District 8, represented by Council Member Diana Ayala; District 17, represented by Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr.; District 3, represented by Council Member Erik Bottcher; District 33, represented by Council Member Lincoln Restler; and District 41, represented by Council Member Darlene Mealy.
Intro. 1138, first introduced over a year ago, would require universal daylighting at every city intersection. Daylighting involves redesigning curb space near intersections to improve visibility for both drivers and pedestrians. Currently, most intersections allow parking right up to the corner, obstructing sight lines and contributing to accidents.
More than 1,800 New Yorkers have died or suffered serious injuries at intersections since the bill was introduced, and over 200 local organizations are backing the legislation.
In a statement, Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, urged Speaker Adams to pass the bill, warning that her legacy could be defined by “obstruction and danger.”
“We can’t afford to wait any longer for safe intersections,” Furnas said. “Every day, over a million students go to schools across New York City, and every day they have to cross dangerous intersections.”
“Speaker Adams is sitting on legislation that could transform our city into one where it’s safer for everyone to get around, but she needs to call the vote. It’s time to decide: does she want her legacy to be obstruction and danger, or better and safer streets for children?”
Council Member Julie Won introduced the bill in 2024 following several traffic-related fatalities in her district. If passed, the legislation could cost $3 billion to implement across all 40,000 city intersections and eliminate up to 300,000 parking spots, according to amNY. It is co-sponsored by 26 council members and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT), which already uses hardened daylighting at many intersections, has opposed universal daylighting. In a January report, the agency found corners without protective barriers saw no meaningful safety gains and cautioned that removing parked cars could increase vehicle speeds and tighten turns near sidewalks.
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