Senator Schumer and Mayor de Blasio Announce $25 Million in Federal Funding for NYC's Vision Zero, a Major Safety Initiative

Press Release

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) will receive $25 million in federal funding to support critical improvements as part of the New York City Vision Zero Initiative-- a cornerstone safety plan crafted by City Hall and NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. The funding will help support traffic calming, pedestrian and bike connections to employment centers, creation of new public spaces and comprehensive safety improvements for school children. The City's application includes plans for 13 such projects. In April, Schumer wrote a letter of to the U.S. Department of Transportation supporting this project through the federal DOT's TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Grant program, which provides funding for road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives.

"This major federal funding is great news for New York City's cornerstone street safety initiative, which will use federal TIGER funds to help make the City's bustling streets safer for children, bikers and commuters," said Schumer. "I am pleased to announce this massive $25 million federal TIGER grant for thirteen safety projects that are part of New York City's Vision Zero-- a bold initiative from Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Polly Trottenberg -- which already has a great track record of success."

"This investment will save lives. It means better designed streets and targeted initiatives that will help us change behaviors like speeding and failure to yield to pedestrians. We are proud to have strong federal partners like Senator Schumer, Secretary Foxx and the Obama Administration as we work to protect our communities and make Vision Zero a reality. From children near our schools school to seniors on the streets of their neighborhoods, we will have more tools than ever to protect our people," said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The New York City Vision Zero Initiative aims to dramatically reduce fatalities and injuries by implementing safety improvements and increasing education and enforcement. The Vision Zero initiative involves targeted outreach to city schools, creating new slow zones, and implementing more comprehensive driving curriculum for taxi and limousine drivers, among many other policies and programs. So far this year, pedestrian fatalities are down more than 20 percent of the same period in 2013.

Today's announcement will help support projects at locations that have been identified through crash analysis and community input. NYCDOT will implement safety projects including an extension of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway; street safety improvements near schools in Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island; and pedestrian safety measures along dangerous corridors like Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park.

"Thank you to U.S. DOT, Secretary Anthony Foxx, and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. I'm thrilled New York City was selected for this competitive TIGER Grant, which allows NYC DOT to improve safety for students, pedestrians, and commuters. Vision Zero is a top priority of the de Blasio administration and this funding proves the initiative's importance and value," said NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. "The grant covers projects throughout the city, from Staten Island's New Dorp section to Harlem's 125th Street and many areas in between, and millions of New Yorkers will benefit from this grant. We're also excited to receive a grant to coordinate recovery planning in the Rockaways with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development."

The TIGER Discretionary Grant program provides an opportunity for DOT to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives. In each round of TIGER, DOT receives many applications to build and repair critical pieces of freight and passenger transportation networks.

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