Most dangerous streets for pedestrian accidents in New York

According to Tri-State Transportation Campaign, the most dangerous place for pedestrians in the New York City area was not in one of the five boroughs but on Long Island – Route 24 in Nassau County (also known as the Hempstead Turnpike). This road had the highest fatality and personal injury rate in the greater New York region. 

This is the fifth time that this stretch of roadway has received this dubious honor. Between 2009 and 2011, 14 pedestrians died on this roadway. Partly because of the history of this 16-mile roadway, the New York State Department of Transportation has begun to make improvements to the highway, adding medians and raised crosswalks, relocating bus stops to reduce the distance between crosswalk and bus stop and adjusting traffic signals to calm traffic.

Although almost all the roads listed in the report are similar types of arterial highways in suburban areas, there is one notable exception. The second most dangerous road for pedestrians in the metro area was Broadway in Manhattan, according to Tri-State. In the period 2009-2001, 12 people died on the legendary road that runs the length of Manhattan. Most of the fatalities occurred above 96th Street.

Although Broadway is the single most dangerous street for pedestrians, other roadways in Manhattan are also dangerous. In the period studied, 2009-2011, there were 93 pedestrian fatalities in Manhattan. There were more in Brooklyn – 125 – but the population of Brooklyn is much greater than Manhattan’s, so that figure should not be a surprise,

In addition to the Hempstead Turnpike and Broadway, dangerous roadways in the New York area include the Jericho Turnpike in Suffolk County, and SR-110 (New York Ave., Broadhollow Rd, and Broadway), also in Suffolk County. The Sunrise Highway in Nassau County was fourth on the list of dangerous roadways, personal injuries and fatalities for pedestrians.

Source: Gothamist, “Maps: New York City Pedestrian Fatalities By Borough,” Feb. 26, 2013.