In With The New Legislation, Out With The Old In LIC

LAST month while reading a recap of the latest Community Board 2 (CB2) meeting, I came across this in the final paragraph:

“In response to the death of 16-year-old Jael Zhinin and the injuring of her 8-year-old sister, Leslie, when they were struck by a truck on 46th Street and 47th Avenue on June 26,”

Heavy stuff, I know, and it made me seriously pause given the ages and what the parents must have endured and are enduring. The recap continued:

“Won {Julie Won} announced that in the coming weeks a universal “daylighting” bill will be introduced in the City Council. The measure would create more visibility at intersections by removing parking.

This is good legislation and is exactly what our legislators should be formulating.

Daylighting is a safety measure designed to improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians by removing visual obstructions around intersections. As a frequent pedestrian, driver, and bicycle rider, I am acutely aware of the tremendous blind spots at many NYC intersections and the extreme dangers they pose.

Putting numbers to those dangers:

“16 children were killed on city streets in traffic crashes last year (2021)”

While not all of these 16 were due to obscured intersections, this number is just for ‘children.’ It is also just for deaths. Throw in adults who were killed and children who were critically injured like the 8-year old in this story, and the damage is much greater than the statistics account for. Especially if you consider all those who were less critically injured but seriously hurt and the increased frequency of these crashes given the explosion of e-bikes and mopeds since the pandemic.

For a good example in LIC, check out the stretch of 10th Street north of 44th Drive all the way to the bridge. Parking is allowed all the way up to the intersection, and because the spots are frequently occupied by trucks, the STOP signs are obscured.((I have a friend who got into a car collision there several years ago))

As with any piece of legislation, there is a downside. First and foremost, parking spots will be removed. That is an expense. Also there will be a cost to create and install the barriers in these spots. I’ll let the legislators come up with that amount, but I think the actuarial-computed cost-benefit analysis will yield figures that make this legislation a no-brainer.

While we are on the subject of legislation and cost-benefit analyses involving mortalities, I believe it is time to revisit Local Law 11. Specifically the time period between inspections, currently 5 years. I believe this should be doubled to every ten years. Why?

Because the expense to comply with Local Law 11 is enormous, and filters through to every resident living in a building greater than six stories, be they in a condo, co-op, or rental. By doubling the time of inspection period, the city can cut this enormous expense almost in half.

As an aside, as someone who lives in a building currently undergoing facade work in order to comply with Local Law 11, I can’t help but wonder if all that poking, prodding, removing and replacing may not cause it’s own wear and tear on a building’s exterior. At best I view it as two steps forward, one step back.

What’s the downside of doubling the inspection time? The possibility that there is an increase in debris falling from buildings that kills and/or injures people. Tragic yes, but I don’t think the numbers justify the cost. Prove me wrong.

//Pragmatism, responsiveness, and speed are not typically words associated with NYC government, but you have to give credit when it is due. In this case, the city altered the NYC DOE calendar six weeks into the 2024-25 school year by cancelling school next Monday, December 23rd. Thus, students will have the full week off. Credit is also due to one Isaac Regnier, a 7th grader in Brooklyn who put together a petition to make this change:

“This doesn’t make sense,” Regnier wrote in his petition. “Attendance will be very low that day. Kids whose families have travel plans will have to change their plans or be marked absent. Kids and teachers will feel annoyed.”

Pretty straightforward logic, why does it take a 7th grader to see it? Might it be time to take a closer look at the DOE calendar overall? I think Isaac’s arguments might make sense come late June as well.

//City Vet on Vernon Boulevard closed its doors last week, after 17 years in the neighborhood citing “ongoing challenges and economic conditions” according to the LIC Post. By many measures the economy has never been better, as long as raising capital isn’t a challenge. That capital allows you to build a brand new animal hospital in a prime location and wait it out a year or three if there isn’t quite enough demand in a given locale at the time of opening. Eventually you’ll squeeze out the mom and pop and be the only game in town, or maybe a duopoly and split the spoils with another PE-backed consolidator. Vets today, dentists yesterday, who’s next in LIC? That’s the real story.

CB2 Backs One LIC Rezoning Plan – go right to the final paragraph

2022 was deadliest year for children on city streets in Vision Zero era: report – “16 children were killed on city streets in traffic crashes last year”

Support Universal Daylighting in New York City –

Shedding a Bad City Law – Local Law 11 revisited in the 21st Century

NYC Schools To Get Full Week Of Christmas Off

Popular Long Island City vet shuts down after nearly two decades