Manhattan Community Board 4 MCB4  Article

As designs continue to roll out, it will be crucial to keep the public engaged, so that the new business developments will only enhance the community, and not isolate members from their beloved neighborhoods. Kathleen Treed, of the Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association, believes that this is a "fabulous example of working towards community benefit." This truly is an example of a community working together to beautify a shared space, while still working to increase its overall functionality and safety to improve the lives of the residents and visitors within its proximity. It is more important now than ever to show your support or opposition to the projects as they continue to develop from designs on paper into reality.

Part II

As the cityscape of Manhattan continues to change, it is crucial that we do not loose focus on the human aspect of life here in the city. So many are concerned with how business is doing, or how well the traffic congestion is faring; but, we cannot loose sight of those in the trenches -- those on the street everyday. Recent events on 9th Ave. have made it quite clear that there needs to be greater attention spent on how pedestrian traffic fall into the equation of a new, modern Manhattan. On July 25, 2013 an individual was pinned down by an MTA bus on 9th Ave and West 43rd Street in the height of morning rush hour. As the list of injuries keeps growing, with over forty reported just this year, pedestrian safety needs to be at the forefront of community and civic development.

Pedestrian safety is a huge concern in a city as congested as Manhattan. With continuing incidents, it is important to keep the public informed and to help rally the support needed to make the necessary public policy adjustments that might eventually save lives. The streets need to be safe for all New Yorkers to live, work, and enjoy the iconic streets of Manhattan. Overall, New York has been a catalyst for pedestrian safety, and we must continue to provide a stellar model for other cities to follow. Even in a congested city like New York, there can be major gaps in safety concerns that will unfortunately lead to untimely accidents. Before anyone else gets hurt -- or worse -- more attention needs to brew within the public discourse. Greater support is needed for bringing more attention to the safety needs that must be addressed before more accidents can occur. As Manhattan native Fanny Cole states, "People are unaware of cars. The street is dangerous; we can reduce the number of pedestrian accidents." This is especially important for people with handicaps and children, who are at a higher vulnerability than the average pedestrians. Bringing greater attention through current literature might not only help influence future public policy, but also help inform pedestrians before any changes can actually be implemented.

Part of the progress needs to come from the press. A full length article on the need for addressing public safety issues from a pedestrian perspective will help bring this issue to the limelight. Addressing the issue of pedestrian safety is not always at the top of the list in regards to current discourse in the city; yet, it needs to be published so those on the front lines can be informed of the safety hazards they face each day and how they can rally their support to influence greater safety policies in the future. The proposed article would examine the nature of the major issues threatening pedestrians on 9th Ave and elsewhere, while also calling the public to support future safety initiatives that might mitigate these risks.

References

NYC.gov. (2013). July Letters Part I. Community…