NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, April 10, 2014, 7:35 AM
Speed kills.
But Albany’s lack of speed getting traffic cameras to the city is slowing down efforts to curb road deaths in the five boroughs, dozens of activists said Wednesday.
Chalk-outlined protesters lay on the sidewalk draped with signs bearing a blood-red hand and the hash tag #KilledByAlbany during a “die-in” on Grand Street in Manhattan, across from state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s home.
“We are tired of waiting until people die,” said protester Liz Patek.
Mayor de Blasio — who has pushed Albany for more traffic cameras — has pledged to make the elimination of road fatalities a central part of his tenure. His “Vision Zero” plan calls for increased police enforcement of moving violations like speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians and texting while driving.
Traffic fatalities were down 26% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year, from 69 to 51.
The city has 20 traffic cameras posted near schools. Legislation that would have authorized more cameras didn’t make it into the state budget passed March 31. A bill that would add up to 140 of the devices is pending in the state Legislature.
But that number is not nearly enough, protesters said. The group that staged the die-in, Right of Way, wants the state to authorize 2,500 cameras for the city.
“Children’s public space in New York City is the streets, and we need to protect them each and every day,” protest organizer Keegan Stephan said.
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