Category Archives: safety

by | January 21, 2024 · 4:09 pm

Central Avenue Fatalities Since 2000

12/20/23

(Map coordinates in parentheses.)

The NHTSA FARS system is not yet available for incidents after 2020. Later data are from the Albany Times Union (TU).

2001

August 20, 2001– Lajuan Jordan, 24, of Central Avenue, passenger in an SUV was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Central Avenue at Lansing Road, Colonie. (42.76066389 – 73.88201944)

November 26, 2001– Pedestrian Clark A. Gorrow, 37of Rugby Road, Schenectady was killed by a car while crossing Central Avenue at Lombard Street, Colonie. Police said “pedestrian error’ appeared to be the cause of the incident. (42.75857778 – 73.87948889)

2002

March 14, 2002– Pedestrian Robert Bryan, 34, a resident at the Blue Bell Motel on Central Avenue, was killed by a pickup truck making a left turn as he apparently tried to cross the four-lane highway to the Colonie Kmart. There was no marked crosswalk at the intersection. (42.74050833 – 73.8588)

2003

February 14, 2003 – Lisa Keene, 40-year-old mother,who was out celebrating her younger sister’s impending Valentine’s Day wedding was killed as she stood in a pedestrian crosswalk between Lexington Avenue and Robin Street on Central Avenue, Albany when an unlicensed cab driver lost control of his taxi struck and dragged her about 200 feet. (42.6601 – 73.76721111).

September 19, 2003 – An unidentified pedestrian killed on Central Avenue near Tull Drive, Colonie. (42.71811389 – 73.83335556)

October 18, 2003 – Pedestrian Todd Throneburg, 28, of 2194 Central Avenue was killed by a motor vehicle. He had apparently been lying partially in the eastbound lane near Elmwood Avenue, Colonie when struck. (42.76006944 – 73.88135833)

October 26, 2003 – There was an Unidentified fatality of a motor vehicle crash on Central Avenue, Colonie near Tull Drive. (42.71808889 – 73.83333056) 

2004

March 9, 2004 – Cyclist Mary Morgan, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene of the 1:30 PM crash after being struck by a motor vehicle at the Central Avenue intersection with Berwyn Street, Colonie. (42.76193056 – 73.88344722)

April 12, 2004 – A pickup truck struck and killed Frank Tymula, 45, while he was crossing Central Avenue near Karner Road, Colonie. Because of the recent deaths, Colonie Police Chief said that officials are considering some kind of safety awareness campaign aimed at adults. “We do it for kids. We tell kids to look both ways. These are not kids. This gentleman was 45 years old,” said the chief. (42.72978333 – 73.84683889)

June 13, 2004– Unidentified man crossing Central Avenue at night at the intersection with Frederick Avenue, Colonie was killed after a passing car struck him. (42.69671944 – 73.809025)

July 4, 2004 – Vincent Pagano Jr., 24, perished after crashing his ATV into a car on Central Avenue by Manning Blvd, Albany.

2005

February 28, 2005 – Bassist Edward Wells, 38, of Lynn Street, Schenectady and the Band Seed, perished after he was partially ejected from his vehicle after it collided with another and rolled onto its side at the Central Avenue and VanHuesen Street intersection, Colonie

2006

March 19, 2006 – Randy Russell died instantly in a car crash at Henry Johnson Blvd and Central Avenue, Albany after a state trooper chase. An autopsy demonstrated a blood alcohol content over twice the legal limit.

September 8, 2006 – Pedestrian Tomas A. Aguirre of Watervliet was killed by a car just as he stepped from the curb crossing Central Avenue at Reber Street, Colonie

August 22, 2006 – Pedestrian Roxanne Chaney, 40 was chatting with her neighbors at the Best Value Inn, including a man who was showing pictures of his wife, who had been struck and killed by a car. “Roxanne says, `Man, that’s a horrible way to go,’ ” a neighbor recalled. Chaney, 40, then stepped out into a dark section of the road and was hit herself, becoming the ninth person killed on Central Avenue,Colonie in 10 years, the fourth on a section west of Route 155 alone, according to police. The nearest crosswalks – a mile apart – are 8- and 10-minute-walks away on a stretch of road that is easily becoming one of the deadliest for pedestrians in the region. (42.73789167 -73.85600278)

2009

January 19, 2009– Westley H. Williams, 61, perished after he was hit by a car on the road’s median, apparently trying to cross the busy stretch near Reynolds Street, Colonie. (42.69191389 -73.80361944)

April 7, 2009 – Segundo G. Zamora, 32, from Ecuador died from his injuries after being struck by a vehicle in front of Appletini’s Café, Colonie. (42.69016389 – 73.80158056)

2010

December 18, 2010 – Rebecca Murton, 22, 8 months pregnant with her third child, died as a passenger in a motor vehicle that crashed into a utility pole on Central Avenue at Mountain View Avenue, Colonie.

2011

November 21, 2011 – Pedestrian Kerry Irwin, 63 of Delmar was struck by a motor vehicle just east of Reber Street, Colonie and later died from his injuries. Police said the driver was not likely to face charges, as Irwin was wearing dark clothing and was not crossing the road at a crosswalk. (42.73415833 – 73.85171944)

September 5, 2011 – Pedestrian John Gesner, 57, of Ravena, who was staying at the Super 8 Motel, was struck by a car while crossing Central Avenue near Lincoln Avenue, Colonie around 11:10 pm.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. (42.71605556 – 73.83104444)

May 12, 2011 – David L. Cook, 33of Middle Grovewas riding a Harley Davidson he had just purchased off the lot at Spitzie’s Motorcycle Center on Central Avenue by Campbell Drive, Colonie when his bike veered out of control and across traffic and collided with a truck. (42.74072778 -73.85929444)

2012

May 21, 2012 – Pedestrian Randall Hayes, 57, a resident of the Blue Bell Hotel in Colonie was struck by a vehicle in a hit and run crash at 9:05 pm in the eastbound lane of Central Avenue in front of a Burger King, just west of the intersection with New Karner Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Colonie Police Officer Pero said it was highly unlikely that whoever struck the victim was not aware he hit someone. “It was not a glancing blow,” Pero said. (142.73313056 – 73.850475)

2013

February 21, 2013 – Katherine Parker, 28,of Albany died from injuries after being struck by a minivan while she was crossing Central Avenue at King Avenue just East of the (now closed) ShopRite, Albany. During a vigil for Parker, another pedestrian was hurt just two streets up from Thursday’s crash, police said.

March 2, 2013 – William Jennings, 28,of Schenectady, was killed instantly by an eastbound U.S. Postal Service tractor-trailer around 3:30 AM Saturday on Central Avenue near Lombard Street, Colonie.

2014

July 3, 2014 – Pedestrian Kyle Canabush, 29, was crossing Central Avenue at about 8:50 PM, near Kraft Avenue, Colonie when a motor vehicle struck him. He died later from his injuries.

2015

February 2, 2015 – A pedestrian, 4-year-old Ashiqur Rahman was struck and killed by a waste truck in a Central Avenue crosswalk at Quail Street, Albany while holding his mother’s hand. Mother and son had a green light to cross, police said.

March 3, 2015 – An unidentified pedestrian was killed on Central Avenue and Wilber Avenue, Colonie.

April 13, 2015 – Pedestrian Renee Bruneau, a 54-year-old mother was killed by a hit-and-run driver between Madison and Hudson Avenues, Albany in front of Ralph’s Restaurant

September 19, 2015 – An unidentified motor vehicle fatality involving drunk driving at Central Avenue and Grounds Place, Colonie

December 6, 2015 – There was an unidentified pedestrian fatality at Central Avenue and Osborne Road, Colonie. 

2016

May 24, 2016 – Pedestrian, Borziloke Zakolli, 62 of Colonie was struck and killed on impact crossing Central Avenuebetween Tull Drive and Breeman Street, Colonie. “Safety is our top priority there, and we’ve done a lot of work and studying on Central Avenue,” New York State Department of Transportation spokesman Bryan Viggiani said Tuesday, pointing to a Central Avenue Pedestrian Safety Study examining human behaviors and the road’s infrastructure. After publication of the safety study, the state allocated $2 million for road improvements, with 60 percent designated for Albany and Schenectady. The department’s goal, Viggiani said, is for both drivers and pedestrians to understand the rules of the road. (42.71744722 – 73.83268889) 

July 17, 2016 – Akbar Perkins, 17 died after a police pursuit, crashing a stolen van into a utility pole on Central Avenue just west of Route 155, Colonie. (42.73301944 – 73.85040833 )

Jun 2, 2016– There was an unidentified pedestrian fatalitynear the confluence of Central Avenue and Washington Avenue, Albany. (42.6573 -73.763975)

2017

March 16, 2017 – Jajuan L. Williams, 21, died on impact after the car he was driving crashed into a snowbank, became airborne, and hit a utility pole on Central Avenue near Arrow Street, Colonie. (42.76134444 – 73.88262778)

July 3, 2017 – An unidentified pedestrian, a 54 year old woman, died after a pickup truck struck her as she crossed Central Avenue near Vly Road, Colonie.

October 18, 2017 – Pedestrian Garry F. Cognetti, 67died from his injuries after being hit by a car on State Street, Niskayuna east of Mansion Boulevard where Central Avenue becomes State Street as it enters Niskayuna. (42.77281111 – 73.89543611)

2018

December 22, 2018 – An unidentified 78-year-old Schenectady woman died after what witnesses say was a possible medical incident that led to her crashing her car into a tree on Central Avenue between New Karner Road and Reber Street, Colonie. 

February 15, 2018 – An unidentified person died in a head-on motor vehicle collision on Central Avenue by Interstate Avenue, Colonie

2019

December 25, 2019 – Vehicle passenger Lakhraj Premnauth perished after a crashon Central Avenue by Evergreen Memorial Park, Colonie. The sedan they were in slammed into a utility pole with such force that it snapped the car in two. (42.757225 – 42.757225) 

2020

September 6, 2020 – An unidentified motorcyclist died at the scene after crashing into a car near the intersection of Central Avenue and Old Karner Road, Colonie

July 17, 2020 – Driver Naquain Key, 35, and his passenger, Najee Parks, 31, died in a high-speed crash on Central Avenue near Lombard Street, Colonie.

2021

April 15, 2021 – Pedestrian Sa’Nya Blaylock, 16, died when a motor vehicle struck her as she was crossing to the bus stop after her shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1235 Central Avenue, at Frederick Avenue, Colonie.

August 20, 2021 – Christopher Welter, 36,of Medford, MA, died at the scene after his vehicle ran into the back of a tractor trailer that was stopped at a traffic light at the intersection of Central Avenue and Jupiter Lane, Colonie.

September 21, 2021 – Cyclist Jeremy Williams, 39was killed when he was struck by a motor vehicle on Central Avenue, Colonie, near the entrance ramp to southbound I-87.

2022

January 25, 2022 – Pedestrian David Madden, 31, was crossing the street in front of Dollar General, 1935 Central Avenue at Reber Street, Colonie just before 8 PM when a sedan struck him resulting in major trauma. His fate is unknown.

February 16, 2022 – An out-of-control car crashed through several telephone poles on Central Avenue near Lansing Road, Colonie. The unidentified Brooklyn man was in grave condition. His fate is unknown.

July 7, 2022 – Albany police identified Kathleen McBride, 52, of Albany as the pedestrian who was struck and killed by a drunken driver at 10:15 PM on Central Avenue at Robin Street, Albany. Police said officers responded to reports of a serious motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, officers determined that a pedestrian had been struck by a van that then crashed into a building. McBride sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Driver Jose Guaman-Bunay faces 6 to 18 years in prison.

August 22, 2022 – Stacy Benoit, 40, of Albany was hit around 8:35 PM. Witnesses said she was walking in the center turn lane near Fairfield Avenue. Colonie. Police said the driver was traveling west and the woman was walking east. The driver who hit her stopped and was not impaired, officers said. (TU online 8/23/22)

2023

November 11, 2023 – David Herskind, 49, died at the scene of the 11:55 PM, crash near the intersection with Fuller Road. A Ford F-150 was driving westbound on Central Avenue when it hit the pedestrian, said Colonie Police. The driver immediately stopped and called 911. Colonie EMS arrived shortly after, but the victim died at the scene. Police say speed or driver impairment do not appear to be factors in the crash. The pedestrian was in the vehicle lane of travel at the time of the crash.

November 22, 2023 – A 33-year-old motor vehicle driver struck and killed pedestrian Mark Schimmer, 67 at 6:03 PM on Central Avenue at Mountain View Avenue, Colonie. Police said the pedestrian was pushing a shopping cart, was in dark clothing, and not near a crosswalk or traffic signal at the time. Rain and snow may have made visibility poor. The driver maintained that she did not see the pedestrian until after the collision. Police held that speeding and intoxication were not involved and there were no charges made.

November 27, 2023 – Joseph Crandall, 62, was the third person to die after being struck by a car on Central Avenue in the town since November 11. Police said Crandall was riding his bike at 11:30 in the morning near Elmwood Avenue when the truck struck the back of his bicycle. Crandall was knocked off his bicycle and the truck driver, a 55-year-old Glenville man, stopped to call 911, police said. People passing by also tried to help Crandall, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the driver was not impaired and that Crandall was wearing reflective clothing but was not wearing a helmet.” (TU 11/28/23, B2)

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Filed under Central Ave., City Review, Death on the Road, safety

by | November 24, 2023 · 12:23 pm

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Introduction – On Friday November 17, 2023,the Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, and Capital Streets, held a demonstration for Albany City Victims of Traffic Violence as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Elected leaders and city officials gathered with us along with people around the world to remember those needlessly killed and seriously injured in crashes. We called for specific actions by the City of Albany to respond to the needless deaths of at least 19 people on bicycles or walking in the city between 2013 and 2023. 

Presentation – We thanked the following for joining us in support of the event: NY Assembly Member Pat Fahy, Albany Police Department Chief Eric Hawkins, Mayor Sheehan’s Chief of Staff, David Galin, Albany City Treasurer Darius Shahinfar, and Albany County Legislator Susan Quine-Laurilliard.

Prepared Remarks by Ed Brennan, ABC President – In a few minutes, those who have gathered here will read the names of pedestrians and cyclists who died from traffic violence in our city.  Sometimes we may know a pedestrian or cyclist died from a crash at a location, but we don’t know their names. I suspect some of these people may have hung on for a while in a hospital before they passed. They may have outlasted the news cycle, so their names were never reported.  All we have – without FOILing their records – is statistical information such as that found in the Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System and in local media. Try to remember that these were actual people – with families that lost them – and not just statistics. We have seen at least 49 traffic violence deaths on Central Avenue since the start of 2001, including David Herskind just 6 days ago.

Sa’Nya Blaylock, died on Central Avenue, Thursday April 15, 2021, around 10:30pm. She was an Albany resident and Albany High student, Unlike the other victims, we recognize Sa’Nya wasn’t killed in Albany, but she was killed on Central Avenue – the deadliest stretch of road in the Capital Region.  A road that Albany shares with the Town of Colonie.

Sa’Nya had gotten off her late shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken, crossed Central Avenue to catch her bus, and was struck and killed by a motor vehicle. 

  • Maybe she was tired after a long day at school and night’s work at KFC.
  • Maybe she was in a hurry to get home and do homework.
  • Maybe she was in a hurry to get off work and get back to being a teenager.
  • Maybe she thought the vehicle coming was her bus and she didn’t want to miss it.
  • We don’t know if she made a mistake in the way she crossed the street or not, but if she made a mistake, she didn’t deserve a death sentence.

Central Avenue was the subject of an extensive 18-month road corridor safety study published in 2015 that came back with what they call a “Three E’s” Approach: Education, Enforcement and Engineering

“Safety is our top priority there, and we’ve done a lot of work and studying on Central Avenue,” said the state DOT spokesperson. “The department’s goal,” he said, “is for both drivers and pedestrians to understand the rules of the road.”

New York State Department of Transportation did a number of things, including $2M in improvements such as better crossing signals – but they would not lower the speed limit or change the road in any way to encourage drivers to slow down.

Since the beginning of 2016 we figure another 19 people have died on Central Avenue.

Looking at state statistics and comparing 2019 before COVID with 2022 in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties, we have seen fewer collisions in each county – but more fatalities with those fewer collisions and more serious injuries with those fewer collisions.

How does that happen?

There are two primary factors that determine how violent a crash is – mass and velocity. Since 2019, both these factors have gone in the wrong direction.

We all know that speeding has increased.

Every year our vehicles have also gotten bigger. Earlier this year the three highest selling new motor vehicles were the Ford F-Series Truck, the Chevy Silverado, and the Dodge Ram. Massive vehicles that will do more damage in a collision.

Our newer, more massive trucks and SUVs are also built higher so they are more dangerous – especially to pedestrians.  What used to be a lower body injury, like a broken leg or pelvis, is now an upper body injury to one’s organs or for shorter people, like children, there are often more devastating head injuries.

The city cannot do much about the size of vehicles, but the city can lower speeds to make collisions less devastating and less likely.

We see laudable efforts to get alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers off the road. But we need to understand that speeders are also impaired drivers. 

  1. The speeder impairs their ability to stop their vehicle within the distance necessary to avoid a collision.
  2. The speeder impairs their ability to react to a potential collision by giving themselves less time.
  3. The speeder also impairs their ability to recognize a potential collision. There are limits to how much visual information we can process in a given space of time. The faster the speed, the more to process and the narrower speeder’s effective field of vision becomes. This problem is worse in dense urban environments where there is so much more to watch out for. 

As we remember these people that have died and suffered serious injuries from traffic violence, we ask that the city honor them by doing three things that make it less likely that more people and their families face such loss and suffering.

  1. Lower the city speed limit on all non-limited access roads to 25 miles per hour to make crashes less likely and less devastating.
  2. Install speed cameras in our school zones to protect our young people using the law that our State Assembly Member Pat Fahy and State Senator Neil Breslin fought to pass. 
  3. Carry out the recommendations of the Washington Park Study. Make this Historic City Jewel a park for the safe enjoyment of the people of Albany and not a high-speed parkway for cars.

Ten Years of Traffic Victims in Albany (2013 – 2023 as of November 14, 2023) – The Albany Bicycle Coalition developed this list based on local media reports, Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and other sources. At this point in the demonstration, 19 volunteers stepped up one at a time to the microphone and read the essentials of each victim’s demise.

  1. Unidentified Pedestrian – 11/8/23 (age 67) Two cars hit and killed the victim near Exit 2 on southbound I-787 in Albany. The man was struck by one car as the vehicle tried to merge into traffic at 7:16 PM. State Police said the driver was initially unaware the vehicle had hit someone. The man was then struck by a second vehicle and died at the scene.
  2. Larry Cunningham – 10/24/22 (age 62) A drunken car driver struck and killed pedestrian on a sidewalk near the intersection of 3rd Ave. and Elizabeth St. Albany. Driver Jose Guevara-Bonilla, a 26-year-old city man was charged with aggravated drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident and other offences. Police issued several tickets and said more charges are possible.
  3. Pernell Compston – 10/6/22 (no age) Compston was hit by a SUV and a pickup truck just after 10 pm when he was crossing the street near the intersection of Northern Blvd. and Shaker Rd., Albany.
  4. Tanisha Brathwaite – 7/14/22 (age 31) Drunk driver killed pedestrian. Hit-and-run driver struck and killed pedestrian at 6:00 PM on Clinton Ave. at the intersection with Henry Johnson Blvd., Albany. Driver sentenced to 8 to 24 years for aggravated vehicular homicide and several DWI counts.
  5. Kathleen McBride – 7/7/22 (age 52) Van struck and killed a pedestrian on Central Ave.
  6. Unidentified Pedestrian – 5/21 (no age) Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month. Could not find report in the local newspaper.
  7. Unidentified Pedestrian – 3/21 (no age) Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month. Could not find local newspaper report.
  8. Unidentified Pedestrian – 9/24/20 (no age) A pedestrian was killed in a collision between 7 and 8 PM on Church St. Albany. This was not at an intersection, there was no drunk driving involved, and the weather was clear but dark.
  9. Richard Harmon – 5/21/20 (age 76) Pedestrian hit and killed at North Allen St. and Manning Blvd. [Times Union, Saturday, 5/23/20, pg. D3]
  10. Unidentified Pedestrian – 9/24/19 (age 50) A car driver going west on Washington Ave. Extension hit and killed a male pedestrian who apparently tried to cross the street in the evening. [Times Union, 9/26/19, Section: Obituaries, pg. C5]
  11. Unidentified Pedestrian – 8/8/19 (age 67) Truck hit and seriously injured a male pedestrian, intersection of Madison Ave. and Dove St. around 1 PM. After being treated at the scene, the man was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital by ambulance. His condition was not immediately available. [Times Union Friday, 8/9/19, pg. C4. Apparently this individual later died as the Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) lists this a pedestrian death.]
  12. Ludmilla Vink – 2/20/18 (age 92) Pedestrian, was identified as the victim in the fatal car-pedestrian crash on Washington Ave., Albany. [Times Union Thursday, February 22, 2018, pg. C2]
  13. Roger L. Sawyer – 10/19/17 (age 30) Bicyclist run down and killed by a SUV, Washington Ave. Ext., Albany.
  14. Edston J. Kirnon – 7/22/17 (age 42) Bicyclist collided with side of CDTA bus, N. Pearl St., Albany.
  15. Rajine Martinez 2/4/17 (age 21) Killed by hit-and-run SUV driver, Washington Park Rd. near New Scotland Ave., Albany
  16. Gregory Abram-Skinner – 12/23/16 (age 21) At 7:00-8:00 PM on Washington Ave. Ext. at Springsteen Ave., Albany, a drunk driver struck and killed the pedestrian.
  17. Ashiqur Rahman – 12/2015 (age 4) The driver of a refuse truck struck and killed the victim at 8:00-9:00 AM on Central Ave. at Quail St., Albany as he was crossing in the crosswalk, holding his mother’s hand, and walking with the pedestrian “walk” light.
  18. Qazir Sutherland – 6/15/13 (age 7) The car diver, 37, of Albany, was traveling north in her sedan on S. Pearl, Albany when she struck and killed the victim as he was crossing the street to meet his mother. The driver was not charged.
  19. Katherine Parker – 2/21/13 (age 28) At 10:22 PM a minivan driver heading west struck and killed the victim on Central Ave. at King Ave., Albany. The victim was walking north to cross Central Ave.

Media Presence – The Albany Bicycle Coalition was grateful for coverage of the event by the following media outlets:

Times Union

WTEN Albany

WNYT Albany

WRGB Albany

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Filed under 25 MPH, Activisim, Central Ave., City Review, NYS DOT, safety, Support the Cause

by | March 3, 2023 · 10:13 am

Update on 25 MPH in New York State

The Bottom Line – If New Yorkers want safer streets, they are going to have to “stand up and be counted” against those forces that – knowingly or otherwise – stand in the way of this goal.

The Backstory – Once, a long time ago, the statewide municipal speed limit was 25 mph. The highway limit was 50. Somewhere along the way to our present state of roadway mayhem, the municipal limit was raised to 30 and the highway to 55 (1974). Remember? Somehow the “traffic engineers” decided that if we were killing people at 25, why hesitate to go to 30? Aren’t people in a hurry to get somewhere? But wait! “Results show that the average risk of severe injury for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle reaches 10% at an impact speed of 16 mph, 25% at 23 mph, 50% at 31 mph, 75% at 39 mph, and 90% at 46 mph. The average risk of death for a pedestrian reaches 10% at an impact speed of 23 mph, 25% at 32 mph, 50% at 42 mph, 75% at 50 mph, and 90% at 58 mph.” National Association of City Transportation Officials will tell you the same thing. This is the AAA speaking, probably one of the organizations that, of any, backed the “all cars-all the time” situation in which we now suffer. Would you want to guess what the average actual speed is in 30-mph zones?

What We’re Doing – Albany Bicycle Coalition (ABC) is part of the statewide Safe Streets Coalition that pushed for the 25-mph legislation. It passed last year, 2022. ABC worked with the bill sponsors to coordinate the campaign to get passed. It was part of the set of bills called the Crash Victims Rights and Safety Act (CVRSA) that was regularly discussed at ABC meetings. ABC members made calls and wrote to State Legislators and the Governor, participated in a Lobby Day at the Capitol, and spoke before the Assembly Transportation Committee. ABC was successful in getting Albany City Common Council to unanimously pass a resolution in support of the CVRSA. Other cities and towns followed. Three of those CVRSA bills passed including the 25-mph bill.

The 25-mph law was a victory, but it was tempered with a late amendment placing substantial barriers in the way of implementation. This same mentality is also the reason we still don’t have a 3-foot safe passage law for cyclists as is the case in 36 other states and the District of Columbia.

The Cities Speak – After the bill passed Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Bethlehem, and Saratoga Springs all started to pursue lowering their speed limits. We are following their progress and need to be ready to speak out when these ordinances are ready for public comment. In the meantime, there is great confusion about what is required to meet the hurdle of the language below. We hope that the Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC) will hold a webinar to help everyone contend with it all the barriers to this critical, “safety-first” speed limit.

ABC and other Safe Streets members are concerned about the lack of clarity on how to proceed to 25 mph. We ask – why not base the speed-reduction ordinances on these factors?

  • Rate of fatalities and injuries.
  • Existing studies (e.g., the data already in Albany’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Master Plan).
  • Increasing prevalence and deadliness of larger vehicles.
  • Increasing statewide traffic violence (e.g., all traffic fatalities in NY up another 4 percent in first 9 months of 2022).

In the meantime, we are waiting for regulations. If they are not satisfactory, we will probably seek a new amendment to the statute.

Act Now – This year ABC is joining with the Safe Streets Coalition in pursuing the bills that can be found at https://www.transalt.org/safe. The collection of bills is called the Safe Streets Act (instead of the Crash Victims Rights and Safety Act). You can help by following the link and then clicking on “Take Action Now for Safe Streets”. It will help you auto-generate a message to your NYS Senator and Assembly Member. You can edit the message to include your comments about the current 25-mph bill!

You can also help make streets safer locally by spreading word about the Capital Region Vision Zero Alliance. This Alliance is taking the effort for safer streets beyond bicycle and pedestrian groups. We aim to diversify, coordinate and amplify the demand for the tried-and-true changes we need on the local level.  We want to bring in organizations concerned with public health, crime, safety for our young and old, and even AAA – anyone concerned with safe roads.

Barriers – This is the Infamous language (the complete source appears below) included in the 25-mph law:  “No speed limits shall be established pursuant to the provisions of this  section except in accordance with the engineering considerations and factors for speed limits set forth in the manual and specifications for a  uniform  system of traffic control devices maintained by the commissioner of transportation  pursuant  to section sixteen hundred eighty of this title, as such  manual and specifications may be amended from time to time, certified by a licensed professional engineer who specializes in traffic operations.”

This is a gross misunderstanding of the intent of the law and its implementation. The 25-mph law needs to be a political and societal decision based on the safety needs of all road users and not a technical/engineering one based on outmoded priorities and dated expertise. It is absolutely insane that cities cannot determine the best speed limit in certain area. Thirty mph on narrow, one-way streets is too fast as it is on many residential and commercial areas. If imposition of the 25-mph limit is contingent on a traffic study, cities, such as Albany, will delay movement on 25 mph waiting for the study. They have no choice. 

But It’s Worse – In spite of NYSDOT abysmal design-for-death practices, it is empowered to interfere in almost any aspect of establishing 25-mph limits. According to the following, the NYS Legislature has again ignored NYSDOT’s past and current road design debacles and has re-empowered it to squelch any but the most strident safety advocates or municipalities. With DOT’s grip on the purse strings and with its power to frustrate almost any road/street project. It seems to hold all the cards in what is really only a baby step toward equitable road design.

Learn More – Here are some links for those who are genuinely interested in roadway safety and who are fed up totally with the “all cars-all the time” philosophy that drivers urban “traffic planning:”

Guidance on Implementation of 25-mph Speed Limits from New York State Department of Transportation – October 19, 2022 – Office of Traffic Safety & Mobility

SOURCE: https://m.box.com/shared_item/https%3A%2F%2Fcornell.box.com%2Fs%2Fwqvf4n7ql868w7p4z6m3ett69c0moz6w 

A. NYS laws regarding speed limits were changed on August 12, 2022.

1. The minimum allowable area speed limit changed from 30 mph to 25 mph. The minimum allowable linear speed

limit remains 25 mph.

2. A provision was added stating that speed limits must be set in accordance with the engineering considerations

and factors for speed limits set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices(MUTCD) and NYS

Supplement (Supplement).

3. A provision was added stating that speed limits must be certified by a licensed professional engineer who

specializes in traffic operations.

B. The changes in law did not include any change to who has the authority to set speed limits.

Generally:

1. NYSDOT sets speed limits on all state highways. (NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law, §1620)

2. Cities and villages set speed limits on highways within their jurisdictions, except for state highways.

(NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law, §1643)

3. NYSDOT sets speed limits on town and county highways. (NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law, §1622)

4. Towns with populations greater than 50,000 people, and suburban towns, may set speed limits on all highways

open to public traffic in the town outside villages, except for state highways. (NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law, §1662-a)

Official status as a suburban town can only be obtained by following the procedures outlined in law, and filing the

necessary notice with the Secretary of State. (NYS Town Law, §50-a)

C. Setting speed limits in New York State.

1. Requirements come from the MUTCD and Supplement. NYSDOT Traffic Safety & Mobility Instruction

(TSMI) 17-05 provides additional recommendations.

2. An engineering study certified by a Professional Engineer who specializes in traffic operations is required.

3. The appropriate speed limit for a linear regulation should be determined using one of three methods:

a) Within 5 mph of the 85th-percentile speed of free-flowing traffic using radar.

b) Conducting a floating vehicle check during free-flow conditions.

c) Using USLIMITS2, a FHWA web-based speed limit tool.

4. An area regulation may be used where an area speed limit would be reasonable and warranted in terms of the

physical characteristics and development of the area involved. The appropriate speed limit for an area regulation

should be determined with respect to the “major streets” within the area. Major streets are those streets which

serve as main arteries in providing access to and from various sections of the area. This is distinct from a

“through street,” which passes completely through the area, and carries some traffic other than that generated

in the area, and a “minor street,” which generally serves motorists traveling between a point on a street within

the area, and the area entrance/exit.

D. References.

1. MUTCD Section 2B.13 (https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/pdfs/2009r1r2r3/part2b.pdf)

2. Supplement Section 2B.13 (https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-

systems/repository/B-2011Supplement-adopted.pdf)

3. NYSDOT TSMI 17-05 (https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-

systems/repository/TSMI-17-05.pdf)

++++++

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by | November 15, 2022 · 11:11 am

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

We ask that all friends of safer streets sign the following online petition to tell the Governor that you want her to sign Assemblymember Fahy’s Complete Streets Funding Bill:  https://p2a.co/rkhfcrb.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  Press Release >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For Immediate Release

November 18, 2022

Contact

Ed Brennan

President Albany Bicycle Coalition

518-416-5692

edpbrennan@yahoo.com

November 18, 2022. Academy Park, Albany, NY.  Today, local members of the NYS Safe Streets Coalition, The Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, Parks & Trails New York, New York Assemblymember Patricia Fahy, family members of traffic violence victims and others gathered in recognition of the victims of traffic violence in the City of Albany and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.  

We read the names of pedestrians and cyclists who died in traffic collisions in Albany since 2017.  We asked that Albany and New York State take the steps necessary to prevent needless deaths and serious injuries caused by traffic crashes in our City.  All the citizens of Albany have a right to safe mobility.  

We need action now because traffic violence is getting worse and hitting home.

  • Nationally, in the past two years, almost 20 percent more people died in traffic crashes, according to National Safety Council (NSC) estimates. That’s 42 thousand people. And the number is rising. 
  • An estimated 7% more people have been killed in the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same quarter last year. This may be the highest number of first quarter fatalities in twenty years.
  • So far in 2022, Albany has seen the senseless loss of Tanisha Brathwaite, Kathleen McBride and Larry Cunningham to traffic violence.  

“New Yorkers are at serious risk of injury or death due to rising traffic violence – according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, crashes killing pedestrians increased 46% from 2010 to 2020, compared to just a 5% increase for all other crash fatalities,” said Assemblymember Pat Fahy (D-Albany). “By developing our communities into more walkable, multi-modal transportation-friendly places to be – we’re saving lives and reducing traffic violence by keeping pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists safe on our streets. Specifically, legislation I sponsor that was passed by the state legislature this year to expand the use of complete street design in transportation projects is important to building a more walkable and multi-modal New York and reducing traffic violence. I thank the Albany Bicycle Coalition and Safe Streets Coalition for continuing to bring attention to traffic violence in our communities and advocate for a state where all of us can feel and be safe on our roads.”

We ask that all friends of safer streets sign the following online petition to tell the Governor that you want her to sign Assemblymember Fahy’s Complete Streets Funding Bill:  https://p2a.co/rkhfcrb.

Traffic violence is a preventable public health crisis. There are proven steps that can be taken to save lives and prevent serious injuries.  On World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, communities all over the globe are organizing events to demand change.  This Day of Remembrance was brought to the U.S. by the Families for Safe Streets, a national organization that was founded by the families of loved ones who were killed or injured in crashes in New York. These are the demands we presented to Mayor Sheehan and the Albany City Council to make our roads safer for all that use them:

  • Reducing the Citywide Speed Limit to 25 MPH.   This will prevent collisions and make them less serious.  The slower the speed limit the greater the field of vision for drivers and the less devastating the result of any impact.  Only 1 in 10 pedestrians will survive a collision at 40 mph.   At the current City speed limit of 30 mph 5 out of 10 survive.  At 20 mph 9 out of 10 survive.
  • Making Safety Analysis and Improvement Part of Regular Road Maintenance.  Many road departments have a tendency to just repave and repaint streets exactly as they were.  This has the effect of preserving existing dangers instead of fixing safety problems when it is most cost effective.
  • Narrowing Crossing Distances and Daylighting Intersections.  State law prohibits parking or standing within 20 feet of a crosswalk or 30 feet of a stop or yield sign, however these laws are routinely ignored.   Albany can make intersections safer by actively preventing such parking through deployment of paint, bollards, bike racks, curb extensions and eco-friendly rain gardens.  These methods also narrow intersections allowing vulnerable road users to cross roads with less exposure to traffic.
  • Deploying Speed Humps.  The City should expand its test deployment of speed humps to other parts of the City that are troubled by dangerous speeders.
  • Improving Sidewalks and Crosswalks.  The City has too many areas where crosswalks and sidewalks are in a state of neglect or non-existent.  
  • Deploying Pedestrian Priority Traffic Signals.  Our busy pedestrian intersections should have a “leading pedestrian interval” when all traffic has a red light to enhance the visibility of pedestrians in the intersection and to reinforce their right-of-way over turning vehicles
  • Improving Bicycle Infrastructure.  Albany needs to do more to separate bicyclists from motor traffic.  The City’s major roads should have separate bicycle lanes and preferably protected bicycle lanes.
  • Albany Must Have a Plan for Implementation of its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.  The Master Plan did a great job of identifying needs and solutions for the City’s lackluster bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.  The City needs a plan of action and budget to address the needs identified.  
  • Deploying Speed Cameras.  Speeding has become increasingly problematic since COVID.  We have been told our police department is short staffed and has a limited capacity to attend to traffic enforcement.  Speed cameras need to be deployed to identify those deadly speeders that our police cannot.
  • Back in Angle Parking.  Reverse angle parking provides safer roadways since drivers are able to see other vehicles and cyclists easier (and much sooner) when exiting out of their parking spots as compared to standard angle parking.

On the state level we asked for the following:

  • The Governor’s signature on the Complete Streets funding bill passed by the NY Assembly and Senate and sponsored by our own Assemblymember Patricia Fahy.
  • Passage of the Complete Streets Maintenance Bill so that funding is permitted for cost effective safety improvements during repaving and other maintenance projects.
  • Passage of the Crash Victims Bill of Rights to guarantee crash victims and their families rights to incident reports and a voice in legal proceedings.
  • Passage of the Safe Passage Bill requiring drivers to provide a minimum of three feet when passing cyclists.
  • Passage of an Upstate Speed Camera Bill allowing municipalities outside of New York City to opt for speed cameras to identify deadly speeders.

We recognize that the City of Albany and New York State have taken some steps to improve safety and we appreciate those champions of safe streets that are among our elected and public officials.  However, the endless and increasing toll of needless deaths and injuries from traffic violence demands that the above steps be taken, that efforts be redoubled and that greater resources be applied to to prevent these tragedies.

****************************************

On Friday, 11/18/22,we will gather to honor the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (which falls on Sunday, 11/20). The Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, Parks and Trails New York, and others will gather at noon in Academy Park at Eagle and Washington Avenues, across Eagle from Albany City Hall, and across Washington Ave from East Capitol Park and the NYS Capitol. We will recognize the victims of traffic violence in the City of Albany and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. We will read the names of pedestrians and cyclists who have died in traffic collisions in Albany since 2017. We will ask that Albany take the steps necessary to prevent needless deaths and serious injuries caused by traffic crashes in our city.

We ask that the City adopt a Vision Zero Strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.  To be effective this Vision Zero Strategy needs to include a regularly updated action plan with action items that are addressed as a normal part of budgeted road and sidewalk work.  The City of Hoboken, NJ adopted such a strategy and has not had a traffic death since 2018.  Following the example of Hoboken and other cities, these are practical and often inexpensive steps Albany needs to adopt for safe mobility:

  • Reducing the Citywide Speed Limit to 25 MPH (Hoboken lowered theirs to 20 mph).   This will prevent collisions and make them less serious.  The slower the speed limit the greater the field of vision for drivers and the less devastating the result of any impact.  Only 1 in 10 pedestrians will survive a collision at 40 mph.   At the current City speed limit of 30 mph 5 out of 10 survive.  At 20 mph 9 out of 10 survive.
  • Making Safety Analysis and Improvement Part of Regular Road Maintenance.  Many road departments have a tendency to just repave and repaint streets exactly as they were.  This has the effect of preserving existing dangers instead of fixing safety problems when it is most cost effective.
  • Narrowing Crossing Distances and Daylighting Intersections.  State law prohibits parking or standing within 20 feet of a crosswalk or 30 feet of a stop or yield sign, however these laws are routinely ignored.   Like Hoboken, Albany can make intersections safer by actively preventing such parking through deployment of paint, bollards, bike racks, curb extensions and eco-friendly rain gardens.  These methods also narrow intersections allowing vulnerable road users to cross roads with less exposure to traffic.
  • Deploying Speed Humps.  The City should expand its test deployment of speed humps to other parts of the City that are troubled by dangerous speeders.
  • Improving Sidewalks and Crosswalks.  The City has too many areas where crosswalks and sidewalks are in disrepair or non-existent.  
  • Deploying Pedestrian Priority Traffic Signals.  Our busy pedestrian intersections should have a “leading pedestrian interval” when all traffic has a red light to enhance the visibility of pedestrians in the intersection and to reinforce their right-of-way over turning vehicles
  • Improving Bicycle Infrastructure.  Albany needs to do more to separate bicyclists from motor traffic.  The City’s major roads should have separate bicycle lanes and preferably protected bicycle lanes.
  • Albany Must Have a Plan for Implementation of its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.  The Master Plan did a great job of identifying needs and solutions for the City’s lackluster bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.  The City needs a plan of action and budget to address the needs identified.  
  • Deploying Speed Cameras.  Speeding has become increasingly problematic since COVID.  We have been told our police department is also short staffed and has a limited capacity to attend to traffic enforcement.  Speed cameras need to be deployed to identify those deadly speeders that our police cannot.
  • Back in Angle Parking.  Reverse angle parking provides safer roadways since drivers are able to see other vehicles and cyclists easier (and much sooner) when exiting out of their parking spots as compared to standard angle parking.

All the citizens of Albany have a right to safe mobility. The Albany Bicycle Coalition is committed to safe cycling and walking in all parts of the city through proper road design, effective signalization, reduction in motor vehicle speed (and thus in the severity of injuries when crashes do occur), strict enforcement of impaired driving rules, removal of judges who go light on traffic violators who put others at risk, revocation of operator’s license for repeat offenders, mandatory and continuous training of law enforcement on bicyclists’ rights, reduction in motor vehicle parking that hinders clear vision or puts use of street space over safety, hiring of investigators skilled in crash assessment and who are not allied with law enforcement or traffic engineering, and programs to educate cyclists in proper and safe riding skills.

Here is the list of victims we remembered (from 2017 on):

  • February 4, 2017 Rajine Martinez, 21, was struck and killed in a hit and run collision on Washington Park Road at 4am.  See Times Union Monday Feb 6th pg A7.

  • July 22, 2017 Edston J. Kirnon, 42,  Bicyclist collided with the side of a CDTA bus on N. Pearl St., Albany.

  • October 19, 2017 Roger L. Sawyer, age 30,  Bicyclist run down by SUV, Washington Ave. Ext., Albany.  See Times Union, Saturday, October 21, 2017, Page: D2.

  • February 20, 2018 Ludmilla Vink, 92, was identified Wednesday as the victim in the fatal car-pedestrian crash on Washington Avenue in Albany. See Times Union Thursday, February 22, 2018;  Page: C2

  • August 8, 2019 Unidentified Pedestrian, 67, A man was seriously injured when he was hit by a truck Thursday near the intersection of Madison Avenue and Dove Streets. The incident happened around 1 p.m. After being treated at the scene by rescuers, the 67-year-old man was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital by ambulance. His condition was not immediately available. Times Union Friday, August 09, 2019, Page: C4

  • September 24, 2019 Unidentified Pedestrian, 50, man was hit by a car and killed Tuesday evening along Washington Avenue Extension, city police said. Police said they believe the man was walking south and trying to cross when he was struck by a car driving west. Times Union Thursday, September 26, 2019; Page: C5

  • May 21, 2020 Richard Harmon, 76, hit and killed North Allen and Manning. Times Union, Saturday, May 23, 2020, D3

  • September 24, 2020 Unidentified Pedestrian Death.  Per the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Pedestrian a pedestrian was killed because of a collision between 7 and 8 pm on Church Street in Albany.

  • March 2021 Unidentified Pedestrian Death. Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month, though we could not find a report in the local newspaper.

  • April 15, 2021 Sa’Nya Blaylock, 16, a student at Albany High School died when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing to the bus stop after her shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken on 1235 Central Avenue

  • May 2021 Unidentified Pedestrian Death. Per the New York State Traffic Safety Statistical Repository, there was a pedestrian death in Albany during this month, though we could not find a report in the local newspaper.

  • July 7, 2022 Kathleen McBride, 52, a pedestrian struck by a van. McBride sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene on Central Avenue

*** END OF LIST ***

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Filed under Activisim, Death on the Road, Riding in Albany, safety, Support the Cause

by | November 4, 2022 · 6:08 am

The Leaves are Falling (and a Little Snow Too)

The fine fall weather provides opportunities for some nice riding whether for recreation/exercise or errands/work. Here are tips to encourage your riding and to keep you safe:

  • Check your lights front and rear. “Too many lights” are just about right in the low-light, fall and winter conditions. Your lights are primarily to make you visible (both day and night), but also to avoid hidden ruts, potholes, and bumps in the street. Road debris at night is another hazard which good front lighting will help you avoid.
  • Add a helmet or head-mounted lamp to help see those potholes, debris, etc. at night. While a front light in blink mode makes people more aware of your presence, the headlamp helps you see obstacles. The advantage of a headlamp is that when you move your head, the light goes with you. When on trails with little or no street lighting, both the headlamp and front light (in steady mode) will light the path.
  • Keep your re-chargeables charged. Replace the batteries in the rest.
  • Have someone view your bicycle from behind in the dark with the lights “on.” Ensure that your gear or clothing does not block the light beams (front and rear) and that the rear light(s) aim toward following vehicles.
  • Spoke lights or spoke reflectors are both fun and provide visibility from the side.
  • Watch other people on bicycles and judge their “visibility index” as a guide to improving your own.
  • Add an extra “blinky light” front and rear and use them both as nighttime supplements and as “daytime running lights.”
  • Maybe shop for and use a helmet mounted rear-facing light.
  • Be fair to people in cars – let them see you. Driving is challenging at this time of year. Don’t join the “ghost bike” program.
  • You will ride safer and smarter if you are comfortable – so plan your riding gear accordingly. Use the layering technique.
  • As you bundle up, look at your outer layer. If it is dark in color, either choose something that is not or pick up a reflective vest from your locally owned hardware or big box home center for around $20.00. You might add this vest to your year-around “kit.”
  • Wet leaves and snow are slippery so anticipate your stops and turns.
  • Pay special attention to puddles of water or clumps of leaves as they can mask the plentiful potholes, ruts, utility caps, and craters in the paved surface. City streets are worse than ever so watch for crevices, bumps, utility covers, patches, and so on. Good front lighting will help here!
  • Recall that some pavement markings can also be slippery when wet or extra slippery when covered with wet leaves, snow, or ice.
  • Keep your chain clean and lubricated (especially after riding in melted slush).
  • You might want to inspect your tires for wear. You might swap the front to the rear (since the rear takes the most weight and wears more quickly). If planning to ride in snow, you might invest in wider, knobby tires for better traction (if your bike accepts them).
  • Consider reducing tire pressures from max by 5 to 10 psi for better grip.
  • Sunglasses are very important this time of year as well. With the days getting shorter, there is a greater chance you will end or start a ride in low-light conditions. Switch your tinted lenses to a rose or clear lens for better visibility in low-light conditions.
  • When riding into that low fall sun, remember that the people in cars behind may not see you, as they also will be blinded.
  • Plan your braking and turns to avoid a spill.
  • Be mindful of slippery metal surfaces (such as utility covers and grates).
  • Fall and winter is a good time to get ready for next year’s riding with a tune up from one of our local bicycle shops. This is a good time to support your local shop and to help them over the slower winter season. November through March is good time to get that special attention from your bicycle mechanic. Find out where at – https://albanybicyclecoalition.com/resources/

Other winter riding tips –

To plan for low stress, safe cycling, plan you route with the free, interactive CapitalNYBikeMap – https://albanybicyclecoalition.com/albany_bike_map/

To find more bicycle-related events, go to – https://albanybicyclecoalition.com/upcoming-events/   

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