By P. Scanlon, Traffic Attorney
A Clear Vision Proposal
“Daylighting” is a term used by New York City traffic control to refer to clearing the corners of parked cars at intersections so that cars coming from around the corner can see oncoming traffic. Currently, vehicles are allowed to park up to the crosswalk of any intersection in the city, thereby blocking the view of oncoming traffic.
This is Not a New Policy
Nassau County has had this plan in place for years, but Hoboken, New Jersey, initially caught the eye of members of ten NYC community boards, who reviewed it and subsequently promoted it to the NYC agencies.
While daylighting is not new, enacting it in New York City is challenging. In locations with a smaller population, the laws mandate a minimum distance of 20 feet between parked vehicles and intersections. The legislators in NYC have repeatedly opted out of this requirement, resulting in cars parking close to the crosswalks, thereby limiting vehicular traffic’s line of site that comes in from its neighboring intersection.
The Details
Daylighting eliminates blind spots caused by vehicles parked too close to intersection corners, providing a clear vision of sight for cars waiting at the red light so they can proceed safely onto the road. By increasing visibility at the corners, the plan allows vehicles more reaction time to turn onto the road, as well as pedestrians and cyclists wo would be able to see oncoming traffic around the corner.
New York City Mayor Addresses the Plan
Mayor Eric Adams has committed to daylighting 1,000 intersections this year, but this represents only a fraction of the 40,000 intersections within the city’s five boroughs. As a result, advocates continue to call for comprehensive action from city officials and more work on this issue.
Conclusion
Following the implementation of the daylighting policy in Hoboken, there has been a significant decline in traffic deaths and injuries. If this is implemented in NYC, it will be a positive change.