NYAPS - New York Alliance for Pedestrian Safety

On April 26, 2011, Councilmembers Gale Brewer, Daniel Garodnick and Melissa Mark-Viverito held a meeting to try and identify a reasonable solution for the growing problem of dangerous cycling in Central Park - a chronic issue that has resulted in a substantial number of pedestrian injuries.

Representatives of many impacted constituencies participated, including: 

• Department of Transportation
• Central Park Precinct, NYPD
• Department of Parks and Recreation
• Central Park Conservancy
• Community Board 7
• Community Board 8
• New York Alliance for Pedestrian Safety
• Transportation Alternatives / Upper West Side Streets Renaissance
• New York Road Runners Club
• New York Cycle Club

 After much robust discussion, the working group agreed to the following:

"When enforcing the Vehicle Traffic Law requiring cyclists to stop at red lights in Central Park, the NYPD has indicated that they will ticket when there is a pedestrian in the crosswalk waiting to cross."

It is now completely clear and cyclists' representatives have agreed . . . RED means stop - when pedestrians are at the crosswalk.

NYAPS STATEMENT ON THE CONSENSUS:

“The rule for Central Park users is now crystal clear - when pedestrians are at Park Loop crosswalks, red absolutely means ‘stop’ for cyclists. 

"Compliance with this arrangement will go a long way towards protecting the tens of millions of pedestrian Park users, and we’re hopeful that it will help bring the rate of pedestrian injury on the Park Loop back under control.  We appreciate the leadership role cycling advocates NYCC and Transportation Alternatives played in arriving at this consensus, and thank them in advance for deploying their considerable resources to educate cyclists about this resolution. 

“It is gratifying that a diverse and comprehensive group of advocates, administrators and legislators could come to such a sensible conclusion about safety in the Park.  Councilmembers Brewer and Garodnick and Community Board 7 Chair Wymore have worked tirelessly toward a resolution, complemented by the dedicated leadership at the NYPD, DOT, Parks and Central Park Conservancy, as well as local advocacy groups.  This is a victory for everyone involved.”

View the report to the City Council here:

City Council memo (pdf)

View the meeting notes here:

Central Park Red Light WG Notes (pdf)