White Plains takes long-term approach to improve road safety

There were 3,255 crashes in White Plains between 2014 and 2023. Of those, 353 involved a serious injury and 12 resulted in a death.

Jonathan Gordon

Sep 18, 2024, 4:39 PM

Updated 15 days ago

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White Plains believes in a future in which it can reduce the number of serious and deadly crashes on its roadways to zero.
The city is creating an action plan to implement a Vision Zero initiative over the next few years.
The city held a pop-up event Wednesday at the White Plains Metro-North train station to get public input on how people feel about walking, biking and driving around White Plains.
News 12 spoke with several people along Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue.
Some believe more can be done to make them feel safer moving throughout the city.
"Cars, they are driving too fast in this area, especially in the crossroads," White Plains resident Camila Reyes said. "Cameras [could help] to avoid that situation or restrict their speed."
Others said the city has done a great job to protect pedestrians and drivers alike.
"For the most part, people abide by the traffic laws, nobody runs lights and there's a police presence," said Rome Dalce, who works in White Plains.
There were 3,255 crashes in White Plains between 2014 and last year, according to statistics provided by the city. Of those, 353 involved a serious injury and 12 resulted in a death.
Earlier this year, the city reduced the speed limit on most of its roads to 25 mph to improve public safety and prevent pedestrian fatalities.
The city said more can be done.
"White Plains is a very safe place to walk and bike and drive but we could always be safer and one fatality, one serious traffic accident is one too many," said White Plains Deputy Planning Commissioner Judy Mezey.
The community stakeholder engagement part of the plan is ongoing through next April and is available online. Consultants hired by the city are also working on reviewing policy and crash data.
Recommendations could span a wide range of options including different road design, improved visibility or additional speed management.
The city hopes to draft and approve a final plan by next spring.