STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A bill introduced in the New York City Council, which would remove parking spaces near intersections, could be voted on before the end of the year.
The bill in question, Intro 1138, would ban parking within a certain distance of any intersection with a crosswalk — a process known as daylighting.
Here are four things Staten Islanders should know about universal daylighting.
What is universal daylighting?
Daylighting is the process of removing parking spaces near intersections with crosswalks to improve pedestrian visibility when crossing the street.
Universal daylighting refers to the scope of the proposed legislation. This bill would mandate that cars not be allowed to park within 20 feet of any intersections with crosswalks in the city — roughly one full car length.
The bill would also require the Department of Transportation to install physical barriers at 1,000 intersections a year.
Daylighting already in practice
New York state law already outlaws parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk. However, New York City has a special exemption that allows it to set its own parking rules.
Daylighting does already exist at some locations on Staten Island, such as along the redesigned Seaview Avenue.
Supporters of the bill also point to the success of daylighting — among other changes — in Hoboken, New Jersey, which has not had a single pedestrian death in several years.
Opponents against ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach
Opponents, including Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, argue that while daylighting may be necessary at certain intersections, applying it everywhere is a “one-size-fits-all” solution.
Opponents of the legislation have pointed out that the Department of Transportation already daylights problematic intersections on a case-by-case basis, which is how they say the safety upgrades should be implemented.
Opponents also argue that the DOT is against the proposed legislation.
The transportation agency has said that implementing the universal daylighting bill would cost more than double its current annual budget.
Legislative push to end the year
The universal daylighting bill is currently laid over in the City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
However, during a recent interview with PIX 11 News, Councilmember Julie Won, a Democrat representing parts of Queens and the original sponsor of the bill, said that there was push to get the bill passed by the end of the year.
The bill currently has majority support in the City Council, with 26 co-sponsors, and needs only eight more votes to reach the veto-proof majority of 34 that could override any potential obstruction from Mayor Eric Adams.
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