For years Schenectady has marketed itself as a walkable city, but the work needed to make the city a safe place for pedestrians and bicyclists has not been completed. Every Schenectady neighborhood has streets that are unsafe for people walking and riding bikes, due to poor design or neglected maintenance. Speeding and dangerous driving are commonplace across the city, and, to make matters worse, sidewalks are often in such poor condition that people with mobility limitations have to walk in the street. Our goal is a city where the streets are accessible and safe for everyone, not just those in cars.

Schenectady lags behind other cities in the region in providing marked crosswalks, bike lanes and traffic-calming measures that make a city truly walkable and bike-able. Fortunately, there is a solution. In recent years, planners across the country have recognized that our communities are out of balance, and have developed an approach known as Complete Streets.

Catching up to those other cities will take a commitment from the community to get it done. Schenectady United Neighborhoods and Cycle Schenectady have formed the Safe Streets Coalition to make our city safe for pedestrians and cyclists. We call on Mayor McCarthy and the City Council to begin that process by implementing the policies the city has already adopted in documents such as the Smart Cities Plan and the Bicycle Master Plan. Recently, the Council took an important first step by endorsing pending state legislation that would authorize cities to adopt speed limits lower than 30 mph.

But to do more, we need strong partners in our coalition. That’s why we are asking your organization to endorse our approach and join us in our efforts. Spread the word in your community and among your membership. Let elected officials know that safe streets are a priority. If we could list your organization as a partner in our coalition, it would go a long way to helping us get this message across.

As the weather gets warmer, we will organize events to help get the word out and press the City to begin to take some of the actions we are advocating. I hope you will join us to help make Schenectady’s streets safer for all.

Tom Carey, AICP

Safe Streets Schenectady Coalition

If you want to learn more, there is a presentation about  the Schenectady Bike Master plan on March 31.More info HERE

Our President, Art Clayman, sits on this committee.