Contact: Sunny Mindel/Samantha I. Lugo (212) 788-2958
Marilyn Mode (NYPD) (212) 374-6700
This newest campaign is based on last year's successful holiday traffic enforcement where over 3,000 intersection summonses were issued, resulting in the abatement of traffic congestion. During this morning's effort, Police Officers and Traffic Enforcement Agents issued Intersection Spillback Summonses to violators of vehicles caught in the painted lines of an intersection after the light has turned red, blocking both traffic and pedestrians. Summonses range from $65 to $500 and violators will also receive two points on their license.
"I want to urge drivers, for the safety of all New Yorkers, whether you are driving cars, trucks or buses, please, Don't Block the Box," Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said.
"When you block the box, not only are you not getting yourself to your destination any faster, you are preventing other people from getting to theirs. You are needlessly tying up traffic in a way that causes congestion to jam side streets, disrupting whole neighborhoods and showing a profound lack of respect for the rights of other people. And what is worse, is you are preventing emergency vehicles-ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles-from reaching the scene of an accident or crime, with potentially tragic results," the Mayor added.
"The message we are sending is simple: if you drive into an intersection at the last minute hoping to sneak through and get caught blocking the box, you will receive a summons," said Police Commissioner Howard Safir. "There will be no exceptions - these rules are being enforced against everyone including buses and trucks. So no matter what vehicle you are driving, you are going to be ticketed, period."
Commissioner Safir added, "I want to make clear that the reason we are doing this is to ease congestion and reduce traffic snarls and delays. As always, our number one concern is safety, and part of keeping our streets safe is maintaining the flow of traffic in and around the City."
The traffic initiative, which began at 7:00 AM today, will take effect in all five boroughs but will mainly concentrate in the most heavily congested areas of Manhattan. Violators caught in an intersection after the light has turned red will be issued a summons under New York City Traffic Rules-Obstruction of Traffic, Spillback.