After Times Square Crash and New Terror Threats, Officials and Advocates Call for Pedestrian Security Measures
Manufacturer of Times Square Bollards Calpipe Security Bollards offers to work with America's cities to evaluate safety at key landmarks
NEW YORK, May 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Municipal officials and safety advocates are calling for increased pedestrian safety measures at America's busiest landmarks and pedestrian areas following new terrorist threats and last week's Times Square vehicle attack that killed one person and injured dozens of others before being stopped by newly installed security bollards.
Now, the U.S. company that designed and manufactured the Times Square barriers credited with preventing the attack from being any worse is offering to work collaboratively with cities and municipalities to provide free resources and security evaluations of landmarks and other busy pedestrians sites.
Despite a recent increase in some security measures, many national landmarks, venues, pedestrian malls, and street events still lack basic pedestrian safety barriers like the kind in the Times Square crash. According to The Risk Advisory Group, in 2016, vehicular attacks accounted for the largest number of terrorism casualties in the West, resulting in 601 deaths – with new threats of possible vehicle-based attacks.
L.A.-based Calpipe Security Bollards worked with New York City officials to design and engineer the Times Square bollards throughout 2015 and 2016.
Rob Reiter, a nationally recognized pedestrian safety expert and Calpipe's chief security consultant, urged all cities to:
- Identify and block vehicle access points at the most pedestrian-heavy sites with fixed or removable bollards.
- Evaluate existing bollards to determine if they are manufactured and installed in a manner that provides appropriate levels of protection.
- Consider removable bollards that are stored on sidewalks and can be temporarily installed in the street during farmers markets or street fairs.
"Many public areas in America are vulnerable to vehicle attacks, and pedestrian safety can no longer be an afterthought. Every city, every venue, every landmark should make sure it is doing everything possible to keep pedestrians safe from a vehicle-based attack or accident," said Rob Reiter.
Calpipe's bollards were credited with stopping Richard Rojas's car and potentially saving lives. News coverage highlighted the bollard's role in preventing the incident from being any worse:
USA Today: What stopped the car in Times Square? A closer look at bollards
Associated Press: Deadly Times Square Attack Highlights Pedestrian Safety
Fox: Local company designed barricades that potentially saved lives in Times Square
SOURCE Calpipe Security Bollards
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