Safety is a priority at Ideal Shield and should be a priority for every company, campus, and city throughout the country. It’s why we wear safety glasses on the shop floor, seat belts in the car, and go through security checks at events and airports.
For the most part, rules and laws have been put in place to enforce these standards. However, there’s a serious safety dilemma, car ramming terror attacks and storefront crashes, that has started to become more and more common but has yet to see any nationwide legislation signed to limit/stop these acts from happening.
For the most part, rules and laws have been put in place to enforce these standards. However, there’s a serious safety dilemma, car ramming terror attacks and storefront crashes, that has started to become more and more common but has yet to see any nationwide legislation signed to limit/stop these acts from happening.
But change is coming.
After two deadly car ramming terrorist attacks on his city in 2017, the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, is stepping up to the plate. To kick of 2018, Mr. de Blasio announced that New York city would “spend $50 million to secure high-risk public spaces from attacks by vehicles, and from vehicles that go out of control because of a medical emergency.” de Blasio’s plan is to install 1,500 steel bollards at some of the city’s most popular attractions and vulnerable areas.
de Blasio isn’t the only New York politician pushing for more bollards. New York City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez and the rest of the Council Committee on Transportation voted in mid-December 2017 to move legislation forward on a bill that would require the city to install sidewalk bollards to safeguard against potential terror attacks, per AM New York:
“New York is proud to be known as a great walking city,” Rodriguez said. “Bollards play a key role in preventing vehicles from being used as weapons in crowded areas, which are so common throughout the five boroughs.” The bill also mandates that the city report the installation progress to the City Council every year, he added, stressing that the legislation will help the council be successful in its oversight role and help protect “vulnerable pedestrians.”
Installing hundreds and hundreds of pedestrian safety bollards all around New York is a good first step in preventing another tragic car attack on innocent lives. But it’s far from the finish line as there are plenty of other cities that could use similar legislation.
One city that is trying to follow New York’s lead is another extremely popular tourist attraction and another American city that suffered a horrific tragedy in 2017, Las Vegas.
According to the Associated Press, Las Vegas installed nearly 800 bollards on Las Vegas Boulevard in December. And now there’s plan in place to install an additional 500 bollards at a cost of $2.5 million, increasing the newly-installed, pedestrian bollard coverage in Vegas to 3,200 feet of sidewalk.
Two of the most popular cities in the country are taking drastic steps to improve safety standards by installing hundreds of pedestrian safety bollards. So, when will the rest of the country join in?
Pedestrian safety bollards can save lives and actually save businesses and cities plenty of money thanks to stopping/impeding car ramming terror attacks as well as car accidents that cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damages to storefronts.
Ideal Shield’s gray 1/4″ Bollard Covers lining a storefront
Ideal Shield’s 6″ Architectural decorative bollard covers
Ideal Shield’s 10″ Pawn decorative bollard covers
If you’re a state representative, business owner or city manager looking to learn more about pedestrian safety bollards, please contact our knowledgeable sales team here at Ideal Shield. We specialize in bollards and are The Original Bollard Cover Company.
We not only have steel pipe bollards but we also have the best collection of “never paint again” plastic bollard covers on the market to give your newly installed protection bollards a cleaner look and feel.