Utica Avenue one of the worst areas in slow-zone crackdown

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (WABC) -- Two busy lanes to four lanes. Fast moving traffic. Pedestrian crowded streets.

Utica Avenue as it dissects four heavily populated Brooklyn communities has a dangerous reputation.

Store owner Tony Mantana knows. "You will find a lot more fatalities down this avenue because of reckless drivers."

In a four-year span from 2008 to 2012, Department of Transportation figures show that12 fatalities have occurred on Utica Avenue. It is one of 14 targeted streets to become new "slow zones" under the city's Vision Zero effort to make streets safer.

"I can see the cracking down on the speeding," said Nastasia Thomas , an area resident.

Starting next month, more than four miles of Utica Avenue from Flatbush Avenue in Marine Park, to Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant will become a slow zone. The speed limit of 30 miles an hour will be reduced by 5 miles an hour.

There will also be increased enforcement by the New York City Police Department.

Thomas said recently, she was almost hit by a car. "A car was coming from there and he come right up on top of me, you know," she said. "Almost hit me."

In East Flatbush where pedestrians and cars are jammed even closer together, the slow zone will be highlighted with signs and temporary speed boards.

"I have no problem with thespeed limit," said Fitzroy Silver, a store owner.

Other dangerous stretches come where major highways cross Utica -- and residents say speed tends to increase in all directions.

Dennis Simon said it's difficult crossing six lanes of traffic. "There are no lights here to walk. It's terrible," he said. "I agree with them to slow it down.

The effort is aimed at slowing all the traffic down and as residents clearly want, to make Utica Avenue that much safer.