NYC Lowering Speed Limit To 20 MPH As State Hands Power Over Local Roads

By FrumNews.com

“Sammy’s Law,” which passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, gives New York City the power to lower the already low-speed limit on most streets even further, as first reported on FrumNews.com.

The New York State Legislature previously had the power over the speed limit control on NYC streets. With today’s passage of this law, it gives that power over to the far-left progressive New York City Council. The City will lower the speed limit to 20 MPH on most roads (with exemptions on state roads) and lower the speed limit to just 10 MPH in school zones.

The current speed limit on New York City streets was set in 2014 under the banner of “Vision Zero,” which was the first citywide speed reduction in half a century. The bill authors claim that “Vision Zero” lowered pedestrian deaths by as much as 36%, and therefore, this bill would lower it.

The City Council, as well as Mayor Eric Adams, would still need to sign off on the change. (City Hall has already made it clear that Eric Adams would sign it if the City Council passed such a bill).

In late 2022, the state legislature allowed the City to activate its over 3,000 automated speed cameras 24 hours a day.

The law change comes as Lower and Midtown Manhattan is set to be slapped with a $15 toll just for entering the area with a car, on top of existing tolls.

Amber Adler, award-winning civic leader and former Democratic Nominee for New York City Council District 48, told FrumNews.com, “Passing Sammy’s Law is a milestone moment for New Yorkers. It brings the power back to local government, enabling our communities to adopt speed limits that best suit residents’ safety needs. As a car crash survivor, advocate for Sammy’s Law, and active member of Families for Safe Streets, it was an honor to be invited to the bill signing with Governor Hochul. Community members and street safety advocates across the state celebrate this advancement and remain committed to implementing further safety measures.”

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FrumNews.com is all for street safety, but for common-sense traffic safety. If NYC actually wants to stop “traffic violence,” it would vigorously implement curbside daylighting, which would remove the last parking spot by all intersections for better safety visibility. Another alternative would be adding more speed bumps to local roads or narrowing lanes on wide boulevards.

Lowering the speed limit, slower than the flow of traffic is only a gotcha ticket scheme backed by the left’s war on cars, that will further penalize New York drivers into being unable to afford their vehicles anymore and forced into the crime-filled, homeless and drug-infested subway system, that is mismanaged by the MTA.

This ultra-low speed limit will have zero effect on the most reckless of drivers, who are criminals and violent gang members driving throughout this once great city with untraceable counterfeit paper license plates that don’t abide by any speed limits.

Furthermore, some progressive politicians in New York State are proposing that after a number of “speed camera tickets,” your NYS Vehicle Registration gets revoked and your car gets impounded.

There are already speed cameras on many New York City streets, the most in the nation, with more speed cameras added weekly. On some streets, the speed limit is 15 MPH in school zones and drivers get ticketed even when school is not in session. Just imagine the ticket revenue the city will be receiving when this changes to 10 MPH.