Friday's Headlines: Sammy's Law Edition - Streetsblog New York City

Community boards covering more than 1.7 million people in neighborhoods most affected by traffic violence have voted to ask the Department of Transportation to slow drivers. Manhattan CB8 and Brooklyn CB2 passed resolutions requesting the city reduce the speed limit from 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour, using authority granted by the state under “Sammy’s Law” in 2024. DOT has applied this authority only once so far, creating a neighborhood-wide slow zone in the southern end of Manhattan. CB8’s Upper East Side vote favored a slow zone by 23-15, following testimony that survival chances rise at lower speeds: 90% at 20 mph, 60% at 30 mph, and 20% at 40 mph. A board member called the decision simple with dramatic impact.

"Community boards representing more than 1.7 million people across neighborhoods most afflicted by traffic violence have voted to ask the Department of Transportation to slow down drivers. Two boards - Manhattan CB8 and Brooklyn CB2 - joined the cavalcade on Wednesday night, passing resolutions asking the Mamdani administration to reduce the speed limit from 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour, a power granted to the city by the state under the so-called "Sammy's Law" in 2024."

"Thus far, DOT has used the power for just a single neighborhood-wide slow zone, in the southernmost end of Manhattan, where it was almost impossible to get to 25 miles per hour anyway. Here's an updated map of the areas of the city where community boards are asking for safety over speed: Of those neighborhoods, the closest vote came on the Upper East Side, where CB8 members voted 23-15 (with five abstentions) in favor of a slow zone."

"The vote came after a surprisingly heated debate as street safety advocates pointed out repeatedly that people who are struck by drivers at 20 miles per hour have a 90-percent chance of surviving, but people who are struck at 30 miles per hour have a 60-percent chance of surviving, which drops to only a 20-percent chance of surviving at 40 miles per hour. Street safety advocate and board member Paul Krikler passionately testified that implementation of Sammy's Law is a no-brainer."

""I have seen very few items come before the board where you can actually make a very simple decision that can have a dramatic impact on number of people in our community who don't die or don't get maimed or have their lives altered dramatically," he said of the five-mile-per-hour speed limit reduction. "This, in my opinion, is one of those moments. So, please, please join in voting yes.""

Read at Streetsblog New York City