NYC streets to see speed limits as low as 10 mph following Sammy's Law

Sammy's Law lowering NYC speed limits

The Department of Transportation is reducing the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph throughout New York City beginning in September, with the goal of saving lives. FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso has the story.

NEW YORK CITY - After Sammy's Law was passed, the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that some streets in New York City would soon have speed limits as low as 20 or even 10 mph.

"Speeding ruins lives, and reducing vehicle speeds by even a few miles per hour could be the difference between life or death in a traffic crash," said NYC DOT Commissioner Rodriguez.

The DOT also announced that the first "Regional Slow Zone" to be considered will be in lower Manhattan south of Canal Street and would be completed by the end of this year or early next year.

This summer, the NYC DOT will start publicly notifying community boards about its proposals, followed by a 60-day comment period before implementation.

"The new Regional Slow Zones and other speed limit reductions announced today will save lives and keep people safe," NYC DOT Commissioner Rodriguez said.

What is Sammy's Law?

The law was inspired by a 12-year-old boy killed by a speeding driver in Brooklyn, and has already gotten a mass majority in the State Senate.

Sammy's Law allows the city to lower its speed limit from the current 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour or 10 wherever necessary.

The areas include select schools, Open Streets, Shared Streets, and designated "Regional Slow Zones" in each borough.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 07: Vehicles are viewed on a Manhattan Street on November 7, 2014 in New York City. A new 25 miles-per-hour speed limit went into effect city-wide today, down from 30. The new speed limit, which was signed into law by Mayor de

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"Passing Sammy’s Law was a critical first step in our effort to build safer streets in New York. The next step of actually implementing reduced speed limits will be a simple yet powerful way to reduce traffic violence and protect our most vulnerable road users," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. "The Manhattan neighborhoods where DOT is reducing speeds will soon become much safer."

Sammy's Law was passed in Albany back in April.

Initial proposed locations for speed reduction

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 27: Traffic crosses along 42nd Street as the sun rises on November 27, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)