New Speed Limits Planned For 3 UES Schools

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — New York City transportation officials are planning on lowering speed limits in three Upper East Side school zones, city officials confirmed on Wednesday night in a community board meeting.

The new 15 mph speed limit zones are planned for St. David’s School on East 89th Street between Madison and Fifth avenues, The Dalton School on East 89th Street between Lexington and Park avenues, and The Hewitt School Lower School on East 76th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues.

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The speed limit change, which is expected to take place within the next 60 days, is thanks to Sammy’s Law, a state measure that gives New York City more local power to lower speed limits.

The law is named for a 12-year-old who was killed by a speeding van near Prospect Park in 2013. Under the law, New York City can now reduce speed limits to 20 mph on most streets and allow 15 mph zones near schools.

"This is really the heart and soul of what Sammy's Law is meant to achieve, and what Vision Zero is meant to achieve, which is that, as speed limits are lowered, the risk of serious injury and fatality continues to drop," Craig Lader, co-chair of Community Board 8's Transportation Committee, said.

The mayor has announced a plan to install 15 mph school slow zones at all 2,300 eligible school locations by the end of his current term in 2029, Rafael Escano, a community coordinator at the Department of Transportation, said during the meeting.

"Every school in the city, 250 students or more, whether charter, private or public, will get a 15-mile-per-hour school slow zone by the end of 2029," Escano said.

According to Community Board 8's Transportation Committee Co-Chair Chuck Warren, school speed limit zones typically extend up to 1,320 feet along a road passing a school, which is about a quarter of a mile long.

At the end of the meeting, the transportation committee passed a resolution to examine other locations on the Upper East Side and in Roosevelt Island where the speed limit could be dropped to 20 mph.

The DOT is currently accepting feedback from the public regarding this proposal. To submit feedback on this proposal, reach out to Community Board 8. The full board will take up the proposal at its monthly meeting on May 20.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.