Int. No. 140-A
By Council Members Greenfield, Chin, Constantinides, Espinal, Gentile, Gibson, Johnson, Koo, Levine, Reynoso, Richards, Torres, Van Bramer, Mendez, Rosenthal, Kallos, Arroyo, Levin, Vallone, Barron and Dromm
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing neighborhood slow zones and speed limits near schools.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 19-177 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 6 for the year 1996, is retitled and subdivisions d, e and f are added to read as follows:
§ 19-177 Speed Limits; posting of signs; neighborhood slow zones; speed limits near schools.
d. (1) The commissioner shall establish neighborhood slow zones in which speed limits of twenty miles per hour apply on or along designated highways for the purpose of implementing traffic calming measures. The commissioner shall establish not less than seven neighborhood slow zones, which shall contain not less than five blocks per zone, annually in the years 2014 and 2015. For purposes of this subdivision, "traffic calming measures" shall mean any physical engineering measure or measures that reduce the negative effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for non-motorized street users such as pedestrians and bicyclists.
(2) Upon the establishment of neighborhood slow zones pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subdivision, commencing on or before February 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall provide to the mayor and speaker of the council, and shall post on the department's website, a report listing the location of all neighborhood slow zones. This report shall include, but not be limited to, a review of whether such zones have minimized the risk of traffic crashes, critical injuries or death, and a determination of whether the department shall continue to establish seven neighborhood slow zones annually.
e. (1) Except as provided in paragraph two of this subdivision, the commissioner shall establish speed limits of not less than fifteen nor more than twenty miles per hour at fifty school locations annually, for a distance not to exceed one thousand three hundred twenty feet, on highways passing any school building, entrance or exit of a school abutting on the highway. For purposes of this subdivision, the term "school" shall have the same meaning as in section 19-189 of this title.
(2) Should the commissioner determine that such speed limits will be established at fewer than fifty school locations within a year, the commissioner shall inform the mayor and the speaker of the council in writing of such determination and the reason therefore.
(3) After evaluating every school in the city for the establishment of such speed limits, the commissioner may determine not to establish any further such speed limits and shall inform the mayor and the speaker of the council in writing and shall continue to evaluate the need to establish such speed limits after such notice is given.
f. Commencing on or before February 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall provide to the mayor and speaker of the council, and shall post on the department's website, a list of all locations established pursuant to subdivision e of this section.
§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon its enactment into law.
LF
LS#983/2014
Int. No. 0535/2011
5/21/14