Assemblyman Dinowitz calls on DOT to remove outdated speed limit signage near NYC schools

Outdated “Speed limit 30” sign still posted outside P.S. 81 in the Bronx

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz called on the NYC Department of Transportation to make it a priority to remove street signs near schools that mandate an outdated 30-mph speed limit. Last year, Assemblyman Dinowitz cosponsored legislation to allow New York City to lower its default speed limit on city streets from 30 to 25 miles per hour, a change intended to make streets safer for pedestrians. On November 7, 2014, the new speed limit took effect. Yet nearly three months later, a sign reading “Speed Limit 30” remains posted outside of P.S. 81 in the Bronx.

Assemblyman Dinowitz said, “While the default speed limit on New York City streets has been lowered to 25 miles per hour, outdated speed limit signs such as the one outside of P.S. 81 keep those street’s speed limits at 30. I find it bizarre that vehicles are able to travel at higher speeds around this school than they can on adjacent streets.”

Assemblyman Dinowitz continued, “Last year, when I cosponsored legislation to allow New York City to lower its default speed limit, the safety of our schoolchildren was first and foremost on my mind. It makes no sense that three months after the speed limit has been lowered, ‘Speed Limit 30’ signs near schools have not yet been removed. I call on the Department of Transportation to prioritize the removal of these outdated signs near schools in order to ensure that this vital initiative of Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero Action Plan is properly enacted where it is needed most.”

Assemblyman Dinowitz has requested that the DOT remove the outdated speed limit sign near P.S. 81 and all others near schools expeditiously, but has been informed that he should not expect a response before the end of April. As 25 mph is the default speed limit for New York City streets unless otherwise posted, simply removing this traffic sign would lower the speed limit near P.S. 81.

Editors Note: 

On December 5th we had the story of 'just-what-is-speed-limit-especially 'by P.S. 81'. On November 7th the city speed limit was lowered to 25 MPH, but the sign still says 30 miles per hour in front of P.S. 81. A photo was also posted of the 30 MPH sign that was still up one month after the speed limit was lowered to 25 MPH.

This is the link  to our December 5th story. We are glad to have Assemblyman Dinowitz join the fight to make Riverdale Avenue safer for the children of P.S. 81. We wonder where the deBlasio administration is on this, since Vision Zero is so important to him with the 25 MPH speed limit. I was unable to ask the mayor at a recent press conference on the issue of the 30 MPH sign still being up in front of P.S. 81, as one his staffers made sure I was not called on to question the mayor as I have been in the past.