New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced a major expansion of the 15‑mph “school slow zones” across all five New York boroughs, according to a statement from the mayor’s office.
Details About the New York Speed Limits
According to the statement, the city will lower speed limits to 15 mph at 800 additional school locations, bringing the total number of school zones with reduced limits to about 1,300 by the end of 2026.
City officials say the goal is to extend the 15 mph limit to all roughly 2,300 eligible school locations by 2029—the end of Mamdani’s first term as mayor, covering eligible public, private, charter K-12, and parochial schools citywide.
The expansion of the 15 mph speed limits is the largest rollout since the passing of Sammy’s Law in 2024, a state measure that gives New York City the authority to set speed limits below the statewide minimum on local streets, particularly around schools. Sammy’s law is named after Sammy Cohen Eckstein, a 12‑year‑old boy who was fatally struck by a vehicle in Brooklyn in 2013.
Why Lower the Speed Limit to 15 Mph?
Transportation officials say the difference between 15 mph and higher speeds can be life or death. According to the New York City Department of Transportation, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is “more than three times as likely to be seriously injured or killed” than someone struck at 15 mph…