New York City to Cut Speed Limits to 20 mph by End of 2025

URGENT UPDATE: New York City is set to dramatically reduce speed limits across its metropolitan area, impacting traffic in at least 250 zones by the end of 2025. Under a law passed in April 2024, speed limits will drop from 25 mph to 20 mph, aiming to enhance pedestrian safety in high-traffic areas.

This significant change officially began in October 2024 on Prospect Park West in Brooklyn, a location chosen in memory of 12-year-old Sammy Cohen Eckstein, who tragically lost his life in 2013 due to a speeding vehicle. The new law, known as Sammy’s Law, empowers the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) to implement speed reductions where needed.

“Thanks to the advocacy of Sammy’s family, we now have the legal authority to make our streets safer,” stated NYCDOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez in a recent press release. The law does not mandate speed limit reductions but grants the NYCDOT the power to make these crucial changes.

City officials are focusing on both individual streets and broader Regional Slow Zones, which encompass areas with higher pedestrian traffic. Notable Regional Slow Zones include City Island in the Bronx, Dumbo in Brooklyn, Broad Channel in Queens, and St. George in Staten Island. Furthermore, certain Shared and Open Streets will see their speed limits slashed even further to 10 mph, promoting safer environments for pedestrians and cyclists.

In addition, School Slow Zones—designated areas around schools—will have their speed limits reduced to 15 mph permanently, instead of the previous adjustments during school hours only. This change aims to protect the city’s most vulnerable citizens: children.

As this initiative rolls out, residents and visitors alike will need to adjust to the new speed limits, which are expected to be fully enforced by the end of 2025. The urgency of these changes cannot be overstated, as New York City continues to prioritize pedestrian safety in the face of rising traffic incidents.

Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.