A city official and a community group urged the state senate to take action on a bill lowering New York City's speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph.
The group, Families for Safe Streets, joined New York City Council Transportation Committee Chairman Ydanis Rodriguez for a news conference at City Hall Park Tuesday asking for someone in the state senate to sponsor the bill before the end of the legislative session on June 19.
The bill is sponsored in the state assembly by Speaker Sheldon Silver, but no one in the senate has thrown support behind the legislation.
“We cannot allow Albany to get off the hook for the traffic deaths on our streets; we need their action and we need it now," Rodriguez said. “The city has done its part, but this work is not done. With the state legislative term coming to a close shortly, we want to be sure this remains at the top of their to-do list.”
The City Council does not have the authority to lower or raise the overall speed limit for the city and has to ask the state legislature to authorize any changes.
Lower speed limits would play into Mayor de Blasio's Vision Zero traffic initiative, which aims to eliminate pedestrian fatalities by 2024.
Late last month, the City Council passed several bills authorizing more traffic cameras, tougher ticketing and more slow zones across the city.
