What to Know
- Speed cameras near NYC schools will go black Wednesday after lawmakers in Albany didn't renew the program
- Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio, both Democrats, have urged lawmakers to reconvene to try again
- Several children have been injured or killed by cars across New York City within the last few months
New York City is ending its use of speed cameras to crack down on dangerous driving near schools after lawmakers in Albany didn't renew the program and now parents are using their own heartbreaking stories as a way to continue the use of them.
The state law authorizing the cameras expired Wednesday.
City officials credit the devices with decreasing speeding violations in school zones.
State lawmakers couldn't come to an agreement on extending the use of the 120 cameras before they wrapped up their annual session last month.
Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio, both Democrats, have urged lawmakers to reconvene to try again, blaming the Republican-led state Senate for the bill's failure.
"School is starting in about six weeks from now and then 1.1 million kids going to school coming from school every day I can't think of more urgency than that," de Blasio said.
The legislation has already passed the Democrat-controlled state Assembly.
So far Republicans have balked at the request to return, blaming Cuomo for the impasse.
Several children have been injured or killed by cars across New York City, including 10-year-old boy Jobe Kan who was critically injured when a driver struck him near 84th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway as well as nine-year-old Giovanni Ampuero, who was hit and killed by a car while he and his mother crossed Northern Boulevard at 70th Street in Jackson Heights.
