Mayor plans major expansion of speed cameras in New York City school zones
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio plans to greatly expand speed camera use in city school zones.
The mayor made the announcement Friday morning at Public School 199 on Manhattan's Upper West Side, surrounded by families who have lost relatives in traffic accidents.
Over the next two years, de Blasio said, the Department of Transportation will substantially scale up its speed camera program, installing new cameras citywide at a rate of about 40 per month through 2019, and 60 per month in 2020.
By June 2020, the city expects to reach the maximum 750 school zones allowed by a law recently passed in Albany.
Right now 290 school zone speed cameras are in place.
The mayor announced a public education campaign would alert New York City drivers of these major changes to the law.
A recent Department of Transportation report showed the use of speed cameras in school zones led to a 63 percent drop in speeding and a decrease in crashes in those areas.
Friday's announcement was nearly overshadowed by a health scare for Rep. Jerry Nadler.
Nadler gave brief remarks during the event, but fell ill as the event was wrapping up.
----------
