Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

Earlier this month, the New York City Department of Transportation announced
plans to experiment with 20 mph zones -- replacing the city's default
30 mph speed limit in one pilot neighborhood. Whoever gets the first 20
mph treatment will see benefits that residents of British cities and
towns have become increasingly familiar with in recent years.

In the UK,
some 3 million people live in areas that either have 20 mph speed limits already or are in the process of adopting them. The
experience there shows that not only do slower speeds save lives, but
lowering the limit to 20 mph improves the way local streets function in a whole host of ways. According to the 20's Plenty for Us campaign,
the change has produced wide-ranging benefits, including less traffic,
increased walking and biking, greater independence for children, the
elderly and infirm, better health, and calmer driving conditions for
motorists.

The mission of 20's Plenty For Us is to establish 20 mph as the
default speed limit on all residential roads in the UK. I recently met
up with the campaign's founder, Rod King, as well as other advocates in
the towns of Warrington and York, to understand how the idea of slowing
down traffic has spread so fast throughout the country.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Beach Reading: Zohran Mamdani’s Answers to Streetsblog’s Mayoral Candidate Survey

Spend the holiday weekend with Zohran Mamdani's answers to Streetsblog's mayoral candidate questionnaire.

July 4, 2025

Friday Video: Why NYC Needs ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’

London's Church Street, like so many of our business corridors, was choking on cars — until the advent of the low-traffic neighborhood.

July 4, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: E-Bikes in Parks … Permanently Edition

The Parks Department will permanently allow e-bikes in city parks following a two-year pilot. Plus more news.

July 4, 2025

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025
See all posts