On Thursday, victims of traffic violence, their family members, and other safe streets advocates will gather at City Hall to demand that state lawmakers pass a bill to allow NYC to put speed cameras in every city school zone.
Currently, NYC can only deploy 140 speed cameras, and only operate them during school activities, even though there are more than 2,000 schools in the city and most fatal crashes happen while the cameras are turned off. Assembly Member Deborah Glick's bill would lift restrictions on the number of cameras and when they can be operational.
The effort to expand the speed camera program has support from four out of five city district attorneys, 25 City Council members, and Public Advocate Tish James. But Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the Bronx legislator who controls which bills are taken up in committee, is noncommittal on the bill, and the Senate version has no cosponsors.
Thursday's rally will be led by Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets. Click here to let them know you plan to attend.
Check the Streetsblog calendar for the full list of this week's events.
- Today: On the agenda for the Manhattan CB 6 transportation committee: An update from DOT and the MTA on the First Avenue protected bike lane and M23 Select Bus Service, a resolution on Albany toll reform legislation, and a discussion on increasing the number of red light cameras in the district. 7 p.m.
- Thursday: Join Families for Safe Streets and TA to rally for speed cameras in every New York City school zone. City Hall Park, 8:40 a.m.
- Also Thursday: The CB1 transportation committee will hold a public forum on upcoming work on the Canarsie Tunnel. 6:30 p.m.
- Friday: The TA Brooklyn Committee’s People First on Atlantic Avenue team hosts another Friday Night Lights event at the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues. Advocates will be helping people cross that dangerous intersection while spreading the word about the need to fix it. 7 p.m.
Watch the calendar for updates. Drop us a line if you have an event we should know about.
