Traffic Enforcement

Mayor de Blasio and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg today officially announced the expansion of the city's speed camera program, which will eventually bring automated enforcement to 140 school zones across the boroughs. Today's event also underscored the fact that streets around schools won't be as safe as they could be, thanks to restrictions imposed by Albany.

Traffic enforcement cameras are far outpacing NYPD in ticketing drivers who speed, run red lights, and encroach on bus lanes -- pointing to the need for more automated enforcement to make streets safer.

With the passage of bills to lower NYC's speed limit and significantly expand the city's speed camera program, this year's legislative session was unusually productive for street safety measures, at least by Albany standards.

For the second year in a row, a bill to bring an end to NYPD’s self-imposed ban on penalizing motorists for careless driving has passed the State Senate, but apparently won't clear the Assembly.

Two days after the Assembly passed legislation to expand the number of speed cameras in New York City from 20 to 140, the Senate followed suit this afternoon in a 49-11 vote. Since Governor Cuomo has signaled support for the bill, it is almost certainly bound to become law. The main question is whether a superfluous amendment from Senator Marty Golden will make it into the final version.

Dana Rubinstein at Capital New York reports that State Senator Marty Golden has again emerged as an obstacle to NYC speed cameras.

The Assembly yesterday passed legislation that would expand NYC's speed camera program by 120 cameras, bringing the total to 140. The bill, which also allows speed cameras in Nassau and Suffolk counties, was referred to the Senate rules committee this morning, bypassing the transportation committee. Rules is the last stop before a bill moves to the floor for a vote.

Governor Cuomo and the leaders of the Assembly and State Senate all purportedly favor expanding NYC's speed camera program, yet they failed to authorize the use of more cameras during budget negotiations. As it stands a speed cam bill won't be acted on until later in April at the earliest, as both houses are adjourned and Cuomo refused to expedite a vote.

With Mayor de Blasio looking to gain home rule over NYC's red light and speed cameras as part of the Vision Zero Action Plan, Transportation Alternatives wants to take your requests for camera locations to Albany.