Last night, Brooklyn Community Board 1 passed a resolution approving the city’s Department of Transportation in creating a 20 MPH speed limit zone in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, as part of the DOT’s plan to reduce speed limits in select areas across the city.
Sammy’s Law, a New York State law which passed the legislature last year, authorizes the city to implement its own speed limits in select areas (20 MPH for individual streets and 10 MPH undergoing certain safety redesigns, such as Open Streets).
“Beginning in September, following a 60-day public comment period, NYC DOT will begin reducing speed limits in 250 locations by the end of 2025, with a focus on priority locations such as schools,” says a DOT press release from June 2024.
Aside from the individual streets, “NYC DOT will implement one Regional Slow Zone in each borough where speed limits will be set at 20 miles per hour throughout a set geographic area.” The board’s resolution signified their approval to have this Slow Zone in our district, making them the first community board to pass a resolution on the issue.
The DOT has also proposed implementing a 10 MPH speed limit on Berry Street, from Broadway to North 12th Street. This stretch of street currently serves as Berry Open Street, an official DOT initiative in partnership with North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition.
Useless without enforcement.
Since McGuiness changed to one lane, the traffic on Eckford north and Leonard south has become impossible. The corners of Nassau at these blocks stops the traffic, causing pollution and dangerous situations. Big BIG mistake.
Who would have thought getting rid of two lanes of traffic on a busy thoroughfare would cause more traffic on side streets!!! All those people in their cars should just be using their bikes on the McGuinness bike lanes.
Speed bumps not working?
We need to vote these people out. Clearly the do not ask ALL community members.
I agree with Maggie. Call a meeting with residents before the decision is finalized not like always after the decision is finalized, which is a very common practice with the NYC Agencies. Also we need new community board members. Have you ever heard of the residents electing community board members????
Wow, glad to see this story resulted in many posts. A few comments.
I am all for traffic safety. We have app. 40k deaths a yr and untold more people seriously injured.
The redesign has brought up issues.
1-McGuiness Blvd. is like the LIE now, a parking lot. It can take 10 minutes to go a few blocks unlike before where it was intended to go faster.
2-Because of this traffic including trucks are using the side streets causing dangerous conditions.
3-The Key Food parking lot is almost impossible to park in during peak times since everybody is using it as a parking spot for the stores around it.
4-Local businesses are hurting. One of the first victims was the iconic Casonova, loved by many people for 40 yrs., superior Italian food. There was other issues, but no parking now put the final nail in the coffin.
5-The signage on the few spots left are very confusing, parking and fitting into bike lanes at odd hours?
6-Any structures that have oil heating and I sure there are some will close the street for a half an hour since no traffic will be able to get thru.
There are no easy answers. I can see both sides.
Will there also be speed enforcement of 10mph in Berry St and 20 mph for bikes, especially e-vehicles?
LOL, didn’t think so. Greenpointers is a mouthpiece for billionaire Mark Gorton’s anti-car policies not a real local journalist run media that presents both sides and everything in between.
ADA lawsuit suing DOT, North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition, is still pending in federal court.
How about a story on NYS Emily Gallagher blocking 100’s of constituents from her official gov social media accounts? It is illegal, unconstitutional and violation of free speech.
Will there also be speed enforcement of 10mph on Berry St and 20mph for bikes, especially e-vehicles?
LOL, didn’t think so.
ADA lawsuit suing DOT, North Brooklyn Parks Alliance, North Brooklyn Open Streets Community Coalition, is still pending in federal court.
How about a story on NYS Emily Gallagher blocking 100’s of constituents from her official gov social media accounts? It is illegal, unconstitutional and violation of free speech.
Glad to see this article. Having a designated slow zone is important. People will still make their own decisions on whether they choose to speed, but for the majority of us who follow the law, this will be good for us in Williamsburg and Greenpoint–and should become the norm for all of Brooklyn and NYC.